SwedeLundin77

Another draft like this last one and the team is ready to push for the playoffs. The prospects are good as is but the Wings would still need a bit of luck developing for me to feel this team will really compete in the future

That's a good signing. He is the future Captain and should be a perennial 70+ point player starting this upcoming season. $6sh million is the sweet spot for a 60sh point player, so he already fits that criteria with room for growth.

Why didn't Athanasiou sign for 3 years $2M? It's still $6M, but allows for more cap flexibility. Athansiou's deal is not team friendly.
Zetterberg has nothing to do with Larkin's contract, and Larkin's contract has nothing to do with Zetterberg.
You're ranting about Holland lying about how many prospects will make the team, because Holland inked a contract with Larkin (a roster player) that we've been expecting for months? Baffling to say the least. 

Did I say I was upset with It? It's just not team friendly. But it is Z's salary, which, in order to have Rasmussen up, will have to come from LTIR. Franzen's is all but used up with this contract. If the plan is to keep Rasmussen in the teenage league and Zadina in the AHL, then Ken Holland blew smoke up all your asses because instead of having 2-5 new kids in the lineup, there will be ZERO. Not even on D. So what page of the Holland Guide to GM'ing is this on? Lying to all the fans and signing players we don't need. UNLESS Z is done, then there will be room for 2 new kids. But if Z plays, then no new kids. We have ZERO cap space, 13 Fwds, 6 D. No room for any new kids.
Team friendly is 6 years $5M, it's still $30M, but allows for more cap flexibility. Trust me, I am glad he is signed, and sure, it's a good term, but it would be better if it was the same money, less cap hit. 

Vanek signed for nearly the exact cap hit as Mantha, so obvious Mantha is done.
Only you could be upset by this deal

That's a good signing. He is the future Captain and should be a perennial 70+ point player starting this upcoming season. $6sh million is the sweet spot for a 60sh point player, so he already fits that criteria with room for growth.

That's a good signing. He is the future Captain and should be a perennial 70+ point player starting this upcoming season. $6sh million is the sweet spot for a 60sh point player, so he already fits that criteria with room for growth.

That's a good signing. He is the future Captain and should be a perennial 70+ point player starting this upcoming season. $6sh million is the sweet spot for a 60sh point player, so he already fits that criteria with room for growth.

We've got some capable snipers on the team... Nyquist, Mantha, Zadina, Vanek, AA, FRk...
We've got some capable playmakers on the team... Zberg, Larkin, Nielsen
How many capable power-forwards do we have? Abdelkader?
Ras is going to bring a much needed element to the forward group that we didn't have before. He's probably going to instantly become our best net front player. He'll be keeping defenders, and the goalie, busy down low, giving more time and space to our other skaters. If they don't put a BIG STRONG defender right on top of him down low, he's going to out muscle the small guys for positioning and light goalies up. In the corners we now suddenly have a strong/aggressive forward with long reach and size. It's gonna be great.

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Isn’t this old news? He was seen golfing this past weekend and it’s up in the air.

Maybe, but all indications up to this point have shown that he doesn't have the work ethic/attitude necessary to elevate his game past where it is now. I hope I'm wrong or I hope other GMs are still interested in him on this contract so they can move him for defense.

Exhibit A of my AA theory
AA is the most fun player to watch, which is making him overrated as all heck.
Zetterberg is boring as heck to watch. But the man plays winning hockey. 
Exciting does not equal good.
Larkin, now thats a player who is exciting and good.
I hope AA does really well and becomes the 50 pt player we all hope he can be. But he clearly has a lot to work on. Hes way behind Mantha and Larkin. And I think Bertuzzi is about leap frog him. 
Hes certanily not the 4th best player on this team in my book. The score sheet reflects that and the salary chart reflects that, even considering overpayments. 

And if he can be moved NOW in a package to bring a top 4 (YOUNGER) d-man, you freaking do it. Drafting Zadina made him expendable. What does this team lack more than anything? Defense.

And if he can be moved NOW in a package to bring a top 4 (YOUNGER) d-man, you freaking do it. Drafting Zadina made him expendable. What does this team lack more than anything? Defense.

Larkin, Mantha, Zadina, AA:
:
That doesn't excuse AA from not playing a 2 way game, nor is it an excuse for being selfish. He needs to play some defense like every other forward on the team.
He may have a higher ceiling, but that doesn't make him 3rd or 4th best now. He has a lot to learn and he will never reach that potential if he continues to be one dimensional.
Because he has "potential". His trade value will start to go down if he doesn't wise up.
PLaying D isn't entertaining, but You can't win without it. AA may be entertaining to watch, but that doesn't win you any games.

So he basically stands at center ice, waits for a pass from the the other guys who are actually playing defense, then skates in and scores on a breakaway. And yet he still only scored 16 goals in 71 games played. I expect a lot more from a guy who is all offense. Imagine what his numbers would be if he actually played defense?

we have $6.1M left, add in Franzen's $3.9M and that is $10M
Ras - $894k
Zadina (ELC soon) $925k
Mantha $4M
Larkin $5M
Frk minus $1M (waived)
equals cap ceiling, basement dwelling lottery team. Bring on Jack Hughes.
Unless Holland still has a trade in mind, its gonna be a rough year with that D.
re: AA signing, its a good fair deal, I am an AA fan and am glad he got signed, but if he could be dealt to bring in Faulk or Trouba, then I am good there too. IF he stays he needs to be in the top 6.
 

The "hate" for AA is that he is so far a one dimensional player and seems unwilling to round out his game. He's nowhere near as talented as Stevie Y was and yet he understood the concept of sacrificing one's own stats for the betterment of the team by playing a 2 way game. AA hasn't and/or won't learn this and he doesn't have enough offensive skill to get away with it. Plus he was just given a raise of more than double his previous salary. He hasn't done enough or proven enough to warrant that kind of salary hike.
All just my opinion of course, and I can only speak for myself. 2 years is fine, but it should have been 2.5 AAV max.

Well we only have approximately $4.5M in cap space remaining (not including Franzen on IR) to sign Larkin and Mantha...
There has to be a trade in the works... Doesn't there?

Hopefully it's a sign that Kenny likes what he's seeing from Athanasiou during the off season. As it stands, I'm a little surprised.

Yes, Witkowski sucks, but he's the perfect 13th/14th forward. You need someone filling that role and we don't want a Zadina or Svechnikov sitting games and Glendening, Helm or Abdelkader aren't going to sit any games. We just need to hope Witkowski plays as little as possible...

Hopefully, Rasmussen and Zadina are both in the lineup and our offense is at least good this year. Still a long year, but that makes it exciting.

I'd take Mason off their hands for one season to backup Howard, if it meant getting an asset in return. This is exactly the type of move Holland should be looking to make.