DETROIT -- Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland will start contract talks this week with some of the team’s impending free agents, including forwards Patrick Eaves and Drew Miller.

Holland also will resume negotiations with the agent for defenseman Jonathan Ericsson in hopes of closing the gap that existed in talks during the season.

"We’ll have conversations with (some) free agents, see what they’re thinking," Holland said.

Eaves and Miller, both 27, are valuable third/fourth-line players, two of their top penalty-killing forwards. Eaves had 13 goals and 20 points in 63 games. Miller had 10 goals and 18 points in 67 games. Eaves made $750,000 this past season, Miller earned $650,000.

Ericsson, 27, showed some improvement this season (three goals, 15 points, plus-8 rating in 74 games) but hasn’t progressed as quickly as many anticipated after a strong playoff showing in 2009. He earned $1.25 million this season and was offered a deal worth $2 million a year.

Holland said the club won’t decide until later this month whether to offer contracts to veterans Kris Draper, 40, and Chris Osgood, 38, the latter of whom hasn’t decided if he wants to continue playing.

Captain Nicklas Lidstrom, 41, told Holland he will decide before the June 24-25 entry draft whether to return for a 20th season or retire. Center Mike Modano (expected to retire) and defenseman Ruslan Salei (not expected back) are the club’s other free agents.

The Red Wings will have their pro scouting meetings June 14-15, when they will discuss all players in their organization and analyze free agents and potential trade targets.

"After those meetings we’ll know more what we’re thinking," Holland said.

Holland said Osgood’s status must be determined before the team decides whether to offer goaltender Joey MacDonald a contract.

"I think Joey would like to be a candidate for that position," Holland said. "He did a great job for us in the short time he was here."

If Osgood doesn’t return, the Red Wings might sign MacDonald, 31, to be Jimmy Howard’s backup or offer him a deal to be the starter for the Grand Rapids Griffins and seek a veteran free agent.

Some of the backup goalies slated to become unrestricted free agents on July 1 include former Red Wing Ty Conklin (St. Louis), Jean-Sebastien Giguere (Toronto), Marty Turco (Chicago), Brian Boucher (Philadelphia), Johan Hedberg (New Jersey), Jose Theodore (Minnesota), Mathieu Garon (Columbus), Alex Auld (Montreal), Peter Budaj (Colorado), Mike Smith (Tampa Bay), Curtis McIhinney (Ottawa) and Ray Emery (Anaheim).

Ilya Bryzgalov (Phoenix), Tomas Vokoun (Florida) and Dwayne Roloson (Tampa Bay) also are set to become unrestricted free agents, but they will look to sign more lucrative deals as starters.