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Category: Red Wings

Wings look at cutting roster by Wednesday deadline

NHL teams have until Wednesday at 3 p.m. to cut their rosters to a maximum of 23 players and get below the $56.7 million salary cap.

The Red Wings have 29 players on their NHL roster, including defenseman Chris Chelios and goalie Jimmy Howard, both of whom are injured.

Chelios is going to miss more than a month because of a fractured right leg. His salary does not count against the cap while he's on the injured list.

Howard, meanwhile, likely will be sent to Grand Rapids once his finger heals.

So that leaves 27 players vying for the opening roster.

The seemingly easiest way for the Wings to solve its logjam problems is to start the season with 22 players (12 forwards, eight defensemen, two goalies). That way they probably don't have to trade one of their defensemen, such as Kyle Quincey or Derek Meech. At least not for now.

Under this scenario, the Wings logically would send defenseman Jonathan Ericsson and forwards Darren Helm, Ville Leino, Aaron Downey and Darren McCarty to Grand Rapids.

Ericsson, Helm and Leino have played professionally over here less than three years. So they can move back and forth from the NHL to the minors without going through waivers this season.

Howard, Downey and McCarty are on two-way contracts that pay them one salary in the minors and another salary in the NHL.

Quincey and Meech are on one-way contracts and they've been in pro hockey more than three years. So to be sent to the minors, they would have to clear waivers. More than likely, another team would pick them up. Most clubs are in desperate need of defensive help.

To get below the salary cap, the Wings probably will be forced to go with 22 players.

My guess is they send Ericsson, Helm, Leino, Downey and McCarty to the minors to start the season.

Why give up a young defenseman until you have to? You never know what's going to happen with injuries, etc.

The drawback to this, of course, is Helm has been one of the team's best players during training camp. He also showed he could play in the NHL during the playoffs last season. He really does deserve a spot on the Wings' roster.

After all, the best players are supposed to play, right?

So it's a tough call. These are the breaks in a salary-cap world.

One other problem with cutting the four fowards: It leaves the Wings without one of their enforcers, Downey and McCarty, on the roster.

Regardless, whoever gets sent down is only a phone call away if there's an injury or other reason for a change.

This is all Ken Holland's fault, by the way. The Wings have too many good players.