Detroit Red Wings GM: Daniel Alfredsson ‘training to play’
By Cory Buck
With just a couple weeks until NHL training camps open, a few roster spots around the league are being held either for injured players or grisly veterans. Count the Red Wings in the latter’s camp, who are still hoping that Daniel Alfredsson will fill a roster spot the team doesn’t really have, but is holding for him anyways.
More from Detroit Red Wings
- NHL Trade Grades: Red Wings land Alex Debrincat in trade with Senators
- NHL Mock Draft: Connor Bedard No. 1, but who’s next?
- NHL rumors: Calgary in Flames, Kings, Flyers set for big deals, Hall to Chicago
- NHL rumors: Alex DeBrincat-Red Wings noise gets louder
- Hockey Hall of Fame Class of 2023 revealed: Welcome to immortality!
Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said last month that he was happy to wait for the 42-year-old Alfredsson to decide on another year of hockey, despite the fact that the team already has 14 forwards signed under contract.
“I haven’t talked to him in about a month,” Holland said per the Detroit Free Press. “He’s training hard. He’s training to play. He does want to play. When I last talked to him, he said he felt good — he wanted to feel great. He would love to play another year. He wants to play for us. He only wants to play if he feels he can contribute. The best test for him is to skate a couple weeks prior to training camp.
Alfredsson tied for the team lead with 49 points last season amid injuries to offensive leaders Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg. He played 68 games last season and it’s assumed he might even play less this season if he does sign with the Wings. It seems that most of this situation is left to the powers of Daniel Alfredsson.
“I’ll talk to him next week,” Holland concluded. “We’ll wait 10-12 days. Do we sign him to a contract? Does he just want to come to camp? I’m lobbing everything out there.”