"The Detroit Red Wings made it official this morning, announcing they've signed goaltender Ty Conklin to a one-year deal.

"We had him two years ago; he won 25 games for us; we know him as a person," general manager Ken Holland said. "We like him. He's a good fit."

Conklin, 35, was brought in to back up starter Jimmy Howard after other plans fell apart. When free agency began July 1 the Wings went after Tomas Vokoun. They offered similar money to the $1.5 million he got from Washington, but the Capitals offered Vokoun a chance to be the starter, while Detroit's opening was for a backup.

When Chris Osgood opted to retire Tuesday, Holland had Conklin lined up as an alternative. Conklin played for the Wings in '08-09, going 25-11-2 with a .909 save percentage and 2.51 goals-against average."