The Detroit Red Wings are ready to begin re-shaping their roster for the 2012-13 season when the NHL free agency period begins on Sunday.
With about $24 million in cap space, the Red Wings' priority is finding replacements for retired defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom and recently-traded Brad Stuart. Detroit general manager Ken Holland is doing his best to minimize expectations, noting that adding a defenseman in free agency won't replace what Lidstrom brought to the Wings for years. Holland also wants to keep in mind the development of talent already on the roster, as he mentioned in this Macomb Daily report.
"We don't have as many holes as some people think," Holland said. "I attribute that to the development of Brendan Smith. You're not going to replace Nicklas Lidstrom. He's going to be replaced by all defensemen picking it up. Brad Stuart is a loss. I look at the addition of Kyle Quincey, the development of Brendan Smith, Jonathan Ericsson. We got Nik Kronwall, Jakub Kindl is 25, Ian White had a good year. We don't have big names, but we have good players. Jonathan Ericsson is developing into a shut-down defenseman."
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