Khan: Lidstrom not going anywhere
Update (10:52 PM): IwoCPO linked today to a Larry Brooks piece in which the NY Post writer opined that the Wings have gone to Lidstrom hat-in-hand, hoping in vain that he will take a pay cut. Can't say I fully buy into that story. I suspect the Wings' and Nick are more on the same page than the rumor-mongers would have us believe. - Matt
In a blog post today, Ansar Khan wrote on something I had forgotten to mention in my short response to Game 6, namely Eric Duhatschek's comments about Nick Lidstrom on Satellite Hotstove (Real Media file) last night. The panel was discussing possible off-season moves by various teams and when asked by Ron MacLean to discuss Detroit, Duhatschek just said he felt the Wings would have a hard time signing Lidstrom because they wouldn't be able to throw the necessary money at him. (I'm paraphrasing here and since I'm on dial-up at home, I can't re-watch the clip)
Duhatschek is a big name in the business, a journalist who knows his stuff and he didn't say that for the heck of it. He obviously had a reason to believe what he said. However, I am fully with the little Detroit hockey journalist Ansar Khan on this one:
There's a lot of uncertainty about what moves the Wings will make in the next few weeks, but there is one thing that you can absolutely, positively take to the bank: Lidstrom WILL re-sign with the Wings. Frankly, I don't understand why that would even be questioned.Me either. It's reasonable to expect the Wings to be okay with giving Lidstrom a raise from the $7.6 million he earned last season. Nick could easily demand the league max, which is expected to be just under $8.8 million (20% of just under $44 million) but, as Khan says, I think it's more likely he'll get $8 million. I personally doubt Lidstrom will make it difficult for the Wings. The man used to threaten to leave Detroit and return to Sweden but during the lockout, when others of his countrymen were heading off to the SEL, he didn't go anywhere except for vacation. He was content to stay in town and let his kids go to school and live their life in Michigan. To me, that speaks volumes about his interest in sticking around.
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