for a 1 year UFA, i’d prefer Naslund to Jagr.

for obvious reasons, i think he’d fit in better. Jagr’s more of a merc.

i don’t think we need anyone though, but i can’t imagine Kenny sitting on his can all summer doing nothing.

Posted by Pharazon from England on 06/23/08 at 07:50 AM ET

I don’t really know enough about Jagr off-ice to tell you… from afar, it’s tough to tell if some of the things that have made Jagr look bad the last few years are just fabrications and/or overreactions of the NY media, or if they are legit.

Strictly speaking on the ice, I’d much rather have Jagr than Naslund. We saw that Jagr, even after a poor start to the season, and flip the switch and assert his will on an entire game, and can especially dominate the power play.

It’d be interesting to see how effective Jagr and Hudler could be together. Problem with Jagr is that he just doesn’t have the legs to backcheck the way the Wings do, so the odds of his usefulness to Detroit really hinge on whether or not Hudler improves his skating just a hair.

Posted by Nathan from the scoresheet! on 06/23/08 at 08:07 AM ET

Jagr would be great on a line with Franzen and Filppula.  I would much rather have Jagr than Naslund, and I would much rather have Sundin than either of them…

Posted by Jdunc from Flint, MI on 06/23/08 at 08:48 AM ET

Well, he’d be a stud on the second line will Flip and the Mule…but at what cost? Kenny said the other day that he had about $3M-$4M to spend on a one-year contract for a veteran forward.

That amount might even fit the following year when Hank and Mule will get major raises. But would Jagr take that? I doubt it. I’d guess he’s looking for at least $5M per for two years…and the Wings can’t afford that (unless they unload Sammy and they let Lilja walk in favor of playing the cheaper guys like Meech and Quincy).

I’m going to take a wild guess here and say that if Kenny signs Stuart and Lilja, he’ll swing a trade with Boston, getting Glenn Murray in exchange for either Meech or Quincy. Murray’s size fits well on the second line. And his salary and term (one more year at $4.125M) fits Kenny’s stated price range. We’ll see.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 06/23/08 at 08:56 AM ET

Older than Chelly- the Murray scenario is interesting, that wouldn’t be a bad deal.
If they re-sign Stuart and Lilja, I think the Wings may end up dealing Lebda, a more proven player who they could probably get more for in return.

Posted by mc keeper from The Home Of Lord Stan on 06/23/08 at 09:13 AM ET

Just say no to Glen Murray.  Boston would be thrilled to unload that money sink.  He has almost nothing left, from what I’ve seen - on the far end of a downslide to his career.

Naslund would be interesting - I’d be curious to see what he could do on a reduced role on a team where he wouldn’t need to have any special leadership responsibilities.  He looked like the pressure of captaincy was suffocating him.

Don’t know enough about Jagr to say how he’d work out, but his talent is undeniable and he can still be impossible to handle when the mood strikes him - how much of his inconsistency is real and how much is media hype?  Then how much is him and how much is the team environment?

I still think Sundin will be too expensive, as the demand for him is going to be high.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see no moves until training camp and the coaches have a better idea of who is prepared for a larger role and who isn’t yet.  No point in getting someone to fill a sport that might nto even exist in September.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 06/23/08 at 10:10 AM ET

Glen Murray is freaking cancer - I’ll die a lot inside if Detroit throws Boston a bone and trades for him.  The Wings would be better suited thrown $4 million in a toilet.

Naslund is curious but I really think he’s done.  Jagr is always a guy rumored to go to Detroit but he’s a moody SOB.

Posted by HockeyJoe from NY on 06/23/08 at 10:38 AM ET

Just say no to Glen Murray.  Boston would be thrilled to unload that money sink.  He has almost nothing left, from what I’ve seen - on the far end of a downslide to his career.

Glen Murray is freaking cancer…The Wings would be better suited thrown $4 million in a toilet.

Hmmm. Okay, so Murray seems like a no go.

How about Ledba to Annaheim for Bertuzzi?

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 06/23/08 at 11:18 AM ET

How about Ledba to Annaheim for Bertuzzi?

How about NO.

Besides, we already have a power forward with a scoring touch now - Franzen.

Naslund is curious but I really think he’s done.

Maybe he is, but I’m still curious to see how he’d perform.  How much of the drop off in his numbers recently are because he was expected to play a defensive system with no components of offense?  And I don’t recall that he often had very good linemates, either.  For not too much it might be worth it to see what he’s got left.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 06/23/08 at 11:36 AM ET

Although I’m inclined to think that Jagr is indeed too slow for our system, the Wings have an amazing ability to energize aged players. Well…except for Robatille.

Jagr would also be a good mentor for Hudler, even if they’re not linemates; Jagr, as already said, would most likely play with Fil and Franzen.

Jagr, however, would have to pass two major tests. First, a sit down interview to make sure his desire to win the cup goes above any personal desires. Second, backing up that talk, if it’s there, by taking 2mil less a year for a great chance to go out as a champion.

For players of his caliber, finding a job after playing will not be difficult, so a pay cut now is not nearly as risky as for say, Stuart.

Posted by Osrt on 06/23/08 at 03:59 PM ET

from afar, it’s tough to tell if some of the things that have made Jagr look bad the last few years are just fabrications and/or overreactions of the NY media, or if they are legit.

The NY media loves Jagr, you must be thinking of the DC media.  The only thing the NY media might have gotten on him about was his reluctance to go in shootouts…but if you’ve ever seen him in a shootout, you know he was right and they were wrong.
As for being slow…he’s 36-37 years old and 250lbs, of course he’s slow! But, he’s hard to stop once he gets going.  And backchecking…well, at least he does it about 70% of the time now, as opposed to 10% 3 years ago.  That probably accounts for part of the dropoff in points this year.
Honestly, I hope Detroit doesn’t want him.  That’s one less team that could take him away from the Rangers.

Posted by K24 from NYC on 06/23/08 at 10:28 PM ET