Tuesday, August 30, 2005

David Guralnick / The Detroit News The Wings, general manager Ken Holland said, have offered Pavel Datsyuk contracts ranging from 1-5 years.

Burning Questions

Datsyuk says no to Wings again

Forward is expected to meet with his agent in Moscow today to discuss what to do now.

By John Niyo / The Detroit News

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Q. What's the latest on negotiations between the Red Wings and top forwards Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg.

A: It's more of the same, particularly with Datsyuk and his agent, Gary Greenstin. Red Wings general manager Ken Holland spoke with Greenstin late last week and faxed him multiple contract offers Saturday. Greenstin has since informed Holland those offers have been rejected.

Greenstin was due to arrive in Moscow today to discuss his next move with his client. Datsyuk is practicing with the Russian national team for an upcoming EuroTour tournament in the Czech Republic.

Last week, Greenstin told The Detroit News he wanted to have the framework for a deal in place by Sept. 1. If not, the agent said, Datsyuk likely would sign to play for Moscow Dynamo, the Russian Super League team he was with during the lockout last season.

Last week, Datsyuk's agent also told a Russian newspaper, Soviet Sport, the major stumbling block in negotiations is the length of the deal. Greenstin said the Wings offered a five-year contract to Datsyuk, who is seeking a two- or three-year term. Datsyuk, 27, would be eligble for unrestricted free agency in 2007.

Holland said Monday the Wings have offered Datsyuk contracts of varying lengths from 1-5 years, though the team would prefer not to sign him to a two-year deal.

Asked if the sides were still far apart on money in negotiations, Holland replied, "Well, we're certainly not close."

Q: And Zetterberg?

 

A: Closer, perhaps, and that probably has something to do with Zetterberg's not having the kind of leverage Datsyuk does. The Russian league offers salaries that are more comparable to the NHL money -- even better, in some instances -- than Zetterberg would make if he were to choose to stay in Sweden.

Holland spoke with Zetterberg's agent, Marc Levine, again Monday and expects to hear back from Levine today or Wednesday.

For Zetterberg, 24, it might be less about term and more about money. He made $675,000 last season and is believed to be asking for $2 million-plus annually on a long-term deal.

Q: Is there a deadline other than Datsyuk's self-imposed Sept. 1?

A: The only NHL deadline that comes into play is Dec. 1 -- that's the date a restricted free agent must be signed in order to be eligible to play in the league this season.

Q: How much wiggle room does Holland have under the salary cap?

A: Holland has committed about $32 million to 18 players, including bonus money in the contracts of Steve Yzerman and Chris Chelios.

A special clause in the new collective bargaining agreement allows teams to exceed the cap by as much as 7.5 percent with bonus money for entry-level players, players returning from long-term injuries, and players past 35 who sign one-year contracts. Chelios and Yzerman fall into that last category. But the amount spent over the cap would be deducted from the team's cap room next season.

Holland still intends to carry a roster of 21 or 22 players while keeping the Wings' cap number at about $37.5 million. That would give the team room to maneuver under the NHL's $39 million cap -- via trade or the waiver wire -- during the season.

Still, the guess here is he would spend to the limit if it meant the difference between signing Datsyuk or Zetterberg or going an entire season without one of them.

Q: What about all these trade rumors involving Zetterberg and the Maple Leafs?

A: Well, consider the source, if you can even find it. Toronto likes to think of itself as the center of the hockey universe. That point might be debatable, but this much is true: It's ground zero for most of the baseless trade talk you'll hear in the NHL.

Q: OK, what about the Wings' other Russian talent: When is Igor Grigorenko coming over to North America?

A: Not this season. Grigorenko, a 22-year-old right wing once considered one of the NHL's top prospects, remains unsigned and will spend another year playing in the Russian Super League.

The Wings had planned to sign their second-round pick from 2001, just as they did with 2002 draftee Valtteri Fillpula, who will be at training camp and likely play for minor league affiliate Grand Rapids this season.

But negotiations with Grigorenko were put on hold this summer when the Russian Hockey Federation refused to sign a player-transfer agreement between the NHL and the International Ice Hockey Federation.

Said Wings assistant GM Jim Nill: "We'll get him signed next year."

They'll have to, of course, or lose his player rights. But they still have big plans for Grigorenko, who would have stayed to play this season in Russia, regardless.

Grigorenko, who flourished after a midseason trade last year in Russia, has recovered from severe injuries suffered in a car accident in 2003.

Burning questions You can reach John Niyo at john.niyo@detnews.com.