Datsyuk was taking a few weeks in Russia after the world cup and has a meeting with Holland and company to make a final decision early this month. He won't formally retire until it's clear we can't trade his contract to a cap minimum team and avoid the penalty.

This post was edited by dxlightning on Jun 3 2016 07:57am

Datsyuk was always gonna play in the KHL for a year or two at the end of his career. Kenny said they'd take the hit because no decision had been made, he was probably trying to keep pressure off of Dats. The team is sitting on 11 million in dead cap space over the summer if he's not traded which makes it impossible to sign any UFAs so of course they're gonna try and move it.

And there's no way in hell Radulov gets 7m. He can ask for 2x7.5 all he wants but no one's gonna do that, I would guess he gets 5m max for one year.

"My family and I have decided that it's time to return home" - Datsyuk

One of the very few special players, like Crosby, that are noticeably different on the ice. You can tell they are making certain plays that other players can't even think of. One could argue that he was the best player in the world during his prime years.

Taking out his rookie season, he was exactly 1 PPG his entire career. Very impressive when you consider the defense-first and deceptively hard style he played. The way other players in the league talk about him says it all.

Going to miss watching The Magic Man

This post was edited by LuLer on Jun 19 2016 06:31am

Feel ya. I wouldn't say he is or was one of the best. But by far the most unique player with a different way of doing things.

Gonna miss his highlights

#redwings have a contract agreement w Radulov. It won't be announced until Holland is able to free up some cap space. It's a one year deal.

Cautious Optimism Mode activated. Ideally we hear that it's in the vicinity of 3.5m plus performance bonuses, Holland boots Datsyuk and Howard for an extra say 10 million between the two of them to get Stammer, and Mrazek and DDK sign 5 year deals at 4.5m apiece.

This also makes me wonder if one of Goose or Tatar is being more seriously shopped for, say, a young puck moving defenseman.

This post was edited by dxlightning on Jun 22 2016 04:51am

Cautious Optimism Mode activated. Ideally we hear that it's in the vicinity of 3.5m plus performance bonuses, Holland boots Datsyuk and Howard for an extra say 10 million between the two of them to get Stammer, and Mrazek and DDK sign 5 year deals at 4.5m apiece.

This also makes me wonder if one of Goose or Tatar is being more seriously shopped for, say, a young puck moving defenseman.

Radulov - Stamkos - Mantha/Abdelkader
Larkin - Zetterberg - Mantha/Abdelkader
Tatar - Sheahan - Jurco/Pulkkinen/AA
Nosek - Glendening - Jurco/Pulkkinen/AA/Ber2zzi

Shattenkirk - Kronwall
DDK - Smith/Green
Marchenko/Ouellet - Smith/Green
Ericsson

Mrazek
Coreau

Would be a competent team depending what it takes to get rid of Datsyuk's hit. And young enough that something like Tatar + 1st for Shattenkirk wouldn't be a dealbreaker. I'd still want to get a conditional pick back in case he doesn't re-sign.

This post was edited by dxlightning on Jun 22 2016 05:11am