Belfour with the wings/ what about shanny?

The Eagle hasn't landed yet, but Ed Belfour has made it clear Detroit is where he'd like to end up.

A day after Wings general manager Ken Holland said the team's medical staff gave him the all-clear sign, Belfour's agent, Ron Salcer, reiterated Friday that the Wings are the veteran goaltender's first choice.

"We've let them know this is the place he would like to play," Salcer said. "It's a great fit for many reasons."

The feeling apparently is mutual, though Salcer said he hadn't spoken to Holland since Wednesday, when Belfour met with Holland at Joe Louis Arena and went through a full physical exam with the Wings' physicians. The 41-year-old goalie had surgery to repair a herniated disc in his back on April 5, but Holland said Thursday that test results were positive.

"There's nothing there that will keep him from playing," Holland said. "Now we have to decide where we want to go with this."

Holland indicated he'd let Salcer know this weekend if the Wings were prepared to make a contract offer to Belfour, who won a Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars in 1999 and ranks second on the NHL's career list with 457 victories.

If the Wings do make an offer, it likely will be a one-year deal with a base salary close to the league minimum, plus incentives. The NHL's collective bargaining agreement allows performance bonuses only for entry-level players, free agents coming off long-term injuries and players over the age of 35 that sign one-year contracts.

Money isn't much of an issue for Belfour, who just had the final year of his contract bought out by the Toronto Maple Leafs for $1.5 million.

Salcer said he and Holland have had preliminary discussions about a contract, but he declined to discuss financial terms Friday, saying only, "There's a deal to be done there."

Salcer said Belfour, who expects to be back on skates in a couple weeks, had no plans to visit any other NHL teams before he hears from the Wings. One possibility for Belfour is Florida, where his former coach, GM Mike Keenan, would like to add a veteran alongside Alex Auld.

There was still no official word Friday on the free-agent plans of veteran winger Brendan Shanahan, who has been shopping around the league for offers and is expected to decide between Detroit and another team -- possibly Montreal -- by early next week. Boston and St. Louis reportedly have dropped out of the bidding for Shanahan, who was offered one- and two-year deals from the Wings that would pay him about $4 million next season.

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Id like to get shanahan back after this season. he would be back for 4.4 million.. we are really going to miss him on ice if he decides to move on, the captain had to go, but if shanny goes to that will be one of the bigger blows to the detroit red wings.

With wings hockey, it will suffer if there is no offensive leadership.

ill say this about Belfour, the guy was amazing for dallas on ice, but we need him to show that same grit that he had with that team.

see this is my feeling on the whole thing, each team is different, yes, and you know, its better to take a chance on someone and fail than to never know if they are good or bad with the team.. you never know, the worst goalie can become one of the tops if he sometimes changes teams.

and secondly, i say to anyone,give this guy a chance, i know hes not the best in the world or even at the top of the goaltending scoring charts. but let me tellya, i think he has dedication and will so be better in detroit.

we just need to get him signed, shanny signed, and if possible.. try to trade up for some gritty offensman for pavels line.. in all reality he cannot penetrate center ice if he doesnt have strong wingers, and really, holland should be looking for just that. but hes letting all these people pass by.

this team needs some grit, they need some offensive pull.. they need some men that will step up and not worry about the finesse part of the game.. ones that will everything in their power to do well.

thats what Detroit Needs!!! we want/ need some hockey players with grit.... this is how the add for the news paper would read..

Wanted: some gritty, fairly young, forwards with some good skill.. some to protect the Pavel Datsyuk when needed.. Pavel , is one of the best goaltender undressers in the NHL.. he could undress any goaltender right down to his jock strap if he had the right wingers. so please, if there are any forwards that play wing apply to the Detroit Red Wings office Immediatly!

if your willing to help the Red Wings please raise your hand!

*raises my own hand* i would play if they allowed women in the NHL.. and i wouldnt be a wimp or a gimmic like that one girl that played for tampa.

well , lets hope we find some good offense.. and Eddie you better do us proud if Detroit signs you.. im giving you a chance to prove yourself...