Red Wings’ Jiri Hudler’s stock surges as free agency signing period nears
If you’re Jiri Hudler, what do you do this summer?
Hudler scored 25 goals this past season, plays on a great line with Henrik Zetterberg and Valtteri Filppula, and seems to have found a comfort level in the city and organization.
He’s never played any-where else in the NHL (except for a one-year hiatus to Russia) and seems to appreciate what he was with the Wings.
But this is a rare opportunity.
Coming off that 25-goal season, and with a thin free-agent market, Hudler (who can be an unrestricted free agent July 1), could be a highly sought-after player.
“I would say so,” said Petr Svoboda, Hudler’s agent. “He’s a player who can score goals. He’s shown he can do that.”
But will Hudler be able to do so in another system, with the pressure of a big contract hovering over him while playing with less talented teammates?
According to Svoboda, Hudler knows what he has with the Wings and would like to stay.
“He likes Detroit a lot,” said Svoboda Wednesday.
“He loves the team. I’ve had a couple conversations with (Wings general manager) Kenny Holland about Huds, and the future. We still have time (almost three weeks, before July 1).”