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>Yzerman leaks rumors to pressure the Sens >Dorion ends up taking Drysdale at #3 >One of Byfield/Stutzle becomes available at #4 >Yzerman drafts Askarov

>Ken Holland traded to Detroit for a 2021 1st round pick >Yzerman pulls a Robert California and convinces Melnyk to give him complete control of over all of his assets.

Well I doubt there's much thought being put into it.......

Well, good job Yzerman didn't do this with Kucherov after his first season. 9G/9A in 53 games as a 20 year old. (Zadina had 8G/7A in 28 games by the way)

Pronman just released his 2014 NHL re-draft. https://theathletic.com/1584416/2020/02/06/pronman-re-drafting-the-nhls-class-of-2014/?amp#click=https://t.co/dCFPe2uHWf Larkin came in at 4th overall, behind Draisaitl, Patrnak, and Point... Dylan Larkin, C Then: Larkin was a tough player to evaluate in his draft season. He was the USNTDP’s No. 2 center. Its top center was Jack Eichel, who had first-round picks Sonny Milano and Alex Tuch on his wings. Larkin opened the U18 worlds playing between Anders Bjork and Ryan Hitchcock. I knew plenty of scouts who loved Larkin because of his great speed, compete level and how he drove offense without elite linemates. I had questions on the skill and offensive upside. Now: Larkin has emerged as a true No. 1 center, logging huge minutes for the Red Wings the past few years. The physical tools he always had are still apparent, but his skill and particularly his offensive IQ were better than I thought, and it resulted in a top offensive performer even though he’s having a bit of a down season in 2019-20. Fabbri came in at 27th overall.

Yup. Like a cow. Perfect comparison. This idiom is palpable.

Diversity in hockey, or anything else, is a good thing so long as it isn't done for its own sake. Diversity, for the sake of diversity, is counter-productive. Don't do it. The NHL should be made up of the 713 best hockey players in the world, period. Nothing else should matter but ability, talent, and to some extent, character. Beyond that, IDC. The NHL knows it has a diversity issue, and has done a good job reaching out and bringing the sport into new communities. They've invested millions to grow the sport among non-traditional demographics. This can only be a good thing, as it will not only help to grow the fan base, it will grow the player pool as well, resulting in an increase in talent. The end result is more money for the NHL, a greater quality of product for the fans, and more opportunities for kids living in those communities. It's a win-win-win. That said, hockey will always be a sport that lags behind when it comes to diversity and popularity. Equipment is expensive. It can only be played seasonally outdoors in colder climates and indoor ice rinks are often few and far between. And ice time can be expensive. All of this works against growth of the sport. Basketball and soccer are just easier and cheaper to play, and will always be more popular, even when hockey is more readily available.

Oh thank heavens! You're still here!!

I was considering joining this forum to discuss hockey but saw some of your outrageous posts and the moderators letting them stay. I’m not sure it’s worth it as I don’t like to engage with possible trolls but felt it necessary to challenge some of your biased posts. While there are many, I tried to respond to them in just a single post instead of individually thus the paragraphs may not flow seamlessly as I address various topics: The nhl is one of the most diverse leagues out there with players from many countries. The fact you ignore the various cultures and just look at skin color is in itself ignorant. By your logic are all Asians the same? All Africans the same too? You have an extremely bigoted view if so. The fact you say your not aiming for diversity of thought or culture, rather just skin color is simply... racist. Thought and culture are more important elements than skin color by far. It’s unfortunate you see it the opposite way. While you rag on the nhl, you say nothing about lack of diversity among players in nba and nfl with 83% and 70% black respectively and namely all from a single country no less. Why not? It goes both ways. I’m a fan of meritocracy. Are you implying teams pass over more higher skilled minorities in the draft? That would be ridiculous. I’d like to see your evidence of the nhl being racist. The hockey is for everyone campaign was much more of an attempt at inclusion that welcomed everyone as a means to do outreach and grow the game. Yet you say the NHL does nothing? People watch hockey and pay for the game, not to be pandered to. And yes the issue is political as well as social. Your statements of ‘white players recognizing their racism’ and ‘we need to cancel hockey for human rights’ is a problem. Generalizing people creates resentment. Do you think minorities should also undergo anti-bias training to prevent them from thinking all whites are racist? Racism is a human problem that knows no color. Do you see racism everywhere? Like if you turn over a stone it might jump out and bite you? The NHL needs to focus on hockey and inclusion. It doesn’t need to be bringing politics or other issues into it through black jerseys or black lines. Many people have been discriminated against, not just blacks. That said, blacks have very much been economically discriminated against and that needs to change. Fixing that will lead to more opportunities, less poverty, less runs ins with cops, and ability to afford to play the expensive game of hockey. Perhaps the NHL doesn’t want to rush to judgement on the Jacob Blake situation. You know as more information comes out? Maybe they believe, as many do, that politics should stay out of sports? Have you seen the new info? While the situation definitely should have been handled better and he shouldn’t have been shot, the guy is no martyr. He had a felony warrant and was fighting police. The police were called on him which media failed to mention. Your accusation against Yzerman is just dumb. Do you have evidence of his desire to ‘purify’ the team or are you pulling it out of your ass? I liked AA, but he was not a 200 foot player as evidenced by his terrible plus minus. Hirose looked promising but hasn’t produced. Daley and Bowey? C’mon, they are depth guys. As for your fighting words reference, I think you need to reread the cases that narrowed the scope. ‘Intent to elicit immediate violent response’ is required to fall under fighting words. Obscene words are subjective and while they can be offensive, they don’t always fall under fighting words. Think of how many rap songs would fall under that prohibited speech! Following that, you respond to someone clarifying your message as alt-right without any evidence. Are those fighting words? Do you always assume and jump to conclusions and attack someone’s character instead of engaging in intellectual dialogue? Try to be better than that. People like you who attack others with no evidence and try to bully people into submission through attempting to assassinate their character need to be stood up to. You have opinions? Great, but you need to realize they are just yours and like assholes, everyone has one. You also need to take your own advice and stick to talking hockey. The nhl doesn’t need to follow other leagues and bend the knee much like anyone else. You can be fully for equality and respect the flag or want to keep politics out of hockey. Your constant accusation that the nhl is racist seems like baseless smears given the campaigns they’ve initiated. As long as the nhl promotes equality and inclusion, it doesn’t have to be forced to make any ‘stand’ based on issues that happen outside of its control. Unfortunately, the NHL seems to be getting woke and bringing in “diversity trainers” to tell them just how awful people they are. We’ll see if it’s successful or if their ratings take a hit like the NBA. https://theharrispoll.com/poll-38-of-sports-fans-say-nba-is-too-political-as-reason-they-are-watching-less/

Oh hey guys. I'll jump in this fight if ya'll don't mind. Two things that I want to clarify before doing so: 1) First would be my anecdotal life experience with the black community. My long time significant other is black, I'm white. I'm very well entrenched in her family/community that reside, for the greater part, in South Chicago. She is also the co-founder of the business we own together. The business is a financial service that disproportionately benefits from our services. I don't want to get into too much detail because I don't want to dox myself. I should say that we also employ a good number of black people as well. 2) I've learned that when entering topics of debate like this, it is crucial to define certain vocabulary and agree upon it. Clear cut, I define racism as the belief that someone of another race is intrinsically inferior to you or other races. If you two want to define it in any other way, please let me know. CRL - If I can summarize, you asked SP if the past atrocities by white people is the reason for the issues they face today. I believe the answer is yes and no. Obviously you cannot deny that many black people wouldn't be here if it weren't for slavery. And those that would be, would have done so of their own accord and likely more successful than average. The continued oppression that black people faced certainly kept many of them from reaching their potential in life and caused their communities to be more prone to toxic However, I do not believe that those past hardships are experienced by today's black society. I believe your point is that because of the past, you surely cannot expect Black America to be any better off than they are now. I would agree, but to a much less degree than you, I am sure. With all of my life experiences and knowledge, what I believe is this. Though it's obviously true that the black community has suffered in the past, those hardships have little to no bearing on a black person's day to day life right now. I believe, however, that during those hardships, there are a lot of voices in those communities that speak up about many different ideals, cultural norms and mores. It is up to that community to decide which voices to listen to and follow. Unfortunately for the black community, they have made a lot of critical mistakes by choosing to listen to the wrong voices. Now, this could literally happen to any other group of people put in the same situation. I don't believe they are predispositioned to make these bad choices. Hindsight is 20/20. But these choices that are made over decades have created a disproportionately toxic culture that has now turned on itself so much that it is the number one thing impeding black advancement. I know this because the people who abide to and succumb to today's black culture do not thrive. Rather, they parish in terrible ways. The one's who often reject those ideals and norms (such as my significant other) very often thrive and become successes. Then, they are excommunicated from black society and culture. You keep calling CP racist. But I bet you that he's never insulted a black person to their face (or online or whatever have you). I bet he's never told a black youth that 76% of this country hates him and wants to keep him from succeeding. I bet you he's never made a black youth feel discouraged about how successful he can be in life. But, I bet YOU have. You make asinine assumptions about the majority of American's and project yourself as a neutral voice for White America. You lift yourself up in life by beating other white people down. You're different than everyone else, right? Special. Everyone is racist except you. You belong to a small elite class that isn't racist. How convenient that the standard you've built in your head to measure your success and worth as a human is completely based on something that you and you alone can arbitrarily and ambiguously measure. People like you tell a young black boy how much White America hates him, how they want to see him addicted to drugs and thrown in jail before he's even 18. He believes that 76% of people hate him before he's ever met any of them. You spout your agenda as if it's gospel. It's easy to do since your fight is so selfless, right? There's no accountability for you whatsoever because if your intentions are right, what harm could you be doing? Human nature is to hate those that we believe hate us. If it's your life duty to spout off to black people how much they're hated, that will only create animosity. Blacks will believe they have to fight back, not live amongst. White people see them fighting back....trying to bring their way of life down (a life where they never wished harm on anyone). They now believe that black people must assuredly hate them. You've now created your self-fulfilling prophecy. You've created hate. With your message, black people can never self-reflect and come to the realization that only they can change the toxic parts of their culture. That more than what any other white person can do for them, they can make the most change in their live's by their actions and their actions alone. I believe people like you are the ones who create the biggest divide between races. But there is no way to convince you of that. The scariest thing is a person who causes harm with a good conscience.

Is it at least Larkin soft?

Detroit Red Wings Hockey: The Only Time I Don't Like Big Busts

Color Of Hockey - By Singh Harnarayan Here's a good read for you Fox & Friends... Singh chronicles his rise to becoming the most formidable hockey commentator in all of Canada despite bullying for being brown, and everyone telling him he could never do it because it's a white mans sport. And he does it all with a certain panache and splash of humor. It will restore your faith in hockey. A must read for 2020.

Pick 32 Marat Khusnutdinov, C, SKA (MHL) Pronman’s rank: 28 Wheeler’s rank: 48 Central Scouting rank: 12th among European skaters Why he fits: There’s a lot to like in Khusnutdinov’s profile. Pronman gave the Russian center a 60 grade (denoting ability that projects to the top third of professionals) in skating, puck skills and hockey sense, with his only below-average grade in his physical game. That makes sense, as Khusnutdinov is only 5-feet-10. However, as Pronman wrote in his scouting report, “he competes hard, frequently getting to the tough areas in the offensive zone and killing penalties well.” That could go a long way toward easing size concerns, and it certainly should be a plus for a front office that, according to Hakan Andersson, has put a premium on competitiveness in the draft. The Red Wings have some depth at center in their pipeline, headlined by Joe Veleno and Michael Rasmussen, but you can never have enough prospects down the middle, and Khusnutdinov was one of the top U18 point-producers in the MHL last season. Adding a player who can both make a difference in the offensive zone and kill penalties, with that key competitiveness trait, would be a strong addition to the farm system. “Khusnutdinov makes plays all over the ice,” Wheeler wrote. “He’s a responsible three-zone player, he doesn’t shy away from playing to the interior, he’s got enough skill to make plays from the exterior and he tracks the play exceptionally well.” He produced .86 points per game last season, and is off to another strong start this year with 7 points in eight games. That includes a last-second, game-tying goal Friday. Helge Grans, RHD, Malmö (SHL) Pronman’s rank: 50 Wheeler’s rank: 26 Central Scouting rank: 6th among European skaters Why he fits: Yzerman has been building an army of big-bodied defensemen in his first 17 months as Red Wings general manager, and at 6-3, Grans fits that that mold with a nice offensive profile, too. He was second in points per game (1.00) among all defensemen who played at least 20 games in the Swedish J20 league last season, and perhaps not coincidentally played 21 SHL games. Grans didn’t produce much (3 points) as a 17-year-old in Sweden’s top league, but Pronman gave his hockey sense and physical game both 60 grades, while also giving his puck skills an above-average mark. His skating was rated at pro average. “I’ve seen very good flashes from him over the years, as he can make some very good passes from both ends and has a hard shot from the point,” Pronman wrote in his scouting report. “… A lot of times I’m left wanting more. I’ve seen a lot of games he makes little happen offensively and his average feet are exposed defensively.” Wheeler, who had Grans ranked considerably higher, had a similar take on where Grans can stand to improve. “His skating will need to continue to progress as his feet can look heavy,” he wrote. “And I would like to see him clean up some of his mistakes with and without the puck (he turns it over a little too much for my liking and can get caught puck-watching defensively). But once he matures and tidies up some of that sloppiness, he’s got a chance at serious upside.” Because of that upside, it’s entirely possible Grans goes in the first round, before Detroit even has a shot to take him. But his profile does make him an obvious candidate if Detroit wants to use this pick on a blueliner. Since he plays in Sweden, the Red Wings will have some bonus viewings of him before the draft, too, which will allow them to see how much progress he made over the summer. Ozzy Wiesblatt, RW, Prince Albert (WHL) Pronman’s rank: 32 Wheeler’s rank: 52 Central Scouting rank rank: 19th among North American skaters Why he fits: Another 5-10 forward with a highly rated offensive skill set, Wiesblatt earned 60 grades from Pronman in skating, hockey sense and puck skills. Those accompanied a below-average grade in his physical game. But as Prince Albert coach Marc Habscheid told Pronman, “He competes well. He has a swagger about him. He wants to be in pressure situations. He has a quick stick and quick feet, and he is smart offensively.” Detroit has some prospect depth on the wing in Jonatan Berggren, Robert Mastrosimone and Elmer Söderblöm, but not enough, and Wiesblatt could be a nice addition to that group. Berggren and Mastrosimone are also smaller players off the flank, and in general the Red Wings could certainly stand to be a more physical team. That’s one potential reason for pause. But Detroit also needs significant help creating offense, and Wiesblatt was already over a point per game in the WHL last season. In that sense, Pronman’s write-up on Wiesblatt has to be enticing. “He’s very quick and skilled,” Pronman wrote. “He makes skilled plays at full speed and is a handful for defenders to stop when he comes barreling down on the rush. His hands stand out, with extremely quick twitch touches and ability to inside out defenders. He can attack in a direct style, but also has great vision and can pull up to make a tough play.” As a bonus, he’d add a much-needed right-shot winger to Detroit’s system. Later in Round 2 Daniel Torgersson, LW, Frölunda, (SHL) Pronman’s rank: 84 Wheeler’s rank: 74 Central Scouting rank: 13th among European skaters Why he fits: Here’s your larger element to add to the winger core. At 6-3, Torgersson’s physical game graded at 65 via Pronman, who also gave him above- average marks on his hockey sense and puck skills. Those are important complements, since the Red Wings can’t afford to draft a player for size alone. Torgersson was in the lineup for Frölunda’s SHL season-opener Saturday, after playing a handful of games with the senior club last season as well. He mostly played in the J20 league, though, where he produced as one of the top U18 players in the league. His goal rate was the most impressive, with 26 in 39 games. Playing in the same organization as Söderblöm, Detroit should have plenty of familiarity with Torgersson, who has the potential to add some important elements to the Red Wings’ farm system with his skill set at that size. “He has some skill and can make plays, and showed this season he can score at a significant level,” Pronman wrote. “Torgersson’s skating is OK. The stride breaks down a bit more than I’d like, but I’ve seen him pull away from enough checks to think it can be pro-average. His ability to score, play in the tough areas and PK gives him versatility that will endear him to coaches.” Ty Smilanic, C, U.S. NTDP (USHL) Pronman’s rank: 48 Wheeler’s rank: 45 Central Scouting rank: 24th among North American skaters Why he fits: Particularly considering some of the gaudy production coming out of the NTDP in recent years, Smilanic’s 22 points in 34 games this season wouldn’t make him an obvious target here. But there’s some important context missing from those numbers, which Wheeler laid out in his final draft board. “Smilanic spent the back half of the season with a cast on his top hand and the mitt of his glove cut out so that he could grip the knob,” Wheeler wrote. “Eventually, NHL Central Scouting sent out a note to inform teams that he was playing injured. I was told that among his four outside fingers, only the index wasn’t in the cast.” That certainly qualifies as an extenuating circumstance, perhaps explaining why Smilanic scored at a lower rate than he did the previous season in the program (when he had 38 points in 54 games). With Pronman giving Smilanic 60 grades on both skating and puck skills, the skill set for the 6-1 center should merit consideration in this range. Wheeler and Pronman both ranked him in the mid- to late-40s on their boards. “Smilanic is a high-end skater with excellent hands,” Pronman wrote. “He can blow past defenders off the rush and has excellent edge work to evade checks inside the zone.” Smilanic (a Quinnipiac commit) certainly could have used the chance some Europeans will get to play this fall, in order to show his growth and what he can do when healthy. Instead, if the Red Wings want him, they’ll have to draft on what they have seen so far, and the potential for upside from the center. With three picks in the second round, he might be the right kind of swing to take with the Oilers or Capitals pick. Jean-Luc Foudy, C, Windsor (OHL) Pronman’s rank: 49 Wheeler’s rank: 62 Central Scouting rank: 33rd among North American skaters Why he fits: And speaking of upside, here you go. Based on his rookie year in the OHL, Foudy was in early first-round conversations for 2020. He scored 49 points in 63 games as a 16-year-old. But after a slight downtick in production as a sophomore, both Wheeler and Pronman have him ranked in the back half of the second round. Pronman gave Foudy a 60 grade on his skating, hockey sense and puck skills, with physical game and Foudy’s shot the two below-average areas. Foudy is 5-11 and the brother of Blue Jackets prospect Liam Foudy, who scored at a similar rate to Jean-Luc in his draft year before going 18th overall and then surging past a point-per-game in the following season. This year, Liam Foudy was on the Blue Jackets’ playoff roster as a 20-year-old. “Jean-Luc Foudy, like his brother, is an excellent skater,” Pronman wrote in his scouting report. “He has more skill than his brother, though, showing the ability to make difficult plays with the puck individually and as a distributor. His combination of speed and skill makes him elite at gaining the offensive zone with possession. I think he’s a very good passer, but some scouts think he’s selfish and wheels too much with the puck. I don’t mind it but he does like to dance around the perimeter looking for plays.” It’s also worth noting that while Foudy’s overall production went slightly down, his goal scoring nearly doubled this season. So, particularly if you buy the potential for a surge this coming season, Foudy’s pedigree and collection of skills could make him another high-upside target for the Red Wings, especially considering he’s a right-shot center. And since he plays in Windsor, the Red Wings will have had every opportunity to see him the last two years.

Zagina

I know. I get it. Tough crowd.

Addition by subtraction in this case.

Speaking of things coaches say The Athletic: Wheeler - Perfetti's #4

I'm thinking it's time for this thread to go sleepy bye bye

Bye Howie, Hello Markie!

I don't really blame Howie for wanting to move on. This team is a joke and he wants a chance to win a cup before he can't play anymore. This will be the first of many players who will probably walk away when Yzerman offers a new contract. It's a shame, but that's the sad reality. I will be watching whatever contender he decides to move on to. Best of luck Jim Jam.

Expected by everyone except @ChristopherReevesLegs...

AKA bad take... Byfield is an absolute beast. He's one of the youngest players in this draft class (just turned 18 a month ago). Rossi, on the other hand, is one of the oldest players in this draft class (will turn 19 in three days). A year is a huge difference at the age of 17/18. Byfield put up 82 points in 45 games (1.822 points per game) this season. At the same age, Rossi put up 65 points in 53 games (1.226 points per game) last season. He exploded this past season for 120 points in 56 games (2.143 points per game), and I'd expect the same sort of explosion from Byfield next season, at the same age. Rossi may be closer to NHL ready, but I'd bet on Byfield being the better player long-term. Don't mistake any of this as a knock against Rossi, because it's not at all. Rossi is a great prospect, and I'd be happy to get him at 4th overall (not my first choice), but if Byfield somehow drops to 4, he's the easy pick over Rossi or anyone else available there.