Aaron Ward reports that Shane Doan’s asking price is “too high” for the Detroit Red Wings.
(Perhaps those reports about an Eastern Conference team offering him a four-year deal in excess of $30 million might be accurate - or close enough - then?)
The Red Wings’ initial interest in Doan makes sense. With all apologies to Todd Bertuzzi, the team lacks a top forward who ranks as a true “power forward” in the Brendan Shanahan mold.
Adding someone like Doan might ease some of the pain of Nicklas Lidstrom’s retirement and striking out on Ryan Suter, even if the Phoenix Coyotes captain wouldn’t fill that void on the blueline.
Still, in a shallow pool of free agents, the price for an aging - but valued - player like Doan might go sky-high. If Ward’s report is correct, it’s too rich for the Red Wings’ taste.