Detroit Red Wings: Ken Holland's 4 Riskiest Signings

The Detroit Red Wings have made the playoffs 22 consecutive years. They are the model NHL franchise, the pinnacle of their craft and the envy of their peers. Unlike the job of a typical GM, Ken Holland's efforts are expected to yield championships year after year. Since becoming GM in 1997, the Red Wings have won three Stanley Cups.

While the core of top-end talent was developed prior to his arrival (such as Steve Yzerman, Sergei Fedorov and Nicklas Lidstrom), Holland has been required to matriculate top free-agent talent.

Signing free-agent talent is not without risk. Needless to say, the decisions made by Holland have serious ramifications.

The status quo for the Red Wings is higher than any other NHL franchise. They are faced with the dual task of capitalizing on a talented roster and maintaining their rich tradition. Not only is there tremendous pressure in living up to the Red Wings' history, but Holland is also engaged in win-now mode.

The Red Wings have a lot to gain by taking chances with free agents; any new acquisition could spell the finishing touch for a Cup-winning roster.

It could also mean a step backwards.

Here’s a look at Holland’s four riskiest signings

Todd Bertuzzi

The Detroit Red Wings acquired Todd Bertuzzi from the Florida Panthers during the 2006-07 season in return for second-round pick Shawn Matthias.

On the surface, the acquisition of Bertuzzi in February 2007 makes little sense.

The Red Wings were taking on a 32-year-old past-his-prime winger whose reputation preceded him. Bertuzzi was still playing in the shadow of the Steve Moore incident, a despicable act of thuggery on his part. Not only was his history a distraction—enough to be a contributing factor in leaving Vancouver—but it also appeared to be a strike against the principles of the franchise. The club has long prided itself on playing a clean game, and it is inconceivable a Red Wing would have committed such an act. 

Furthermore, Bertuzzi, suffering from back spasms, played only seven games for the Panthers before the deal. In hindsight, Holland should have recognized these factors were only foreshadowing his short and disappointing initial spell in Detroit. He played eight games for the Red Wings due to a herniated disc. That offseason, he signed a two-year, $8 million deal to play for the Anaheim Ducks.

In the 2009, the Red Wings signed Bertuzzi to a one-year deal at $1.5 million. By 2009, it was widely acknowledged he was a declining player—the Red Wings were paying him as such—but his injuries remained a concern. The 34-year-old had missed 30 games the prior two seasons.

While his first time in Detroit was a failure, his tenure since 2009 has been a measured success. He has not topped 20 goals or recorded more than 50 points, but he has provided a physical presence with a suitable scoring touch.

Unfortunately, his career may be on the ropes as he continues to battle injuries. He only skated seven games for the Red Wings this past season and will likely not be extended at the end of his contract.

Dominik Hasek

Here’s another player with multiple stops in Detroit.

While there was little risk involved in the 2001 trade for Hasek, signing him in 2003 was a bit of a calculated risk. The team had recently inked star goalie Curtis Joseph to a three-year, $24 million contract. Holland proceeded regardless, signing Hasek to a one-year deal. Hasek succumbed to injuries and played only 14 games.

Following a two-year stint with the Ottawa Senators, Hasek once again found himself courted by the Red Wings in 2006. At 41 years of age, the Czech netminder was clearly past him prime but continued to post respectable numbers.

Coming off of a 58-win season and the departure of Manny Legace, it appeared the Red Wings' most pressing need was finding consistent quality in net. Chris Osgood, while a great backup and playoff goalie, was not an appropriate option as a full-time starter. Expecting Hasek to be the main man on a Stanley Cup favorite at that point in his career was a considerable risk. If there was any step-back or injury flareup, the Red Wings' chances would plummet.

He responded by posting impeccable numbers during the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons. He would lose his starting job to Osgood as the team clinched the Stanley Cup in 2008.

Stephen Weiss

In Florida, Stephen Weiss was a good player on a bad team, recording four 20-goal seasons and a 0.60 career PPG average.

His name ends up on this list because of the terms of his deal and injury history.

The Red Wings signed him to a five-year, $24.5 million deal a month ago. While Weiss has certainly produced in the past, that is a lot of money to throw at a guy who is on the wrong side of 30 and played an unimpressive 17 games last year, totaling one goal and three assists.

The Red Wings are paying Weiss on par with the $5 million the Tampa Bay Lightning are paying Valtteri Filppula. In other words, Weiss and Filppula are considered in the same tier of players. As a result, there is the hard expectation that Weiss steps in and immediately plays an excellent two-way game and puts up around 15-20 goals and 30-40 assists.

Any deviation from the assumption Weiss is a better version of Filppula, a very serviceable player himself, would be a huge disappointment. Subpar offensive production or nagging injuries could derail Weiss and ultimately the Detroit Red Wings' Stanley Cup aspirations. 

Mike Commodore

The lanky defender had spent time in Anaheim, Columbus, Calgary, Carolina and Ottawa before signing a one-year, $1 million deal with Detroit in July o2011. But, it was his time in Anaheim that earns him a place on this list.

In 2009, Commodore publicly blamed Mike Babcock for serving as a career roadblock while head coach of Anaheim’s AHL affiliate. The remarks left the impression he would never skate for Babcock again.

The risk lies in bringing a distraction into the locker room. The Red Wings were on the heels of back-to-back finals appearances in 2009 and did not need a source of discontinuity. Commodore’s abrasiveness could have proved such a source. From his puffy red hair to the contest to pick his number ("Commodore 64"), Commodore proved to be a distraction.

In the end, he would play 17 games for the Red Wings.