Thursday, February 17, 2005

David Guralnick / The Detroit News With Dave Lewis as coach, the Wings have had successful regular seasons but no posteseason luck.

Coaches likely to return with Wings

Drafting contracts for the staff with no team to lead will be a struggle, the GM says.

By Ted Kulfan / The Detroit News

Clip 'n' Flip Click here for larger version of the photo. Print, clip and flip for your own memorial. Error processing SSI file Should Yzerman retire? Now that the 2004-05 NHL season has officially been cancelled, should Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman, who turns 40 in May, retire? Yes, he has accomplished everything No, he shouldn't go out on this note No, he still can play even after sitting out a year Get results and comments The blame game Whom would you blame for the cancellation of the NHL season? The owners The players Both Get results and comments You take a shot Faced with a salary cap, how would you build the Red Wings' roster? Which high-salary players would you let go? Get results and comments Wallpaper Red Wings Ghost Town Audio Audio clip of the Chicken Dance Previous reports NHL players accept cap, but no deal yet Howe says hockey is the big loser Retirement and free agency will drastically change Wings' roster Bob Wojnowski: Deal now or forget the season Minor league is better than nothing for 3 Wings 4-hour negotiating session goes nowhere Season hopes all but dashed Neither Goodenow nor Bettman will join in discussions meant to spark negotiations Bob Wojnowski: Wings' Ilitch needs to flex his muscles and try to end impasse Bob Wojnowski: NHL's problems go far beyond labor Talks in Toronto go nowhere in a hurry Owners look adamant about a salary cap Red Wings keep the faith Union leader says players won't budge Bob Wojnowski: Lockout could cause irreparable damage to sport Hockey fans make do Union still maintains that Commissioner Bettman is roadblock to ending labor impasse Key figures involved in resolving the strife Comparing the leagues' financial arrangements Players' status going into 2004-05 season Comment on this story Send this story to a friend Get Home Delivery

DETROIT -- Dave Lewis and his coaching staff are likely to return to the Red Wings whenever hockey returns.

General manager Ken Holland said there's no reason to think they wouldn't.

But for Holland, the question is how to structure a contract for a coach who has nobody to coach, or no games on the horizon.

"It's something that we'll address over the next few months," Holland said.

Lewis, associate coach Barry Smith and assistant Joe Kocur all have one-year contracts that expire July 1. All three have expressed a desire to remain with the Wings.

Holland said there are approximately 200 Wings employees on one-year contracts, and all will be dealt with in the coming weeks and months.

Holland said the Wings will not cut their staff of 11 full-time scouts in North America and Europe because an entry draft eventually will be held (although probably not until a new collective bargaining agreement is signed) and the need to monitor young junior talent on a consistent basis is crucial.

Scouts might be kept in their specific regions and not travel cross-country as much.

Holland has done extensive scouting work in the past few months. He just returned from Sweden and expects to return to Europe for a pair of high-profile tournaments in the next few months.

Holland also expects to watch top prospect Jimmy Howard, a goaltender from Maine who was a second-round pick in 2002, within the next few weeks.

Lewis has coached the Wings for two seasons. After successful regular seasons, the Wings were swept in the first round of the playoffs by Anaheim in Lewis' first year, and last season, they were beaten by Calgary in the conference semifinals.

Neither Lewis nor Holland have discussed the future at this point; Lewis said the CBA discussions and getting back on the ice have been the most important topics over the last few months.

Lewis has scouted numerous Grand Rapids Griffins (the Wings' primary minor-league affiliate) games in recent months, as well as holding coaching clinics and doing community work for the Wings.

"It's a tough day," Lewis said of Wednesday's cancellation. "It's as tough a day as I can remember having in hockey."

With the season now officially over, Lewis said it's vital for both sides to attempt a new CBA in place for the start of training camp in September.