All Time Best Detroit Free Agent Signing

[LastWordArmy]

Our Summer 30 teams in 30 days historical series marches on. Today a look at the best ever Detroit Free Agent Signing.

http://lastwordonsports.com/2016/07/29/the-all-time-best-detroit-red-wings-free-agent-signing/

Click to read more...

 

[Henkka]

When looking backwards, Rafalski really did put us over the top.

Our best seasons in puck possession statistics are the ones when Rafalski was healthy. He was dynamite secondary weapon with Lidström. 2007-08 and 2008-09. Especially impressive is that 2008 Stanley Cup run, when the team was worse in raw player material than year after.

He did get a bad back injury at 2009 playoffs against Anaheim after a dirty hit and never was the same again. Also knees started to be pretty bad.

Without healthy Rafalski, we have never gone past 2nd round since that 2004-05 lockout.

 

[Heaton]

When looking backwards, Rafalski really did put us over the top.

Our best seasons in puck possession statistics are the ones when Rafalski was healthy. He was dynamite secondary weapon with Lidström. 2007-08 and 2008-09. Especially impressive is that 2008 Stanley Cup run, when the team was worse in raw player material than year after.

He did get a bad back injury at 2009 playoffs against Anaheim after a dirty hit and never was the same again. Also knees started to be pretty bad.

Without healthy Rafalski, we have never gone past 2nd round since that 2004-05 lockout.

Agreed, Rafalski was easily the best signing the Wings have ever had. I still remember being stunned when we signed him back in 2008 and how excited I was after we let Schneider go.

As much as we bicker about signings these days, I really miss the days when we would debate the merits of signing a Brian Rafalski.

 

[jkutswings]

I rated Schneider higher then most fans, even at the time of his departure, but Rafalski was a phenomenal signing, any way you look at it.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

He really was such a key piece to that cup run. It isn't often you have a defenseman to wow you almost as often as Nicklas Lidstrom does. And Rafalski wasn't even THAT kind of defenseman. He just was a perfect compliment to Lidstrom on the top pairing.

Would have been such a storybook ending had that goal been the game winner. What a comeback that almost was.

 

[Mount Suribachi]

You know, I saw this thread, and Rafalski was the first name that popped into my head, but I thought "nah, I'm missing someone obvious, the guys are going to come along in a minute and remind me."

But yeah, Rafalski. Its a truism that Lidstrom was always complemented best by another PMD - he had a fair few over the years - from Coffey to Murphy to Olaufsson to Schneider to White. But he also won Norris trophies partnered with the likes of Dmitri Bykov and Mathieu Dandenault.

So getting a legit top pairing PMD, who also happened to be a righty? Yeah, I think Rafalski goes down as our best ever FA signing.


HM to Osgood 2.0 - signed for a pittance and backstopped us to consecutive finals appearances.

 

[Henkka]

Rafalski's NHL career was short but man, what an impact had on teams he represented (also in Finland).

1998 - HIFK Helsinki (team build by Columbus GM Kekäläinen) - Championship
1999 - HIFK Helsinki - Lost in FEL Finals
2000 - New Jersey - Stanley Cup
2001 - New Jersey - Lost in SC Finals
2002 - New Jersey - 1st round exit
2003 - New Jersey - Stanley Cup
2004 - New Jersey - 1st round exit
2005 - lockout
2006 - New Jersey - 2nd round exit
2007 - New Jersey - 2nd round exit
2008 - Detroit - Stanley Cup
2009 - Detroit - Lost in SC Finals
2010 - Detroit - 2nd round exit
2011 - Detroit - 2nd round exit
Retired.

13 seasons, 7 times in Finals on different levels.

All Michiganers should be very proud of him.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

Rafalski. Hull.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

Rafalski. Hull.

Hull comes off as a little less impactful because once we got Hasek we were pretty freaking stacked to begin with. Signing Hull and Robitaille was icing on the cake, there.

 

[jkutswings]

Hull comes off as a little less impactful because once we got Hasek we were pretty freaking stacked to begin with. Signing Hull and Robitaille was icing on the cake, there.

I will never ever forget waking up to watch Sports Center, and having the best Christmas in July in history. In the blink of an eye, I went from, "I hope they're a contender this year" to, "I will be downright insulted if they don't win the Cup with this friggin' amazing roster."

 

[SpookyTsuki]

Hull comes off as a little less impactful because once we got Hasek we were pretty freaking stacked to begin with. Signing Hull and Robitaille was icing on the cake, there.

Mr Luke sucked. Hull was great. esp in the playoffs

Would have said a Russian 5 but I don't think we signed any

 

[One Blurred Eye]

Rafalski's NHL career was short but man, what an impact had on teams he represented (also in Finland).

1998 - HIFK Helsinki (team build by Columbus GM Kekäläinen) - Championship
1999 - HIFK Helsinki - Lost in FEL Finals
2000 - New Jersey - Stanley Cup
2001 - New Jersey - Lost in SC Finals
2002 - New Jersey - 1st round exit
2003 - New Jersey - Stanley Cup
2004 - New Jersey - 1st round exit
2005 - lockout
2006 - New Jersey - 2nd round exit
2007 - New Jersey - 2nd round exit
2008 - Detroit - Stanley Cup
2009 - Detroit - Lost in SC Finals
2010 - Detroit - 2nd round exit
2011 - Detroit - 2nd round exit
Retired.

13 seasons, 7 times in Finals on different levels.

All Michiganers should be very proud of him.

was probably USA's best player in the Vancouver Olympics too on the way to the silver.

 

[Bondurant]

was probably USA's best player in the Vancouver Olympics too on the way to the silver.

He was a beast in Vancouver. A heartbreaking loss that Gold Medal game was.