VM1138

Next year's worst team will no doubt be one of Florida, Buffalo or the Islanders.

Alfredsson says it's Detroit or retirement. Doubt he moves to Dallas. He's as good as gone because the Wings didn't offer him a contract. And I'm pretty sure they said he wasn't coming back the week we were eliminated. I'd like to have Legwand back, too, but there's just no room for him. Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Alfredsson Franzen-Weiss-Nyquist Tatar-Sheahan-Jurco Miller-Helm-Glendening/Andersson/Cleary (Inevitably) Where would Legwand fit? He'd most likely take Jurco's spot, as a third-liner. And for whatever reason, Babcock dumped him on the fourth line when the playoffs hit. Babcock's use of players boggles my mind sometimes. Actually, looking at that lineup, I think our top six could use some work. We do need that winger after all.

You're right about stats, but I disagree. There's a reason we all noticed it with Quincey and the stats upheld it. I mean, we all just didn't decide to hate Quincey for no reason. He's bad, and the stats support it. And last year we all felt like he was hurting the team so badly that someone thought to look up this particular stat. Maybe other players just don't suck so badly so no one looks up the stat, but I'm sure no one on the Wings can boast that kind of stat. They should start tracking the reverse of a game winning goal stat. It happens to everyone a few times no doubt, but double-digits is bad. Especially all over a three month span, which I think it was.

Why? That's a little pessimistic. Weiss had a freak year because he pushed himself to be ready. It's all stemming from one injury. He has had lots of time to recover and I don't think he's particular injury prone. I think he stands as much a chance as anyone to be healthy this year. I predict week-long-plus injuries to Datsyuk, Ericsson, Kronwall, Helm and Franzen, but not Weiss.

You guys don't actually think Tatar is Datsyuk level just because he had a "better" rookie season, do you? Let's be realistic (and I'm one of the biggest Tatar boosters here). His aggression doesn't always overcome his small stature, he's easily kept out of the prime scoring areas, and once the league figured him out his offense disappeared. He's not great defensively and has a bit of an attitude that all spells "Babcock's Doghouse." If he's just going to be misused and abused like Hudler was, we might as well trade him to get some value. I'm not a big fan of Green's so I'm not specifically pushing for that trade. But Tatar is the most likely to move, I think, and has the most value to another team without hurting us too badly. Nyquist is fast, dynamic and creative. Jurco will hopefully be a big bodied power forward type, which are rare. Pulkinnen is a one-trick pony at this point and I doubt he has much value. We can't really part with any of our d-prospects unless we had to. That's how I got the point of suggesting Tatar in a trade. Unless he somehow changes his game, he's going to be a tweener like Filppula and Hudler were. He might get top 6 playing time but I'm not sure how dynamic he'll be there now that the league has him figured out. If any of Tatar, Nyquist, or Jurco don't become a top six player, it's likeliest to be Tatar, I think.

Tatar isn't a surefire top 6 player yet. What universe? The modern NHL. And the fact that every team has us over a barrel. But its moot now since it sounds like Holland is set with the team we have. Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

No. I don't think Pulks has much value. It'd have to be Tatar, Nyquist, Sheahan or Jurco, and I think only the first two would draw any interest.

Tatar is a mystery to me. The guy has aggression and an attitude the team really needs. On the other hand, he's small and was manhandled in the Boston series. And then there's the whole sophomore slump that might be coming. I love Tatar, but if we've got to trade someone with value to get a defenseman who helps us, I think he's the most likely candidate to go.

Yeah, someone did the statwork last season. There were direct giveaway goals from Quincey in something like 15 games that were decided by a goal or so. I'd say that's single-handedly. He was remarkably consistent in his ability to be the last guy to touch a puck before being scored on.

We usually do every summer. We released a few Grand Rapids players a few days ago, and these are just their replacements. Glendening-style signings that are destined for the AHL unless they surprise management and fill a much needed role. Which I don't think Porter or Miele do.

Yup. Green isn't a great defenseman, but he'll get some points and that's what we need. We need an offensive defenseman, even if he's a little shoddy on the defensive end. We have enough defensive defensemen. Obviously you want someone who is good in all zones, but our glaring deficiency is the one area Green would address. The key would have to be CHEAP. Maybe Washington needs to clear a roster spot or cap space? One year left on the contract, not well-loved in Washington, I don't think. Shouldn't cost all that much. A pick and Tatar? We'll even throw in Kindl because no one else will want him later in the summer.

I appreciate the optimism, and yes, this team will make playoffs. It's just that we didn't get any better. And yes, Quincey will hurt us if he plays like he did the past few seasons. Especially last year. The guy single-handedly cost us double digit games. If he plays solid, then obviously this is fine, but that's not his track record.

A second team AHL all-star who couldn't crack Phoenix's lineup for more than 7 games. I have no feelings about this guy, nice for GR, I guess.

We aren't going to miss playoffs. We will have Nyquist for a full season. No Olympics. Healthiest Z in years. We will finally make playoffs easily again. I mean, even if the team stayed the same it would do better without so many crazy injuries. Our defense and disappearing offense will kill us in the first round again, though. Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

I think the team will be okay for the regular season. They would've won a lot more games had they been healthy. This is a 5th seed team at least. The trouble is the playoffs. We haven't solved the biggest issues: everyone disappearing in the playoffs, and our terrible defense.

So now that Quincey has made a defenseman acquisition very unlikely, does Holland push hard for a scoring forward? The price will likely be lower than for a defenseman. Our offense is decent, but without a puck moving defenseman to help improve it, maybe we do need another scorer up front to help us escape the first round of the playoffs. It wouldn't make us a Cup team, but we could make playoffs easier and maybe steal a round or two, which would make us look more attractive to a future d-man. It'd be more obvious that said d-man would be the final piece to the puzzle. I don't think there are any real options on the UFA market, so maybe Holland should look to trade for a winger. Anyone else agree?

That's great but now that we panic signed Quincey I'm not sure where he fits. Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

Their whole reaction has made the Red Wings' image suffer. Holland coming out and admitting he is baffled, the signing of Quincey, the big public spectacle about everyone rejecting the Wings, it does some serious damage long-term. We can't build a successful team only through the draft. Sooner or later we'll have to make a trade to supplement. But I guess it's set in stone, the team's goal is to "wait and see" by struggling for a few more years and hope enough of our prospects all turn into all-stars.

"My first priority was to be on a good team." -Ehrhoff. Holy crap. Just humiliating. That article also takes a dig at the Wings not being able to buy their team. That pisses me off. That wasn't even really the case in the pre-cap era. We spent a lot, but we got the right players. I'm thinking it's Babcock. Almost every player suffers individually under his reign, and that lowers their future value. Case in point: no one really wants any of our players except for Nyquist, Jurco or maybe Tatar. So coming to Detroit could actually be bad for their careers. He just doesn't seem to utilize some players where they would be strongest (Smith, Cleary, Quincey, Kindl, etc.)

He gave up. I can see the "lack of drive" argument. He could've waited all summer to find a deal somewhere else. Maybe Europe? Instead, he signed our worst defensemen who actually cost us at least 16 games last season, gave him a raise, and closed up a roster spot. So basically...we're done on defense. A kid needs to get a chance. Maybe we add someone like Vrbata, but we're basically done up front, too. So on day one of free agency...Holland has already given up. Sure, we discarded some chaff, but not enough, and we didn't actually get any better. We can only hope we're good enough to get a higher seed in the playoffs and maybe get a more favorable matchup until we run into a team like the Bruins who are built to beat our team.

This is bad, guys. Quincey actually makes the team worse than if he weren't on it. Going with all kids would have been bad, but not like this. Almost any of the UFA players could have been at least a slight improvement. Did none if them want to come here either? This is a humiliating day for the franchise. Rejected by everyone even with fair offers, only to panic and sign a bad player for too Mich money instead of giving someone else a chance. Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

At least Holland tried. He can't help it if a player takes less money elsewhere. There's definitely something rotten in the Wings. The last year has really been embarrassing, a sensation I'm not used to as a Wings fan since the mid-nineties. Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

I feel like the kid who really wanted Transformers for Christmas, but whose grandma bought Transmorphers instead. Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

We couldn't offer Ehrhoff one year, $4 million? But, if the rumor is true, we want to offer Boyle 3 years at $5.5? Maybe he just didn't want to come here, but I thought we were on his short list? And we've been chasing him for years. Oh, well. Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

I still don't get why people are so nervous about Niskanen. Sure he played with Crosby and Malkin. But here he'd be feeding Datsyuk, Franzen and Zetterberg (who may have a career year now that he is healthy). And maybe playing with Kronwall, one of the better offensive d-men in the league. If there's any player you take a risk on, its a steadily improving guy entering his prime years. Not a guy who was discarded by a good team for being half the player he once was (Boyle). Boyle reminds me of a depth signing, like Colaiacovo. Only it sounds like we want to pay him way more. Sure, short term is nice, but what if our young guys plateau below their potential and Niskanen continues to improve? We will have missed out on that chance and will go through the whole overpay thing in two or three years. I'm not sold on the kids being prime level contributors in two years. Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2