Red Wings Free Agency: The Jiri Hudler Dilemma

Greg Wyshynski, editor and writer for the hockey blog, Puck Daddy, recently graded every team in the NHL on the free agency feeding frenzy that takes place each year.

He plastered a "C" on the Detroit Red Wings.

Sure, if Detroit were only being graded on the events of the last week, a “C” would be more than fair, but Wyshynski neglected to take into account that on July first, Detroit had already locked up two out of three of their big unrestricted free agents.

Henrik Zetterberg and Johan Franzen are now Red Wings for the remainder of their careers, signed to long, cap friendly contracts. How can you not like that?

Detroit also signed winger, Ville Leino to a two-year contract yesterday, a wise move.

Detroit's challenges aren't over though. As all Red Wings fans know, role players played a huge part in Detroit returning to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2009. The Dan Cleary's, the Mikael Samuelsson's, the Justin Abdelkader's, and the Darren Helm's of the team all played their parts admirably.

Detroit is already one Mikael Samuelsson down. He signed with the Vancouver Canucks.

Samuelsson often drew the ire of many Red Wings fans during his time in Detroit. He shot wide far too often, and his defense was suspect.

He was a legitimate 20-goal scorer though, while having a tendency for scoring clutch goals, and he made less than $2M a season. Samuelsson's just don't fall from trees in this league.

That brings me to Jiri Hudler.

Jiri Hudler draws his fair share of criticism as well. He's small at 5'9", he gets pushed off the puck in pressure situations, and he hasn't been able to handle playing on the top two lines. He disappeared after the second round of the playoffs.

However, Hudler had 23 goals and 57 points last season. He did that averaging under 14 minutes of ice time per game. That made him the best player in the NHL who averaged less than 14 minute per game.

If A+B equaled C then increasing Hudler's ice time would equate to more points, but it rarely works out that way.

If Hudler could be had at a price tag of under $3M it would be a no brainer signing, but it might not work out that way either.

Hudler has chosen salary arbitration. Red Wings GM, Ken Holland has never gone to arbitration with anyone in his ten years with the team.

It's because arbitration is kind of a nasty business. The player wants more money than what was offered to him, so his agent speaks on behalf, and notes the player's qualities and potential.

The team then states the flaws in the player and gives reasons why the player shouldn't make more money.

So Ken Holland in essence, would have to degrade Hudler. This is why Holland tries to avoid arbitration. It sticks a wrench in the family atmosphere that the Red Wings have.

Hudler wants a deal in the $3.5-4M range. Ken Holland originally offered $2.5M

Let's be straight here, Jiri Hudler is not worth $4M.

Why? Because Johan Franzen makes $4M. Jiri Hudler is not the same quality player as Johan Franzen. I don't think any Red Wings fans would disagree.

Still Holland must try and keep Hudler around if at all possible. If a deal can get done for $3M, then Hudler should remain a Red Wing.

If Hudler does go through with arbitration, and the number ends up being closer to $4M, then Detroit will have to make a hard decision.

There are still free agents out there that could probably score 20 goals on the wing of Valterri Filppula, but it's no secret that Detroit wants to keep Hudler.

They've already lost Marian Hossa, Mikael Samuelsson, Ty Conklin, and Tomas Kopecky. They’ve got to retain somebody.

If anyone can get it done, it's Ken Holland.