Ya know I make it no secret that I absolutely adore Fedorov, but I do think his salary is holding us back a bit.  I don’t want to see him go but if I do, I know it’s what’s best for the Jackets.

Posted by Bethany on 06/18/07 at 12:29 PM ET

Fedorov at this point reminds me of Larry Murphy with the Maple Leafs - struggling in his current situation, but a potential steal for the team that could surround him with the appropriate talent.

Who knows what he’ll cost, but I could think of half a dozen teams easily that he could help.

Posted by The Forechecker from Nashville on 06/18/07 at 12:36 PM ET

If he is bought out. I would like the Wings to sign him, but for a one-year incentive laden contract with a base salary of no more than $900,000.

Posted by PRStoetzer on 06/18/07 at 12:53 PM ET

Is there a deadline for this?  I thought I read somewhere that it was on June 15th.

Posted by Bethany on 06/18/07 at 12:59 PM ET

The buyout period started June 15th and runs for two weeks, or close to that.

Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 06/18/07 at 01:03 PM ET

Yeah, Fedorov is coming back, how could he not?  The way the fans here treat him and all.  The Downriver chicks will just go back to worshipping Ozzie because he ain’t coming back.  Most idiot fans that pollute the Joe saw to it that the bridge was burned

Posted by bababooey on 06/18/07 at 01:14 PM ET

I would sign him for 1.5 one a 1 year, and have some performance (individual and team) clauses in there maxing out at 3 or so.  I think he would be a very useful player on a good team.

Posted by WingMan from Canada on 06/18/07 at 02:03 PM ET

The advantage for any team signing him is he will be already making $2 million each of the next two years for breathing with the buyout, so any salary can be less from the team signing him if he is interested.

I’d like him back in Detroit, but that is because he was always one of my favorites.  I’m not sure how realistic it is, though.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 06/18/07 at 02:54 PM ET

I think Sergei benefitted from being here as much as (if not more than) the Wings benefitted from having him.  He was really a good fit in the Wings system.  The whole “puck posession” thing seems to fit him rather well.  The only questions are could he pony up for Babblecock’s bootcamp (after playing defense for Scotty and Hitch, me thinks maybe that’s a ‘yes’) and did the lunatic fringe among Detroit’s fanbase indeed burn that bridge with all their vitriol (as previously mentioned by bababooey).
I say sign him for $1M with some playoff incentives…

Posted by Hoser from Downer Peninsula, Michigan on 06/18/07 at 03:14 PM ET

I’m with Wing Man and Hoser--Fedorov alwasy fit in well in Detroit, alcoholism aside, and if he’s kicked the latter habit, he’d look pretty good as a bargain replacement for Robert Lang.

Fedorov is still, when healthy, a big player with great speed and the leg strength to skate through opposing defenders, and if he were to centre Todd Bertuzzi and Valterri Filppula on a second line, he could both dish some nice passes to Bert and help Filppula ease into his inevitable role as the Wings’ second-line centre. 

If he wants to come back, he’s paid his hockey and personal pennance, and if there’s any team that could put some more tread on those heavy-mileage tires, it’s Detroit, aka the Belle Tire of Hockey.

Posted by George James Malik from South Lyon, MI on 06/18/07 at 03:50 PM ET

The fans probably fall predominately into two camps; those who recognize what a tremendous player he was for Detroit and remember his talent, and those who booed him but would start cheering as soon as he scored a goal in their favor.  Either way, I doubt he’d have a lot of problems in Detroit if he did choose to play for the Red Wings.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 06/18/07 at 04:35 PM ET

I’d take him back in a heartbeat. If it doesn’t prevent a Smyth signing, I’d give him 2 million.

Posted by Nathan on 06/18/07 at 05:37 PM ET