Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland denied a Sportsnet report Friday saying forward Jiri Hudler will return to Detroit after an arbiter awarded him a two-year deal worth more than US$5 million.

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Red Wings GM Ken Holland said he hadn't got word on the outcome of Thursday's arbitration hearing in Toronto but said Hudler will play in Russia next season.

Photograph by : Getty Images

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Holland said he hadn't got word on the outcome of Thursday's arbitration hearing in Toronto but said Hudler will play in Russia next season.

"It's not true," Holland said. "We're moving on.

"They're (Sportsnet) just making up crap. How can they come up with this stuff?

"Deal in the facts. They're misleading the public.

"Every conversation I've had with (Hudler's agent) Petr Svoboda he's told me he was playing in Russia. Hudler has publicly announced he's playing in Russia, so let's use some common sense.

"(Svoboda) told me Hudler is coming back after two years. If he doesn't like it, he'll come back after one."

Thursday, the KHL registered the two-year contract worth US$10 million, which will be tax free, that Hudler signed with Moscow Dynamo in early July.

Hudler, who had 23 goals and 57 points in 2008-09, made $1.15 million last season in Detroit and the Wings had offered him up to $3 million per season for up to five years.

Holland added the only thing arbitration will decide is the terms of the contract Hudler must abide by if he ever chooses to return to the NHL.

"It turns out to be a good thing for us that he chose to go to arbitration," Holland said.

"If he hadn't and he comes back in a couple years when he's 27, he'd be an unrestricted free agent.

"It allows us to keep his rights if and when he chooses to come back."

LILJA QUESTIONABLE

During the Stanley Cup Final, Detroit defenceman Andreas Lilja expressed fears for his career after suffering a concussion Feb. 28 that ended his season.

Those fears appear to be well-founded as Lilja is still suffering head-aches.

"We don't know where Andreas Lilja is going to be at when camp opens," Wings GM Ken Holland said.

"(Athletic trainer) Piet Van Zant spoke to him (Wednesday) and he still has symptoms.

"I'm really not sure about him."

Holland said he's thought about possibly trading a defenceman to free up more cap space, but he said with Lilja's uncertain future he'd hesitate to do that now.

With Lilja sidelined, Detroit could achieve the same goal by placing him on the long-term injured reserve list and have his salary come off the cap.

Last season, Lilja earned $1.25 million.

FREE AGENTS UPDATE

Though word leaked out this week that Detroit had offered former Wing Jason Williams a one-year deal, neither party seems in a rush to consummate the reunion.

Williams hasn't gotten back to Detroit about a decision while he checks out the market and the Wings are looking elsewhere in the meantime.

"We made him an offer for one-year awhile back," Holland said. "It's in his court now.

"There was no timetable on this. We do still have interest in him, but we've also talked to other people."

Despite losing free agent forwards Marian Hossa, Tomas Kopecky, Mikael Samuelsson and Jiri Hudler this summer, Holland isn't exactly worried as the summer slowly evaporates.