Wings add Alfredsson, Weiss
What seemed unbelievable only 24 hours ago is now a reality -- Daniel Alfredsson is a member of the Detroit Red Wings.
The longtime Ottawa Senators captain has agreed to a one-year deal with the Wings, according to a team source. It’s believed to be for a base salary of $3.5 million laced with heavy performance bonuses.
"I have made a very difficult decision to leave Ottawa after 18 years and 17 seasons," Alfredsson said. "I’ve played 18 years and haven’t won the Stanley Cup, and that’s my dream.
"Everybody knows what Detroit’s goals are, and that is to be at the top of the game and to win championships. I’m really excited to get this opportunity at this stage in my career to go for a Stanley Cup and fulfill a long time dream."
Alfredsson, 40, is a right-handed shot, which Detroit has desperately searched for during the past several seasons.
A 17-year veteran, Alfredsson has spent his entire career with the Senators. In 1,178 games, he has 426 goals and 682 assists. He has played in 121 playoffs games, with a total of 51 goals and 49 assists.
This is a good fit for the Wings. Not only is Alfredsson -- 5 feet 11 inches tall and 203 pounds -- a premiere forward, but his influence on the Wings' young crop of forwards will be immeasurable. It’s expected that he’ll play right wing on Henrik Zetterberg’s line.
Detroit has always coveted Swedish players, so it’s a no-brainer that they pursued Alfredsson, once it became clear that he wouldn’t be returning to the Senators.
WEISS SIGNS, TOO
Center Stephen Weiss, Detroit's primary free-agent target, has also signed with the Red Wings.
According to a team source, Weiss' deal is for five years at $4.9 million per season.
"It’s an extremely exciting day for our team," Red Wing GM Ken Holland said. "We wanted to get more scoring. I felt we were challenged last year to score some goals, and certainly by adding Daniel Alfredsson and Stephen Weiss to our team, we’ve added two players -- with Daniel, who’s been a tremendous scorer in the NHL, and in Stephen Weiss, he’s been a tremendous playmaker down in Florida.
"So we’re adding a playmaker and a scorer. Both players provide leadership and character, and it will allow (coach) Mike Babcock more balanced as we put our lines together."
Weiss, 30, is a quality two-way center who's not physical; however, he’s creative, has terrific acceleration, is good on face-offs and has the ability to make players around him better.
"The Red Wings have been a team that I have always looked up to growing up," Weiss said. "Obviously, playing in the Plymouth (Mich.) area for a few years (in the Ontario Hockey League), I got to go see some Wings games, and I always dreamt about plying for them one day.
"To have them interested in me and to have that opportunity is awesome … words can really express that right now."
Weiss will center Detroit's second line, replacing Valtteri Filppula, who agreed to five-year deal at $5 million per season with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Weiss, who has played his entire NHL career with the Florida Panthers, was limited to 17 games last season because of a wrist injury. He had 20 goals and 37 assists in 2011-12.
He has 145 goals and 394 points in his career that began with the Panthers during the 2001-02 season. He had a career-high 61 points during the 2008-09 season and scored a career-high 28 goals the next year.
STILL PURSUING CLEARY
Although the Wings continue to pursue one of their own, Daniel Cleary, it looks like Damien Brunner is headed to another team.
"I’m not sure if we’re done with free agency," Holland said. "The one guy out there is Dan Cleary. I will continue to stay in touch with him.
"Damien Brunner I expect will be moving on to another situation."