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The truth is that Ken Holland is probably playing golf right now - with his cell phone turned off... So I'm not exactly refreshing my twitter feed waiting for a trade to break. My point with the Trouba scenario was that this roster can take on an entirely different look if we can land an impact (top pair) defenceman... Yes its expensive, but we have young assets and all of our draft picks to make it happen. And if it happens, it may not be any of Trouba, Fowler or Shattenkirk - as there are several players available or soon to be available that we don't hear about as fans (Shea Weber). I have to think that he went into the summer with this many forwards to make a trade - with the very real possibility it doesn't work out.

I think the lack of short handed goals is as much higher a result of the play it safe and don't take risks strategy of Babs and Blash. They need to turn some of these guys loose instead of making them play like robots.

Not the pairings necessarily that I agree with on WIIM, but the point they drive home is important. Our PK is nothing but garbage shot blocking. We need to change that and make it more of a threat to the opposing team like it once used to be. Doug Houda turned Patrice Bergeron and Marchand into excellent PKers (Marchand has 19 SH goals... jesus). I hope he brings that philosophy here.

I live about 45 minutes from Nashville, for the fans and the community, be it a seemingly small one, I hope he does well here and it draws more fans to the sport. It may even get me out to my first Preds game, I've lived here 3 years, maybe it's about time. I'm personally a big fan of the guy, he has a big heart, a big personality, and was overwhelmingly charitable for his community when playing in Montreal. He's good for the sport, plain and simple. I hope he's well received in Tennessee.

Should've made your username SergeiViktorovichFedorov

Except we will have Neilsen for 82 games, where as Datsyuk only played 66 games and yes that makes a difference. To me this roster is about the same if not a little better with that being a factor.

It'll be Fowler, Edler, Quincey, or Tyutin. Because Red Wings. The thing that continues to piss me off: I know there are deals out there, ready to be made. We all know it, whether we want to admit it or not. This whole "trades are impossible" situation isn't about other GMs asking for far too much, it's about Holland being completely and utterly unwilling to part with a single significant asset. (Unless we're getting an over-the-hill rental at the trade deadline, in which case Holland will give away young assets like they're going out of style. Because Red Wings.) I mean, sure, things would be easier -- on multiple fronts -- if we had more pieces that other GMs find decidedly super-attractive, but you know what those pieces tend to be? Young, hugely talented high-end players. The kind Holland actively hates, because "They don't know how to play without the puck" and because "Kids aren't the answer" and blah blah f****** blah. Because Red Wings.

I think it's less that's who holland has his mind set on and more fowler is the easiest target of the available D men.. I'm for any improvement on the back end but I wish we could pry Hampus Lindholm from them instead ha

I think you quoted the wrong person, I didn't say anything about Nyquist or Pulkkinen there... Although I do think he can be had for a similar package, as long as there's a defenseman going back the other way. You're massively over-valuing Trouba though if you think it would cost near that much... We wouldn't have to give up DeKeyser in order to land him, just like we wouldn't have to give up DeKeyser to land any of the other potential top pair guys rumored to be available... Winnipeg probably don't want to get rid of Trouba, but they're going to be forced to trade one of Trouba or Meyers before the expansion draft. Byfuglien and Enstrom (NMC's) have to be protected and they can only protect 3 defensemen. If they wanted to protect 4 defensemen, they would then only be able to protect 4 forwards, which I'm sure they're not willing to do... If we put together a nice enough package centered around Nyquist and add in a defense prospect, and a high pick, I think it could get done. It's a moot point though, since I don't think Holland is even looking at trade options right now...

You can never have enough D that you are going to expose to waivers in the future...

One of them was not playing half the season due to injury lol.

Yeah, helm has 9 career short handed goals so far.. With a little luck (and perhaps a Larkin/AA or someone on his PK line), he could finish his career around drapers at least as far as SH goals go anyway. Edit: source http://www.hockey-reference.com/players/h/helmda01.html

Helm is and has been one of the better penalty killers ever since he entered the league, aside from those couple injury riddled seasons... When I was doing up my ideal penalty killing units, I was forgetting about Nielsen too. You always need more than 4 or 5 PK forwards anyway, so I'd throw him into the mix along with Sheahan and Abdelkader as well...

Despite all the flak he gets (and likely myself too because I'm bringing it up) but Darren Helm was that guy in the first half of his career. He would get short handed breakaways on a regular basis. Might not convert on most of them, but at the very least if you're skating the puck down into the other zone I would call that effective penalty killing. I am 100% on board with Helm getting some more PK time along with some of these younger kids who are a threat to tilt the ice in the opposite direction.

The PK under Babcock was fine up until 2011 or so. Things started changing to more passive/ "shot block to save a goal" bullcrap once we started transitioning from Datsyuk/Zetterberg to Miller, Eaves, then Glendening. It's fine, we didn't have anyone to fill in for D and Z's role. But now with Larkin, AA, and Helm signed for 5 years, there is absolutely no excuse not to use capable speedy, skilled players on the PK. One thing I liked about Draper more than Glendening/Miller was not only was Draper a good defensive 3rd/4th liner but the guy knew how to drive offense and often times converted his PK time into offensive opportunities. His 21 shorthanded goals and Selke trophy as a damn 4th liner (unheard of) speaks for itself.

This guy will probably help this small market team grow some more. Preds really were the winners in this trade. For both on-ice and off-ice reasons.

He is going to be ADORED by Smashville.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HEpSrDzdPmk

You know when you are at a job interview, they always ask, "Where do you see yourself in five years?" I guess Holland takes care of answering that question for everyone on the team.

The other point I'll make is this. Retiring Ted Lindsay, Alex Delvecchio Sid Abel and Sawchuk's numbers were also in discussions. Only Howe, Yzerman and Lidstrom were players whose numbers were immediately retired. Lindsay and Delvecchio had their numbers retired in 1991 Sawchuck was retired in 1994 Abel in 1995 Discussing is completely unrelated to likelihood of retirement. Sid Abel retired from the game in 1954 and his number wasn't retired till 40 years after that.

5 years 4 first round exits, 3 first round exits in a row and making the playoffs because another re sucked even more. Like I've mentioned I hope the 2 more home games were worth it. Such a disappointing season and I really hope the evaluation is starting next week. Front office needs some fresh ideas (new faces). I'm not going into dream land and thinking about Stamkos so starting next year: - no top 6 center - Z can't do it anymore and Pasha is gone - no number 1 defenseman - still need a sniper Don't give me that "if Larkin, AA and others will.." crap asking a 19 old to play top 6 center is asking for disaster build him up slowly. Goaltending has been average with some excellent games from both guys and tons to forget. Lots of holes to fill and I have zero confidence that Holland can do it. He doesn't want to commit to rebuild nor does he go all in...Mr. I needs to ask him some tough questions and if he doesn't like the answers get someone else. The people who thought keeping the streak alive so the young guns would gain experience, only need to look at the TOI for AA or even better Mantha. Well hope people enjoyed it because it was the last time for some time and add of course aside from Mantha the AHL cupboard is empty. If the Wings would have rebuilt starting 2012 they would have been in a much better position going forward but of course the streak was more important and patchwork fixes, waiting for some guys to become maybe better than they really are and other things were more important.... Personally this was the most boring season (NHL and Wingswise) ever this team lacks identity and a direction going forward. This off season needs to be the busiest one in terms of trades, signings and changes since almost 2 decades for this team.