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If we're following along with what made us a dynasty before, I'll summarize: Draft well: Fedorov, Lidstrom, McCarty, Kozlov, Osgood, LaPointe, Zetterberg, Datsyuk, etc... Trade Well : Shanahan, Chelios, Hasek, Larionov... UFA's follow : Hull, Robitaille, Hatcher (yes, he was the best available at the time) CuJo, Hossa, Rafalski, etc... Yzerman is drafting well (we hope, we'll see) and soon enough, once his core are stars, he'll make "that trade" that puts us in to serious contention (like the Shanahan trade) and then when we start consistently winning and making the playoffs, UFA's will come. I have to remind myself, a lot, this exact thing.

AA has been a better goal scorer than Mantha. Mantha is better suited to the PP, but AA kills him at ES. AA has probably the best one-timer on the team, so it's possible he could become a focal point of our PP strategy now, and change that first part. It's possible Mantha will show that his end to the season was more than just a hot streak, but it's more likely that he just is what he is: A decent top-6 secondary scorer. He'll probably have better seasons statistically as the team improves, but probably won't actually get any better in terms of ability. That said, Risto is not good enough to be worth giving up important assets. While it might be enticing to dismiss his negatives as just being on a bad team, remember that a team is just a collection of individuals. If Buffalo is "bad", it's stands to reason that the guy playing 40% of the game is at least not that good himself. His relative numbers are generally poor as well. You might want to chalk it up to bad coaching, but his coach for two of last three seasons is our current assistant. This article is a bit old, but I don't think much has changed. Mantha, AA and Bert are going to be 25 this year. We have maybe four seasons of them at their peak, and maybe as many as four more before they decline too much. Larkin is not that much younger. We also want as much time as possible to allow for tweaks to the roster. Remember it was five years ago that TB went to the finals and everyone started saying they were on the cusp. They haven't been back since, and one year didn't even make the playoffs. A lot can go wrong in a season. We need to add as much as possible, as soon as possible, while losing as little as possible. Yes, it kind of sucks that we don't have good defensemen at their peak now that we have some forwards who are. But we don't have enough of those forwards to make trading one for a defenseman a net improvement. It's just trading one hole for another. If we want a scoring defenseman who isn't good defensively, Gardiner is still out there, or we could aim for Barrie (who's both better defensively and an actual elite scorer) next summer. Otherwise aim for cheap targets while hoping our kids develop quickly.

we should go back to topic and stop this, because it becomes more and more personal and I don´t need that.

https://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Eklund/Brayden-Point-could-be-movedDetroit-Montreal-and/1/100537 I know it's Eklund but I'm bored.

Larkin > Bertuzzi > Mantha > AA

We were the 4th worst team in the league last year. I hate to say this as I'm usually pro "accumulate talent based on priority of needs"...but we need major help in every area. Offense, defense, goal-scorers, shut down D, offensive D, puck movers, ....you name it and we pretty much need it. I'd lean towards best available talent with the best contract terms for the Wings and our 3-5 year roadmap. We could debate the bigger wants/needs for months, and maybe Stevie and the Wings brass have a better idea of what gaps to fill first, but the reality is that we need a lot on both ends of the ice. Just my $.02

Wasn't it Brooks spouting some BS about Yzerman talking to the Rags about the GM job? I will believe it when it's done

If Yzerman doesn't pull off Mantha for Risto it will be the biggest Wings gaf since Franzen over Hossa

Anyone not named Larkin, should be in play for Risto if the option is available in my opinion. Most of Risto flaws can be easily summed up in 3 reasons. 1.Buffalo 2.Buffalo 3.He's 24 The guy 24, hits and blocks everything that moves 6'4 220lb and can play huge mins with 4 straight season of 40+ points. Oh and just happens to shot right. He's a power play beast, god knows we need help on the power play.

Offer sheets don't work. I know I say it every year, and I know no one will ever accept it, but I have to say it anyway: Offer sheets don't work. If a team would be willing to let a player go for the compensation, they'd also be willing to trade said player, and that would be much better for both teams.