Red Wings re-sign Chelios, 44

Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland's first order of business upon returning from Riga, Latvia, was to shore up the defense.
Tuesday he signed 44-year-old defenseman Chris Chelios to a one-year deal worth $850,000.
Next up is working on getting elite defenseman Nick Lidstrom re-signed, and finding out whether captain Steve Yzerman, 41, will return for a 23rd NHL season or retire.
"I've told him I don't need to know until the middle of June," Holland said of Yzerman. "When he feels he's made his decision, I'm sure he will call me. He is making a decision on his career. I want him to have all the necessary time, but there is a time frame, heading into the draft on the 24th of June, that I would like to know."
Until next month, Holland does not expect to have any negotiations with Brendan Shanahan, who scored 40 goals in the regular season but only on e in the first-round series against Edmonton . Shanahan, who played for Team Canada at the World Championships, and Holland had a long talk on the topic last week.
"I talked to Brendan in Latvia; we sat for a couple of hours," Holland said. "Brendan said he'll talk with his wife and his agent and get back to me. Then we'll decide if we're going to negotiate or if he wants to hit the market."
The unrestricted free agency period begins July 1. Shanahan made $2.28 million last season, and, given the season he's coming off, he might get an offer the Wings cannot match.
"I would like Brendan back, and I expressed that to him," Holland said. "But money is everything in this new CBA (collective bargaining agreement). There's a limited amount of money to spend."
Holland's priority is to re-sign Lidstrom, who last season made $7.6 million. It would be ideal if the Wings could get him for around $7 million, leaving more money to spend on a goaltender. But with Tampa Bay making Brad Richards the second-highest paid player in the league at $7.8 million, that just got trickier. Lidstrom, 36, is all but certain to win a fourth Norris Trophy as the NHL's best defenseman next month, which is going to be a persuasive argument for a raise.
The Wings, though, are determined to keep Lidstrom, and, with Chelios also returning, the 2006-07 defense looks to mirror this season's. Mathieu Schneider, Andreas Lilja and Niklas Kronwall are all under contract, and Brett Lebda, who had a solid rookie season, also will be part of the makeup. "He'd have to play his way off the team," Holland said. "We think he's certainly going to make it."
The club doesn't expect Jiri Fischer to get clearance from the heart ailment that has sidelined him since last November, and it won't pick up the $912,000 option on Cory Cross.

Tigers' Hands Tied By Bonus Babies

BY MICHAEL ROSENBERG
FREE PRESS COLUMNIST
When it comes to the Tigers, four words strike me as insane.
Twelve straight losing seasons?
Nope.
Good seats still available?
No. The four words are "They had no choice." We hear them all the time.
Forty million bucks for Pudge Rodriguez? They had no choice. Seventy-five million -- minimum -- for Magglio Ordonez? They had no choice.
They stunk, they had to do something bold, so yeah, they overpaid ... they had no choice.
We're diving into another baseball off-season -- Mike Ilitch's favorite time of the year. The Tigers are in the market for relief pitching and a frontline starter. They could also use a position-player upgrade; they were 11th in the 14-team American League in runs, and injuries were only partly to blame.
But president Dave Dombrowski said the Tigers will be "happy" with the same lineup in 2006.
They better be.
They have no choice.
They have spent too much of this year's money already.
Let's say the Tigers have a $75-million payroll for 2006. (That's just my guess, but since I got a flat tire and missed the Tigers' annual open-to-the-media budget meeting, let's go with it.)
The Tigers have $26 million wrapped up in Pudge Rodriguez and Magglio Ordonez. You see? The Tigers did have a choice -- they chose to go two-dozen floors above market value for two players, and now their options are limited.
Dombrowski used to say that no team had ever won the World Series when one player took up a sixth of his team's payroll. I'm no math genius, but isn't it even worse to have two players take up a third of the payroll?
Doesn't this hurt off-season payroll flexibility?
"That's a hard question to answer," Dombrowski said. "If you didn't sign the guys, would you have more money? Of course. We have enough flexibility to do things. We're also in a position where we have some depth where we can make some trades."
Ordonez will be paid $15 million next year. He isn't worth close to that. Let's dive headfirst into a big smelly pile of numbers now.
In 507 at-bats over the past two seasons, Ordonez had 17 home runs and 83 RBIs. Those stats are strikingly similar to the 2005 numbers of ... Emil Brown (17 homers, 86 RBIs). Brown plays for Kansas City. But you knew that.
Of course, in these stat-obsessed days, some people will say that home runs and RBIs are overrated, worthless, stupid, Fascist stats -- and if I believe in them, my head must be made of Louisville Sluggers.
So let's go to a stat math whizzes love.
Over the past two years, Ordonez's on-base-plus-slugging percentage was .812.
Compare that to the .807 OPS of ... Carlos Pena.
Yes, that Carlos Pena. The one the Tigers might unload this off-season. The one who probably won't crack $3 million next year, no matter how much whiskey an owner drinks before offering a deal.
I'm not saying Brown or Pena is as good as Ordonez; clearly, Ordonez has accomplished much more, and he might be totally healthy and his old All-Star self in 2006.
But the bottom line is that next year, the Tigers will pay $15 million for a 32-year-old corner outfielder with limited range and questionable power.
The Tigers are banking (literally) on Ordonez turning back the clock.
"I look forward to him being healthy and being the Magglio Ordonez from the past," Dombrowski said. "He is a core-type player that can hit in the middle of your lineup. I think he'll be fine. He's a tremendous hitter. I look at him as a 100-plus RBI guy."
And as for Pudge ... well, other than his declining numbers, poisonous attitude, apparent desire to play anywhere else on the planet and $11-million salary, which makes him virtually untradeable, what's not to love?
Pudge will apparently be back. ("I don't think there's much question on that," Dombrowski said.) Maybe he smiles and hits again.
And maybe Pudge and Magglio return to star levels. But that's a super-sized "maybe."
Right now, most analysts will stick the Tigers behind Chicago, Cleveland and Minnesota in the Central Division. And the Tigers can't do a whole lot about it.
The Tigers would have been better off with several smaller, smarter investments. They have some young talent; they need to supplement it, but their money is tied up.
I understand that nobody wants to hear this. Fans have suffered through so much mismanagement that any sign of hope brings desperate optimism. They will simply hope it all works out.
They have no choice.

Pistons' Guards Too Much For Nets

BY KRISTA LATHAM
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Many opponents have come to the same, often ill-fated conclusion this season as they've searched for a way to slow down the backcourt of point guard Chauncey Billups and shooting guard Richard Hamilton.
They cross their guards on defense, sending smaller, quicker point guards to chase Hamilton and bulkier, stronger two guards to shut down Billups.
"I knew that they would start doing that for two reasons," Billups said. "They want a smaller guy chasing Rip. And they don't want me to post up the little dudes."
That plan, though, rarely has worked. Billups, at 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, still has the power to get his shot wherever he wants, especially when he exploits the shooting guards' lack of experience in pick-and-roll defense.
And Hamilton, a jump shooter, has turned to the post, taking his size advantage inside for easy baskets in the paint.
He has enjoyed the change of scenery, too.
"I like to take little guys to the post," Hamilton said. "Everybody forgets how tall I am. I'm 6-foot-7. It's not just I'm overly fast, but I'm 6-7. People don't realize that. So I love to go in there and mix it up, bang with the big guys a little bit."
With Hamilton now working inside, he and Billups, who also enjoys getting into the paint, have ribbed each other over who has the more effective post game.
Asked this week whether Hamilton has a real post-up game to speak of, Billups scoffed.
"I mean, 6-7 against 5-10, I hope he can turn around and shoot it," Billups said. "He's done a pretty good job. Rip is very long. But I can't make that comment until he posts up somebody that's 6-7."
On Wednesday, in the morning shootaround before the Pistons played the Nets, Billups said he sees himself as the player with the best inside game.
"I'm the only real post player on this team," Billups said within earshot of power forward Rasheed Wallace. "We have the biggest two guard in the league right there," he said nodding at Wallace, "and I'm the tallest four man."
Hamilton, sitting two seats away, laughed and shook his head.
"My post-up game is better than his," Hamilton said. "I know that for a fact. Chauncey is 6-3, 225. And my post-up game is killing his. And he knows it."
NOT SATISFIED: The Pistons entered Wednesday's game 10-2, but coach Flip Saunders said he still sees a lot of work ahead for his team. "I still think our room for improvement is great," he said. "They're learning things, and they still have the ability to carry those over into games. And at times, be extremely dominating. There are still a lot of things that we're going to do yet. So I think there is a lot of room for improvement."
Asked for specifics on where the improvement should come, Saunders broadly mentioned offense and defense, then zeroed in on his team's ability to change defenses.
FIRST TIME: The Pistons played the Nets for the first time with their potent backcourt trio of Jason Kidd, Richard Jefferson and Vince Carter.

Lions To Start New QB

Lions interim coach Dick Jauron named Jeff Garcia his starting quarterback Wednesday.
The move was surprising, considering what president Matt Millen has done and said this week. But Millen said it didn't contradict his desire to develop younger players and didn't necessarily signal the departure of Joey Harrington.
"There's a lot of young guys on this team," Millen said. "The best way to develop guys is, get a winning thing going. That develops confidence and everything else. To me, the most important thing at this point is to win. If he thinks that's what gives us the best chance to win, then that's what we do."
Asked if Harrington was done in Detroit, Millen said: "No. I don't think so. I don't think you can slap that label on anybody. ... We'll see. Let's just take them one game at a time, and let's look at Minnesota. We have enough problems."
The Lions (4-7) open what Jauron has called a "five-game season" Sunday against the Vikings (6-5). Harrington seemed likely to be the starter for several reasons.
After firing coach Steve Mariucci on Monday, Millen said: "Why now? ... We have five games to develop our younger players. We have five games to prove we are what we think we are."
The Lions drafted Harrington, 27, third overall in 2002 and have invested a lot of time and millions of dollars in him. They signed Garcia, 35, as a free agent in the off-season largely because Mariucci wanted him -- and now Mariucci is gone.
Millen also replaced offensive coordinator Ted Tollner with quarterbacks coach Greg Olson. At the end of last season, Olson called the plays and Harrington put up some good numbers.
Logic suggested the Lions would take one last look at Harrington under Olson before deciding his fate in the off-season -- especially with Garcia still not 100% coming off a fractured fibula and sprained left ankle.
But Millen gave Jauron full authority to make decisions based on winning now, and after consulting with the offensive staff, Jauron picked Garcia. Jauron said the sentiments of players like cornerback Dre' Bly, who criticized Harrington this week, were not a factor.
Garcia is "really a football person," Jauron said. "He loves to play and compete, and he's got more experience. So that was really it. It wasn't anything that I don't think Joey can do it. He's disappointed that he's not getting a chance to be the One, and he's focusing and he's being professional about being the Two. So we feel good about that situation. You hope you don't get to your Two unless you have one of those very rare games."
Garcia hopes to provide leadership and earn another contract.
"I think somehow, some way, we need to find a way to come together as a team," Garcia said. "I think if nothing else we need to find a way to salvage everything that we can for this organization, for this team and for ourselves individually, because let's face it: When the season ends, some changes are going to be made. Nobody's secure in their position. Nobody's secure in their job."
Harrington took the news in stride.
"My reaction is the same as it's been all season," Harrington said. "I'm going to be prepared to play for this team if they need me. I hope he does well. I hope the team gets the win because these guys deserve it. I've had to fight to prove myself. Anytime you have a job taken away from you, you have to fight to get it back, the right to play again."
Wide receiver Roy Williams said he had more of a comfort zone with Harrington, but: "As long as they're both right-handed, we're good to go."

Red Wings' Injury Report

BY GEORGE SIPPLE
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER
Tonight: Flames
Matchup: Red Wings 18-6-2; Calgary 14-9-3.
Face-off: 7:30, Joe Louis Arena.

Injuries: Detroit -- D Jiri Fischer (heart), D Niklas Kronwall (knee), F Robert Lang (groin), G Manny Legace (knee), out; D Jason Woolley (groin), probable. Calgary -- F Matthew Lombardi (ankle), out.
Center Robert Lang is out indefinitely with a groin injury, but the Red Wings have decided to leave their available roster spot open.
They could have decided to call up winger Jiri Hudler or center Valtteri Filppula, both of whom are averaging more than a point a game for Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League.
Instead, forward Mark Mowers will get an opportunity to play. He has two assists in nine games and is averaging 6 minutes, 54 seconds of ice time.
Hudler has 14 goals and 16 assists in 19 games with the Griffins. Filppula has nine goals and 13 assists in 21 games.
But Wings general manager Ken Holland didn't think either would play more than five or six minutes a game.
"We're happy with Mark Mowers is probably the biggest reason" not to call anyone up, Holland said. "We're pretty happy with our forwards."
Coach Mike Babcock smiled when he was asked why the Wings weren't calling up anyone from their minor league affiliate.
"You know, that's the great thing about it, I'm not the GM," he said, but added a few minutes later: "We've got enough guys. Let's go."
Asked how long Lang would be out, Babcock said he didn't know.
"I just told the trainers, we've got too much equipment now. If we didn't have MRIs, we wouldn't know anyone's hurt," Babcock joked. "No, I'm just hoping he's back."
NOTEBOOK: Bob McKenzie, a columnist for tsn.ca, earlier this week wrote: "You really have to seriously wonder if the end is near for Steve Yzerman. ... Near could mean the end of this season. But near could also mean the end of this week. And were that to be the case, no one should be too surprised."
Babcock said Wednesday he would be surprised if that proved true.
"I thought he played outstanding in L.A., so I don't know," Babcock said. "Sometimes as a coach you're the last to know, but I don't think that."...
Kris Draper, on playing former linemate Darren McCarty tonight: "He already steamrolled Malts (Kirk Maltby) the first time here. I'm sure I'm on the short list. We'll see what happens."

Rookie Red Wing Notches First Win In Goal

Leave it to those radical Red Wings and their willingness to stretch the edges of the envelope. The veterans embraced the novel concept of coming together to help the development of a young, impressionable player.
Jimmy Howard will remain the Wings' No. 1 goalie while the injured Manny Legace heals and the ineffective Chris Osgood sits.
The 21-year-old, who has been ordained the Wings' "goalie of the future," won his first NHL start late Monday night in Los Angeles. He stopped 22 shots in the Wings' 5-2 victory over the Kings. And he acknowledged afterward that his more-experienced teammates had his back.
Or, in this case, they had his front.
Understanding that the young man was probably pretty shaky, considering the circumstances, the veterans placed the burden on themselves. They cleared the rebounds, creating space for Howard in front of the net and an unobstructed view of the shots coming at him.
The older guys need the young fella to succeed.
Shouldn't the Lions take note of such an approach?
There's a fundamental reason why some organizations are consistently successful while others remain lost in the wilderness.
The older Wings know they have a commitment to teach "the Wing way" so there's a seamless transition for the future. They understand the importance of Howard's development if the organization is going to remain among the NHL's elite.
The Wings can't count on solving their goaltending dilemma with a fat free-agent check in hockey's new world with a salary cap. They haven't developed their own goalie since selecting Osgood in the third round of the 1991 NHL draft.
The Wings need Howard to become their Marty Turco. The Dallas Stars drafted Turco in 1994, and he led Michigan to two national championships. Gradually, Turco gained the faith of the Stars, so they happily parted company with Eddie Belfour and his high price tag three years ago. The move helped the Stars fill other needs on the roster.
Howard was the Wings' top selection in the 2003 entry draft. They signed him in August after a great collegiate career at Maine. He possesses the size (6-feet, 218 pounds) and technique of a future star. Now he needs to build his confidence.
And that's the responsibility of the Wings' veterans.
Do you think they would publicly trash Howard if he put together several disappointing performances?
The Lions search for blame, provided it's not the person looking in the mirror. The Wings look for solutions, and the answer is usually a recommitment from everyone to improve in their respective roles.
Howard likely gets the nod Thursday night against Calgary at the Joe. He'll be a work in progress for quite some time. He'll make some mistakes and absorb some bruises, but at least he'll have a team to lean upon.

Red Wing's Heart Stops

Red Wings defenseman Jiri Fischer suffered a "brief, abnormal cardiac rhythm" Monday night, the team said Wednesday, and will undergo more testing at the University of Michigan Medical Center.
Fischer, 25, was released from Detroit Medical Center on Wednesday after testing and observation. He has been on the injured list since he collapsed Nov. 22 on the bench during a game against the Nashville Predators. His heart apparently stopped, and team and emergency medical technicians performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation and used an automated defibrillation machine to revive him. He was taken to Detroit Receiving, where he remained for parts of three days.
A Wings spokesman said the team doctor was not available to comment Wednesday. General manager Ken Holland declined to comment on Fischer's latest incident.
Last week, the Wings said Fischer had been told to refrain from strenuous physical activity for four to six weeks. Monday, at the time of his latest incident, Fischer was resting at home, the team said.
"You're just pulling for Fisch to be as healthy as he can be and get back to a normal life," coach Mike Babcock said Wednesday. "What's normal going to be? I don't think any of us know yet. But I don't think there's any point in overreacting at this point, either. The medical profession is an unbelievable one. They do great things."
Babcock wouldn't call the latest incident a setback for Fischer.
"We didn't know everything was going to be smooth right away," Babcock said. "We think everything's going to work out fine. That's what we've been told by our doctors. They know a lot more about it than I do.
"I know Fisch is a strong, strong guy and a mentally tough kid, and he's going to find a way for things to work out. I believe in that, and we're thinking of him and praying for him and hope things go good."
In 2002, Fischer produced an abnormal electrocardiogram during team physicals at training camp. He passed a stress test, required by the Wings, and was cleared to practice.
"The most important thing for us is Fisch's health," center Kris Draper said after practice at Joe Louis Arena. "We expressed those concerns when we saw him in the hospital last week, and I know guys were hoping he'd be here today. Whether it's phone calls or going to see him again, we certainly want to make sure he still knows our thoughts and prayers are still with him."
Fans wishing to send Fischer cards can mail them to the Detroit Red Wings, Joe Louis Arena, 600 Civic Center Drive, Detroit 48226.
In lieu of flowers, the Wings are asking fans to make donations to the Children's Hospital of Michigan Wish Club. Fischer served as the team spokesman for the Wish Club the past five years. To make a donation, call 313-745-5024.