Category archive: Philadelphia Flyers
The Detroit Red Wings are fighting for their playoff lives, thanks to the resiliency of a certain team a few hours down the road in Columbus. But the concern for Detroit fans doesn't stop there.
Lots of questions regarding the Red Wings filled up this week's mailbag. Let's take a look at some of them and a few other inquiries.
I'm worried that [Pavel] Datsyuk won't sign an extension after next season.
Clark
Datsyuk has one year left (after this one) on his contract that will pay him $6.7 million in the final year, and there's legitimate concern that he may prefer to finish his career in his native Russia, playing in the KHL.
The two sides will talk after this season (NHL.com's Brian Hedger recently got some great information from general manager Ken Holland on the topic), and an extension can't be signed until July. The KHL has been used as leverage in contract negotiations since it opened its doors, and I'm sure that's factoring into the speculation.
The positive is that the Red Wings have plenty of flexibility under the cap and an owner who's willing to spend, so if it's strictly about finances, they should be able to make it work. This will be a situation to watch this summer. I can't imagine this is something the Red Wings want to drag out into the season, especially with the Olympics in Russia.
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ABOUT THIS BLOG
Craig Custance
Craig Custance joined ESPN in September 2011 as an NHL reporter for ESPN the Magazine, ESPN Insider and ESPN.com. A graduate of Michigan State University, he lived for nearly a decade in Georgia working for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution where he spent time covering the late Atlanta Thrashers. He was the only Thrashers beat writer to get the team to the playoffs.
From 2008-11 he was the national hockey writer for the Sporting News, writing regularly in print and online. A member of the PHWA, he's a proud voter for the major NHL awards and can occasionally defend his selections.
Like hockey, he left Atlanta to return north where he currently lives in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, with his wife Cassie and their three kids.
Follow Craig on Twitter: @CraigCustance
And fire off a few probing questions for his weekly mailbag while you're at it.
