Red Wings hope former players can fill gaps

The departures of Marian Hossa, Jiri Hudler, Mikael Samuelsson, and Tomas Kopecky this summer were undoubtedly major blows to the Detroit Red Wings’ chances of returning to the Stanley Cup Final for the third straight year, but the team is hoping that former players who have re-signed in Hockeytown can help fill those gaps.

The team signed free agent center Jason Williams, who split last season between Atlanta and Columbus and heated up with the Blue Jackets, registering 29 points in 39 games. Williams spent five seasons with Detroit and their farm teams from 2001-02 to 2005-06. Meanwhile, the Wings brought back Todd Bertuzzi — at $1.5 million for one year — after he played 8 regular season games and 16 playoff games for Detroit in 2006-07. The 34-year-old has registered more than 60 points just once since 2002-03.

Winging It In Motown points out that if Bertuzzi can stay healthy, he could help alleviate some of the missing offense from Hudler.

The key to this signing is if Big Bert can remain healthy. If he does, this deal will be a nice Band-Aid to get the Wings through this season before there’s a little more room and flexibility under the cap due to some expiring contracts. Bertuzzi provides the team with some much-needed grit (and even nastiness to the dismay of some) and will at least offset Hudler’s offensive output.

Fortunately for the Red Wings, these players are not expected to completely take over the roles of the departed skilled players, as Justin Abdelkader and Ville Leino are more than ready to spend the entire year in the NHL. Head coach Mike Babcock said last season that Leino was the most skilled player he ever had to cut after training camp. But with salary cap issues out of the way for now, those two youngsters should be a lock to see time on the top two lines.

While it will be hard to match the output of the departed players, he talented youngsters and experienced veterans should be able to at least minimize the losses of Hossa, Hudler, Samuelsson, and Kopecky next season.