Shanny's Fleeing Has Finally Put Red Wings In A Quandary

A top six forward.

The words are becoming ingrained into our psyche now, just like "lefthanded bat" when it came to the Tigers late last summer. The Tigers just had to have a lefthanded bat, don't you know. So they traded for Sean Casey at the deadline.

Now Mike Ilitch's other team has an urgent need, apparently. And the GM won't rest until he satisfies that need.

A top six forward.

Red Wings GM Kenny Holland has $5 million of salary cap and plenty of ideas. Trouble is, he's not the only one shopping, so the vendors in the marketplace are placing premium prices on their goods.

The top six forward, it is presumed, will have toughness, scoring ability, and veteranship. Of course that's a need, if you're going to put it that way. Who wouldn't want to add such a player?

Funny, but those traits that the Red Wings so badly feel in need of in a potential new player just happen to describe one person to a "T".

Brendan Shanahan, though recovering now from a horrifying collision over the weekend, is exactly what the Red Wings crave, if you go by the skill set that's being outlined for the new player.


Someone like...HIM


But Shanahan fled for New York over the summer, a free agent who felt that this was the time to let a new regime lead the Red Wings. His decision came shortly after Steve Yzerman retired.

So it's Shanahan's self-exodus that has put the Red Wings in need of a "top six forward." But it's also why they have $5 million to spend on such an addition. Cause and effect.

There's no telling where the Wings would be today with Brendan Shanahan in their lineup. Maybe they couldn't improve much on their record, which is a surprisingly gaudy 38-16-6. But as far as this day forward, when the stretch run unofficially begins and teams begin thinking about the playoffs, a player like Shanahan would look mighty good in red and white.

Shanny's not an option, obviously. Some other power forward, probably one well past 30 years of age, also, will have to be the Red Wings' new "top six forward."

You always thought Shanahan's departure would come home to roost. And now here we are.

I'd hate to see Ken Holland's cell phone bill.