Shaman

Columbus has 1 point more than us I believe, Winnipeg is currently in 9th place and could easily end up in the dance.The Islanders were a playoff team last season and were only one point behind Detroit. Finally Florida clinched the Southeast not two seasons ago as top seed.

Let me lay it all out in one post so the people who keep trying to argue me can actually understand: In the NHL today a majority of teams make the playoffs. It is not a huge accomplishment in and of itself to keep making the playoffs. This team will continue to be mediocre if it's goal is only to make the playoffs every year without doing what it takes to be a real contender. The decision needs to be made quickly or it will be made for the Wings, as Datsyuk, and Franzen are both over 35 and Zetterberg's back seems to be getting worse every season. In order to be a real contender one of two things need to be done: #1 If they choose to try to do it before the window closes for Z, D and Mule they must trade some assets to solidify the defense (a #2 or #3 RHD PPQB) and a top 6 winger. Or #2 Decide to take a long view and try to develop a team that is built to contend for multiple years by developing youth, getting rid of some of the vets, and stocking up on draft picks/prospects. Currently Ken Holland is the king of half measures. In the offseason instead of trying to address the need for a top 6 winger of a top 3 Dman he goes after an oft-injured Weiss, resigns Cleary and doesn't clear any of the bottom 6 logjam. Thus reducing both the Wings chances of contending for a cup, and limiting the spots younger players can have to start developing in the NHL. Now if he makes a "hockey trade" for a bottom 6 defender (I would assume this would be the only type of move he'd make, as he has been clear hockey trade means roster player for roster player, no prospects no picks on the table), it may increase the Wings' chances of retaining the #8 spot, but realistically does anyone believe a "hockey trade" makes this team a contender? And if the Wings' aren't a contender why not actually rebuild? Young players since the new CBA are pretty much indentured slaves of the team that drafts them, and they also make great pieces for trades for more established talent. So TL:DR goes like this: The Wings need to commit to an actual strategy, win now, or build for the future.

If you're okay with years of what we are seeing this season fine. As I said there are two options, you are debating against one of them. Holland either needs to make at least 2 trades to address the two biggest holes on this team (top 6 winger and #2-#3 RH D-man) or he has to go into full rebuild. Either way, this 'rebuild on the fly' is not a tenable solution as I keep saying.

Yeah, a lot of them road hot goalies. As for Edmonton it's more their drafting philosophy of taking the best player available and not the best player that fits their needs that has screwed them up so bad.

Actually over half the teams make the playoffs, there are 16 spots for 30 teams. And you're right that you don't need a top pick to win, but, the team is suffering from years of not having much talent in the farm system. How about I ask the Pens, or the Blackhawks how they like having some early picks or how about Colorado?

Yes, if the Wings go in as they are today, they aren't a contender. If they traded for a legit #1 defenseman, a top 6 winger and a top 6 healthy center, they would be a contender. In this case they have acquired a few players, but its not realistic. Hence why I challenged him on his nonchalant claim that the wings are just a few players away. By this logic every team is a few players away. Ah, to get back to original point: #1 The Wings are not one 'hockey trade' away from being a realistic contender. #2 To be a realistic contender they would have to make at least two major moves for a top 6 forward and a #2 or #3 defenseman #3 If they don't make this move they are better off not making the playoffs, because they will put themselves in a better position to acquire talent needed to either build for the future or trade for what they need in the near future.

You do realize 76% of the NHL is within 3 points of a playoff spot or in a playoff spot? A "few players" on just about any team that fill their need could make them go from where they are to a much better position.

Every team is a few payers away from being a cup contender, literally every team.

Okay? And? This kid will be the next Crosby/Malkin/Ovie level player, and possibly better as he is already bigger than Crosby, faster and stronger. This team is in bad need of blue chip young talent, not just boom/bust talent.

To get a player that falls into the category of almost a lock to be a generational talent? With most of our first line talent either oft injured, or on the unhappy side of 35 and our prospects that could replace them being years away from replacing their production I would say taking a year to get a guy who is projected to compete favorably against Crosby as not a terrible idea. Also, the Wing's didn't blow it, the second Chicago woke up the Wings were outclassed by a lot, I remember like 5 goals in the last 4 games of that series scored by the Wings.

Chicago didn't take Detroit seriously, the second they did it was over. That BS that anything can happen isn't true, most of the teams that shouldn't be in get eliminated quickly and easily. And no-one the Red Wings have or have had since Yzerman projects anywhere near as good as McDavid.

What makes no sense? Having a shot at McDavid makes more sense than eeking into the playoffs and being eliminated in the first round.

This season? No, next season? I'd rather see the Wings dead last than 7-10th place.

I don't even know what they are thinking, it puts them in a s***ty place to make a trade because every team knows they will full court press for a new starter.

Mrazek for Kesler straight up (e4).

lol wut? This is just wow.

It's also telling he didn't get an invite to the WJC camp for Canada. Again, this kid does not have top end talent. Everything about him shows if he makes it he will be a middle 6 player.

He wasn't hidden, he was considered a first rounder for awhile... he dropped because of questions on how well his speed would transition, how well his tools could come together (my favorite line about him is 'he has a lot of tools, but no toolbox'), and his commitment to learning defensive play. By the time the draft rolled around he fell to the 4th round. But don't kid yourself, he wasn't hidden or unknown. Also look at the top 20 for the QMJHL vs the OHL. The OHL has a much larger spread of age compared to the QMJHL, whereas AA is on the highest end of the spectrum, Mantha is closer to the average age of the other top scorers.

He's also the second oldest in the top ten scorers for the OHL, and in some cases its by 3-4 years. He's a man playing against boys. The OHL is one of the most heavily scouted leagues, there is a reason why he went in the fourth round, not the first.

Athanasiou's numbers look good in the OHL, but, he's not like Mantha in the QMJHL where it's his second season, Athanasiou is I believe in his 4th year in the OHL. Players who take that long to develop in the OHL tend not to translate well into the AHL/NHL. He projects to be a 2nd/3rd line tweener if he makes it, and that would only happen if he decides to play on both sides of the puck, his defensive work ethic has been a huge sticking point of his.

Athanasiou doesn't have top end potential. Sproul could, but, defensemen are a crapshoot especially early in their career, look at Smith and Kindl. Jarnkrok outside of his current hotsteak hasn't adjusted that well to the North American game and I would still label him as boom-bust. Pulkkinen will be the next Gretzky, no one is allowed to question that. But if half of them become everyday NHL players the Red Wings will have hit gold, and even if only 1/3rd pan out they will consider those draft years successful. But as I said, other than Mantha not one of those are blue-chip talent, they all could be NHL players, or they could not, its still up in the air. Also you have to take the time consideration into it by the time most of these players make it to the NHL, if they ever do, and adjust enough to make an impact more than likely Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Kronwall, and Franzen are either retired or declining.

Every team but the absolute worst teams are right there. And the deep prospect pool is mostly boom/bust types, other than Mantha there is no one in the pool that should be considered as a blue chip prospect. So as I said, as it stands teams within a couple points of a playoff spot account for 76%+ of the league. Being in playoff contention isn't an accomplishment. Being in Cup contention is what this team should be shooting for. Remember how Holland's half measures prepared this team for losing 3 defensemen, wait until it's 3 (Z, D and Franzen) top 6 forwards.

About 2/3rds of the teams in the NHL are in playoff contention. Only the very bottom 1/3rd is really out of it at the deadline. This isn't some huge accomplishment. This season realistically over 3 quarters of the NHL is currently in playoff contention. That includes 7 teams that will be eligible for the draft lottery when it's all said and done.

Those aren't the only players with value. Bertuzzi could easily fetch a 3rd rounder if Rhobidas did, Abdelkader and Andersson both could be worth a high-ish pick based upon the pattern of the last couple years. Even Helm based on what Gaustad got should be worth 2nd or more.

What does that have to do with anything? My point is the Wings have been following a recipe of mediocrity the last few seasons which leave them in the worst possible spot a team can be in: Too good for a high pick, too bad to be an actual contender.