Excerpts from today’s Detroit radio interview (WDFN’s Stoney and Wojo during their 11th annual Radiothon to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society of Michigan) with none other than Wile E. Ken-otye Super Genius:
On Hossa and why people who could get more dough come to Detroit anyway:
“when I got the news, I was in my office with Jimmy Nill and Steve Yzerman, and I think we were both in a bit of a daze, just exactly what you’re saying, I mean…We try to convince people to come to Detroit for other reasons than money. Obviously, money’s a factor, but you’d like them to take a little less to come in because it’s, you’re trying to put a good team on the ice and you want everybody to do their part, and obviously, this was a little bit more than even we could sell. Marian obviously made a decision, and he wanted to be a Red Wing; once we get him here, hopefully we can find a way to keep everybody here, keep everybody happy; we’re hoping that we’re going to have good chemistry, you know… , I guess, is the word I would use, because any time somebody walks away from $50, 60, 70 million, I don’t know exactly what the number is, it’s, he thinks he’s coming here because we give him the best chance to compete and get his name on the Stanley Cup, and we’re thrilled, and hopefully it’s long term, but you know, in the new CBA…”
On Wing Sacrifice:
“I would like to think that this really has been ten years of sacrifice, from the Steve Yzerman and the Shanahans and the Larionovs, and the Nicklas Lidstroms and the Chris Chelioses, and Kris Drapers, this really has been a, this is a, I give a bit of a reward”
On Planning Ahead: next years UFAs- Sponsored by the letters “Z” and “D”:
“You get your core, and we really feel we’ve got our core with the Datsyuks, we’ve got to try to get Zetterberg signed, I’d like to try to get Franzen signed, I’ll go to work on those in the next couple of months for sure, you know, sometimes you’re going to have people come in for a year, and they come, and they move, and that’s the nature of the CBA…. my management, my negotiation style is, I like to usually get it started near training camp, I want to talk to the agent, I like to sit down and make sure that the player hears from me what I’m trying to get them, my reasons for what we’re offering, because, usually what we’re offering is a little bit below what they can get in the open market, but I also think that goes on around the league as well; not every player can get his market value from the home team, and every player has to make decisions, so I don’t anticipate any problems, certainly Zetterberg’s priority #1, and Franzen’s gonna be priority #2 heading into this upcoming season.”
On Filps:
“I gotta get Filppula signed, he’s obviously arbitration a week from Friday, a week from tomorrow, August 1st, I’ve had lots of conversations with his agent, Bill Zito, on two-year deals and longer-term deals, and, obviously, it’s going to come to a conclusion over the next few days.”
Supa Genioz!
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