Completing some in house signings should be a team’s number one priority when the off-season starts. The Red Wings have started this process by bringing back defender Brian Lashoff. Lashoff, who has yo-yo’d between the Red Wings and Griffins the past couple of seasons will likely be seeing more time with Griffins moving forward. What will Lashoff bring to the organization this next year?

As an alternate captain for the Griffins, he is part of the leadership core and helped the team get far into the Calder Cup playoffs. Eventually they were downed by the Lake Erie Monsters (the eventual Calder Cup champs) but that shouldn’t underrate the great year the team had. Lashoff leading the team by example had three points in nine games in the playoffs and had sixteen points in seventy-four games in the regular season. 

Neither are eye opening and neither will warrant a look at the big club but he still has a role with the organization. Everyone tends to overlook these types of players and they shouldn’t get short changed. Place holders push young prospects and make fringe players raise their game. 

The money Lashoff will be making (650k/250k) is nothing outrageous and he won’t be an anchor on the payroll. As a fan, the signing won’t be effecting much and will let the status quo remain in Detroit. This may be the first domino to fall in an action packed summer for Detroit. What exactly will Ken Holland do next?