I hope he likes playing in Grand Rapids.  At least there is no question who the Number 1 goalie is anymore…

Posted by John from Pittsburgh, PA (Wings fan for life!) on 07/01/08 at 02:13 PM ET

Wow why in the world didn’t Pittsburgh resign him and buy out Sabu?  for $750,000 that’s not a bad deal.  We were all thinking he’d want like $1.5 mil.

Posted by Phil from Pittsburgh, PA on 07/01/08 at 02:14 PM ET

exactly phil. He carried the pens for a quarter of the season last year.

Posted by underthechestnuttree from LaSalle, Ontario, Canada on 07/01/08 at 02:15 PM ET

Looks like the Wings are in the Heritage Classic this year. Somehow, Conklin always finds a way to play outdoors…

Posted by KingLundqvist30 on 07/01/08 at 02:15 PM ET

nice - this is a steal, a perfect candidate to battle Jimmy, plus Ty can take the lead from time to time.

Posted by Jdunc from Flint, MI on 07/01/08 at 02:15 PM ET

great deal for the Wings, and good competitoon for Howard

Posted by Pharazon from England on 07/01/08 at 02:15 PM ET

Great signing.  Given Rolston appears to be outside the Wings’ price range, this isn’t a bad consolation prize…

Posted by mudshark on 07/01/08 at 02:18 PM ET

(Turns to the SE and bows to Kenny Holland.)

All hail to the Master of the deal!

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 07/01/08 at 02:18 PM ET

Deals like this should remind everyone why the Wings stay competitive year after year. Adding the right piece at the right price.

Posted by Hockey1919 from Montreal on 07/01/08 at 02:25 PM ET

Tremendous deal.  He’s a solid back-up who’s established himself over the past few seasons, he’ll push Howard, and at $750K, you can’t beat the price.

Posted by George Malik from South Lyon, MI on 07/01/08 at 02:26 PM ET

Please excuse John from Austin, TX. He’s my little brother, and he’s a little delirious from sleeping with a helium balloon over his head.

Ty Conklin will spend the whole season with the Red Wings. There’s no way he’s being sent down to Grand Rapids at any point, unless he miserably fails, which a lot of people doubt will happen. He had a great revival last season, and this contract is another Holland steal. If anything, Holland will call Howard up to start a few games against some of the lesser teams only if Osgood or Conklin go down, but Osgood is the man, Conklin is the back-up, and Howard stays in Grand Rapids. End of story.

Posted by Joseph from Canton, MI on 07/01/08 at 02:27 PM ET

Cannot believe he got Conklin for this price after the way he revived the Pens season last year. Not that anyone expected him to get big bucks, but I would’ve figured there are a few desperate teams willing to give him double this.

Posted by Nathan from the scoresheet! on 07/01/08 at 02:28 PM ET

Incredible.  I love Howard, but how the hell did we steal Conklin for this little salary after the season he had.  He’s a solid 1A or 1B guy on any team.  And he might be #3 for us. 

The funniest thing is that Colorado’s big signing?  ANDREW RAYCROFT.

Posted by moore00 from Columbus, OH/Grand Rapids, MI on 07/01/08 at 02:30 PM ET

What a freaking steal (Joseph got $700K)!  Conklin must surely think he can be the #2 guy, and perhaps get a chance to get his name on the Cup!  Look at his numbers from last season, especially his save%:

2007-2008: 33(g/p), 18 wins, 8 losses, 5 OTL,
78 g/a, 1,013 s/a, 2 s/o, 2.51 ga/a, .923 save%

Perhaps a forward will be forthcoming to complete the “Miracle Summer of KEN!”

Posted by Jeff OKWingnut from Quest for 12 on 07/01/08 at 02:32 PM ET

Please excuse my brother Joe from Canton, MI.  He’s my older brother, and he’s a little delirious from my genius.

Holland said he wanted a goalie to make Howard compete, and he certainly got one.  But Holland also said that Howard will play at least 10 games next year.  While Conklin has played brilliantly in the past, he has also stumbled a lot before.  We aren’t going to have a contest regarding the number one goalie, but Conklin and Howard are going to have it out for number two.  If Conklin stumbles, he may not go to Grand Rapids, but Howard will get the call over him to suit up for the Wings.  Mark my words, he is going to sit this year for a stretch, and it won’t be on the Wings bench.

Posted by John from Pittsburgh, PA (Wings fan for life!) on 07/01/08 at 02:32 PM ET

Cannot believe he got Conklin for this price after the way he revived the Pens season last year. Not that anyone expected him to get big bucks, but I would’ve figured there are a few desperate teams willing to give him double this.

Ditto.  Didn’t think he’d pull in a huge contract, but I figured he wouldn’t be way down at the bottom of the bargain bin, either.

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 07/01/08 at 02:33 PM ET

That guy John from Austin, Texas is a real bitch.

Posted by Nathan from the scoresheet! on 07/01/08 at 02:43 PM ET

0.923 sv %.  not bad at all!

(personally, I have no confidence in Howard)

Posted by Hippy Dave from Portland by way of Detroit on 07/01/08 at 03:49 PM ET

Please excuse my little brother John from Austin, TX. He’s having delusions of granduer that I am in awe of his genius, when in fact, he used to eat paint chips and still wears a safety helmet with a leash.

One thing that he has sorely forgotten is that Conklin’s contract is not a two-way contract, and if Holland attempts to send him down to Grand Rapids, he’ll have to clear waivers first. Which will not happen, given a goalie of his talent making a fraction of what he’s worth will be snatched up immediately, and I kinda think Holland wants to keep him around for insurance purposes. If there’s an injury, Howard gets called up in a heartbeat, but Holland will never carry 3 goaltenders on the roster. Conklin is only a stopgap until Howard is ready to back up Osgood and learn the ropes of starting in the NHL.

Posted by Joseph from Canton, MI on 07/01/08 at 06:39 PM ET

Conklin is only a stopgap until Howard is ready to back up Osgood and learn the ropes of starting in the NHL.

Or until Ryan Miller is available. Though that would require a significant increase in the cap.

I was kidding about John being a bitch… I’m a friend of your brother’s… though I believe the story about eating paint chips.

Posted by Nathan from the scoresheet! on 07/02/08 at 08:06 AM ET