Jason Williams and Darryl Bootland Accept Qualifying Offers
posted by Brian List @ 8/16/2005 05:04:00 PM ::
4 comments
:: 
The Wings have re-signed forwards Jason Williams, 25, and Darryl Bootland, 23, to one-year deals. Terms were not released, but at a 10% increase over their 2004-2005 salaries they would both be at the league minimum of $450,000.
Williams appeared in a career-high 49 games in 2003-2004, adding 6 goals and 7 assists. During the lockout, he led Assat Pori in scoring in the Finnish League with 26 goals and 17 assists in 43 games. Williams always hustles on the ice and can be used at both center and on the wings.
Darryl Bootland played in 22 games during the 2003-2004 season with the Wings. After starting out aggressive and dropping the gloves on numerous occasions, the Wings coaching staff asked him to tone it down and not cost the Wings unnecessary penalty minutes. This is where he later struggled with defining his role on the Wings, and was moved down the list of call-ups.
In other prospect news, former Wings prospect Nathan Robinson signed a one-year deal with the Bruins.
4 Comments:
The Robinson signing upsets me a bit. He has that one skill you can't teach, blazing speed. I saw him play with the Grifs last year, and was very impressed. I think the wings made a mistake not resigning him.
Robinson never made a good impression whenever he was called up by the Wings. I just remember him as a sloppy player, and though I've read a lot about his speed he never showed it with the Wings.
That's a huge thing I'm going to miss with Dandenault: speed. Mathieu would always skate end-to-end with the puck and he was a pretty solid defenseman. I'd still like the Wings to find a replacement for Dandenault...
The thing I really fault Ken Holland for is the way the Wings have gotten consistantly slower over the past fw years, especially on the blue line, but also up front. Dandenault is just he latest guy to be replaced by somebody more slowfooted. LaPointe, Devereaux, Dushane, Bykov, and I know I'm leaving out a bunch more, all replaced by slower feet. Speed is what makes a great forecheck and successfull backcheck.
You only need to see how tough Nashville (let alone Calgary) played the Wings to see what speed can do for you.
p.s. the best thing about Dandenault was that he always stepped up his game in the playoffs. In the last two playoff years, he was clearly the Wings most effective blueliner at the defense end.
Post a Comment
Bookmark this post
Search this site
<< Home