Jesusberg

They actually had him skating on their 2nd line with Granlund-Koivu in practice, but decided to go back to using Pominville there. Same deal with their 2nd PP unit - Granlund-Koivu, then Pominville/Pulkkinen/Niederreiter as the third forward on the unit. For the record, I'm not upset about the Wings losing Pulkkinen and trying to prove a point - I just happen to have all of this useless information in my head at the moment. Spending far too much time going over my fantasy hockey team and looking at line combinations/PP units recently.

Generally I would agree with this, but according to some of the stuff out there from Dreger, Holland was more than willing to play ball with Cheveldayoff. Holland made an offer during the summer, and the Jets' responded by asking for "two higher-level forwards". Apparently, they want Larkin coming back the other way. It's not clear whether was one of the two forwards, or if he was involved in something outside of that, but I don't make that deal. I'd make a trade for Trouba using a variety of the team's wingers, but I don't blame Holland for refusing to move Larkin in a deal. You move him and you're filling one hole, but also digging another. The Wings don't have anyone like Trouba, but they don't have another Larkin, either.

I'm not all torn up about losing those guys, but I'm definitely confused about some of the roster moves. Generally I'm in the, "OK, let's wait and see where this goes", but I'm not entirely sure what's going on right now. I think waiving Frk/Pulkkinen makes some sense if they intend on keeping eight defensemen long term. If they value Jurco over Frk/Pulkkinen, it makes sense to have AA there, so they can send him down in November. They have a lot more options up front, so perhaps it's a matter of the team valuing Sproul over Frk/Pulkkinen, considering the current state of the defense. I'm not entirely sure why they waived Pulkkinen if Kronwall was heading for IR, though. Unless they didn't think they would have to place Kronner on IR? I don't even know...

I spent the summer thinking Coreau had to pass through waivers too, but I read an article earlier today that stated he's likely waiver-exempt. I'm thinking a few of the sites I use to keep track of contracts/waiver status are wrong. The writer cited CapFriendly as his source. Reading it over, I'm thinking he's correct. https://www.capfriendly.com/waivers-faq https://www.capfriendly.com/players/jared-coreau Based on the information from both of those links, Coreau signed at 21, and goaltenders who sign at 20-22 years of age have 4 years/60 games until they're waiver-eligible. I think the mix up occurred because, while Coreau signed in 2012-13, he didn't play his first professional game until 2013-14. CF's waiver FAQ states: For players whom are 20 or older, the year in which they play their first Professional Game (e.g. NHL, AHL, ECHL, KHL, European Leagues) is the year which is considered their first year towards the waiver exemption; however, the player must be under an NHL contract. So I mean, unless their information is incorrect/I'm misreading something, it looks as the team can safely send him back down to Grand Rapids this season.

I don't disagree with the notion that they need someone who's willing to take some risks. I just can't see it with the current state of the defense corps at the moment, though. They've got issues all over the place. Both Kronwall and Ericsson are slowing down/facing injury-related issues. I don't think they have much faith in Smith, either. If they do, I think he's on a pretty short leash. Green is solid, but a bit of a roamer, too. That basically leaves DeKeyser and Marchenko as the "reliable" defenders on the team right now. To me that screams "we're taking the safe guy". Ouellet's not racking-up stats this preseason, but that's not really his game, anyway. I think he's made a number of smart stick plays and positional decisions. As I said, I've been high on Sproul ever since they drafted him. However, I can him repeatedly winding up for a slapshot on the power play, having his shot blocked and losing the race back. I just don't think his foot speed is there. I'm all for taking him on as the eighth defender, but I wouldn't take him over Ouellet right now.

I'm not saying he doesn't have upside, but he's had one solid season in the AHL. Don't get me wrong, I've been impressed with him this preseason. Outside of appreciating his ability to shoot the puck, I think his skating has improved leaps and bounds. He cut across the offensive zone last night to throw a hit and I was shocked at how quickly he got to his man. But if the reaction to losing a 13-14th guy is to go bananas... I agree that some GM might pluck him off of waivers. Although, I think he'll have a better shot clearing before the season, as opposed to when Jurco returns sometime in November. Usually teams are so busy sorting out their own prospects/players at the beginning of the season that there's a better chance of guys clearing waivers. By November, teams could be looking at injury issues, underperforming players, etc. Krsmith. I think Ouellet's pretty much a "lock" for that number seven spot on defense. I've been a huge fan of Sproul ever since they drafted him, but I still think he's got some positional and skating issues. As much as Ouellet lacks the flash, he just plays smart, quiet hockey. That's pretty much what KH and company value above all else. Teams could very well consider picking Sproul off waivers, but I don't think it's an absolute certainty that he'll get claimed. Much like Frk, I think he'd have a better chance of clearing before the season starts. I've got a gut feeling that the Wings will roll eight defensemen to start the season, though.

And the knock on Frk was that his skating wasn't great. It's still not, but I think he's improved big time there. Technically, they could still have two right-handed weapons on the PP, but it's not like Pulkkinen did himself any favors last season. I think only one of Frk/Sproul make the opening night roster, though. Once Jurco returns (barring additional injuries, but who am I kidding, right?) I'm assuming the player who makes the team is going to get waived.

There's a difference between saying there are limits to what I'd be comfortable giving up and saying something is a deal breaker. Obviously I'd prefer if Holland didn't have to include one of AA/Mantha/Svech, but I'm not going to condemn that trade if it happens. I understand the need for someone like Trouba. I won't go as far as to say that people are overvaluing him right now, but the lack of defenders with his kind of potential in Detroit's system is definitely boosting his value in this situation, IMO. Considering what's at stake, they're most likely going to have to "overpay" in this case, either way. I'm not entirely sure what the Jets are looking for in return, but there are a number of other teams in a better position than the Wings to make a solid offer for Trouba. I'll be pleasantly surprised if Holland can land him.

Even just to make the cap situation work out, it almost has to be a base package of Nyquist + Smith/Marchenko going the other way. Trouba says it's about opportunity, not money, but he's probably still looking for something around 6M. Not sure what I'd add to Nyquist + Smith/Marchenko, but there are limits. Not comfortable with AA, Mantha or Svech, but maybe a "B" prospect and 2nd/3rd/4th rounder. Despite his agent going public with the request, there's going to be no shortage of teams getting into a bidding war for a 22-year-old stud defender. The price is going to be high, regardless.

Only 41 days until the TC prospects tournament starts, and we can argue about something of substance in 2016. Woo!

I was on Twitter earlier and reminded that Hudler was asking for 4M, while the Wings were offering 3M. It's not the 2M gap we're seeing here, but it's the way arbitration always goes. In the end, the arbiter awarded Hudler 2.875M (although, I swear I remember reading something about him accepting it before, and just going through the process, anyway). It was after his third full season in DET, and he was coming off a 57-point campaign. IIRC, people were going crazy, thinking he was going to get paid. Granted, the situations are different - it also happened seven years ago. Regardless, I'm expecting the award to be closer to what the Wings are offering than what Mrazek's camp is asking, if it even gets to that stage.

Someone's already mentioned it, but he's basically been used as a top-six winger out of necessity. It's a combination of his possession numbers, speed and puck-retrieving skills, as well as a lack of "qualified" candidates on the roster. The strongest argument against Helm as a high-end third-line center is his offensive production (or lack thereof), but even then he still ranked in the top 235 forwards (playing > = 20 games) when he played as a center from 2010-11 to 2013-14. He scored at a .39, .38 and .48 clip in three seasons (he only played in one game during the 2012-13 season). Even if you want to look at that 2013-14 season as an anomaly, scoring at a rate of .38 P/GP is still good enough for a third-line player (though, it's a bit on the low end). Factor in his productive possession during those years (he ranked somewhere between a third/second-line center), and he steadily improved each season from 2010-11 to 2013-14. Hell, use the eye test if you like. Yes, we all see his missed opportunities on breakways. Can anyone honestly say they don't notice Helm's speed, ability to retrieve the puck and effort on the ice, too? My biggest gripe with Helm over the past number of years has been the way management has decided to utilized him. Playing with Pavel and Tatar, his possession spiked, but his offensive production didn't jump enough (.44 P/GP) to merit using him as a top-six winger. He basically produced the same numbers as a 3C. At the end of the day positive possession is great, but you still want it to translate into actual results (or better results, in this case). Despite my thoughts on him as a top-six winger, just about any way you want to measure his value (during his time at the position), Darren Helm is a solid third-line center. Edit: And by all means, if someone here is better with numbers or wants to shed some light on a mistake, feel free to jump in. This is just my interpretation when looking at his value using different tools/perspectives.

As someone who's still unhappy with the Helm signing, the bolded portions of this are simply untrue. I don't like the cap hit, term or way management has utilized him the past few seasons, but come on...

Even if you buy into the deal in terms of value/Holland's possible desire to bring in a veteran defender, the cap implications get in the way. Franzen, Pulkkinen and Vitale on LTIR give them some space, but not enough to make room for Dekeyser, Mrazek and Streit's 5M+. It just doesn't make sense. Most likely looking for some traffic during the offseason.

The signing doesn't really bother me, to be honest. It's pretty much market value for a players with his role/production. Just kind of a slap in the face to everyone who's already frustrated with the logjam up front/AA and Mantha looking as if they're headed back to Grand Rapids. Glendening was already this team's fourth-line center this year, so it doesn't change much this season. Really, if Blashill decided to use Athanasiou in that role, people would complain about his low TOI, so either way... I'm annoyed with the current roster situation, but I'm not really going to get on Holland's case until the offseason is over. Although, the longer he puts off addressing the logjam up front/needs on defense, the worse it's going to get. They want the prospects to push guys out of the top-nine, but I'm not counting on a trade magically falling into his lap when/if that happens. Holland's going to have to decide who's worth keeping and who he wants to move, and then pull the trigger on a legitimate deal. He can't just patch-up the holes anymore. The situation isn't going to resolve itself.

Speaking of Quine: https://twitter.com/NYIslanders/status/753323784443203584 I was surprised when the Islanders called him up (even moreso when they put him on Tavares' wing), but he's earned himself a two-year deal. Good for him.

"Whaddya talkin' about? What about Alex Marshall!? Good old, 6'3, 210lbs Canadian kid. Plays the game the right way. Seventh-round beauty by the Red Wings, I'll tell ya. Does he need to take the body more? Yes. Take the body, Alex!"

I mean, what else were they going to do with him? His trade value was already low before the news regarding his injury came out. They either lose an asset for nothing, or sign him and hope he can bounce back once he's healthy. The guy's fighting an uphill battle, though. Out 4-6 months (with a shoulder injury, no less), no training camp and a glut of forwards ahead of him on the depth chart. I've already said it about Jurco, but I think Pulkkinen has issues with timing as well. In his case, it's about getting his shot off quicker/finding open space on the ice. Last season, he was so focused on power that he'd either bury the puck in the goaltender's chest or miss the net completely. Pretty sure he lead the team in missed shots per games played last season, which isn't a big deal in the grand scheme of things (I think Z and Pavel were right behind him). However, when your game revolves around one skill/ability, you need to be able to do it well. It would help if he could add another dimension to his game, but I'm not totally sold. Honestly, I want the guy to prove me wrong.

I suppose that makes this play interference, too. Zebras missed it, and during OT no less. Stupid idiots. https://streamable.com/hz30 Pavel did this all the time, the difference was most guys had a better grip on their stick when it happened. Players attempt it all the time when they see a guy with one hand on his stick. Both Eriksson and Sadowy had a poor grip on their stick when it went flying. Sure, Bert's has more force on it, but it's still more of a stick lift than a slash. At the end of the day, it's more amusing than anything. It happened during a scrimmage in the month of July, and Sadowy's going to tighten his grip in the future. I feel as if this team is stressing you out this summer. Breathe, man. Just breeeathe

I mean, that's not really something you can control, right? It's not like he'd have any clue which team would pick him one day (let alone if he would get drafted, period). Until around '94, my mother brainwashed me into liking the Habs, all because she thought Kirk Muller was hot. We can't always control our poor, misguided relatives. As far as what he does once he hits UFA, I guess we'll have to wait and see. He'll be 22-years-old for the first year of his next contract, and I'm guessing Holland's going to try to lock him up for 6-8 years. Teams appear as if they're willing to sign their younger, key players to more term, and forgo any sort of bridge deal (Ekblad, Forsberg, Seth Jones, etc). He's not necessarily "elite", or as talented as those players, but he's hugely important to this team moving forward. If Larkin wants to sign a 4-year deal (looking to hit UFA as soon as possible), then I'll have some reservations about giving him the "C".

I disagree with the first bolded statement - agree with the second. I haven't been all that high on Jurco for awhile, but I think he's got good hands and has worked on his speed. IMO, his biggest issue (that he has control over) is his lack of confidence. He really seems to get down on himself. If I'm remembering correctly, there have been quotes from him about not liking his role, not knowing what else he can do to get more ice time, etc. I think he still has some issues with the timing/pace of the NHL too, which is a problem. At the end of the day, he needs to push the guys in the top-nine group out of the way if he's going to succeed in Detroit. That said, he hasn't exactly been put in a position to flourish, either. As others have mentioned, playing in a checking-line role doesn't suit him at all. I agree with Jurco needing to use his strength, though. His best bet might be to mold himself into a net-front guy. Abdelkader has his role locked down, but I;m not sold on Helm or Sheahan as NFP players. Either way, he needs to excel in some kind of role in order to gain more chances/trust from Blashill. This draft had me really excited for a few years. I was pretty stoked about Ouellet, Tvrdon and Sproul (most of all). Kind of a bummer to see the way the situation's panned out.

I read the same article this morning, and I'm wondering how you came to this conclusion? To me, it comes off as Holland feeling as if he got good value for a third-round pick. They talk about him proving himself in Grand Rapids. Not sure where the fast track idea is coming from? Exactly what I was going to say. Everything I've read on him has him projected as a two-way forward, or perhaps a complimentary winger (someone to go to the dirty areas of the ice) at best. IIRC, Sadowy styles his game after guys like Ryan Callahan. Doesn't have much to do with Mantha, really. Edit: Found it. From a WiiM piece awhile back - http://www.wingingitinmotown.com/2016/5/29/11804996/who-the-heck-is-dylan-sadowy "This kid loves how he plays the game - the gritty, physical, net-front, garbage-goal game. The Woodbridge, Ont. native has no illusions about the game he plays or his role on a team, and that's a very good thing. He's not a kid playing one way but trying to develop into a different style. He's found his niche in the hockey world and only wants to get better at it. Trust me, that's valuable. He also knows his biggest weakness - oft reported as his skating ability, most notably power and acceleration, but didn't seem fazed by addressing it. Really, the only flaw to be found in this interview was when he said he wanted to emulate Ryan Callahan... C'mon kid, no love for Tomas Holmstrom?"

I wouldn't go this far - it could just be that Stamkos was considering leaving for a handful of teams, or staying put. After all, the Wings missed out on Parise and Suter because they wanted to stick together. Sure, maybe they would have changed this team, and the situation might be different had they chosen to come to Detroit. As it stands, they haven't exactly flourished in Minny, and the Wild have both guys on the books until they're 39 & 40-years-old. That said, I hope Kenny and co. can work on this team's reputation in the next few years. The new arena is a selling point, but I think they need to prove they can contend before we can label Detroit as a "destination spot" for free agents again. Not sure how long that's going to take, but I wish Kenny would look to expedite the process a little. Even if it costs them, I'd rather see him get a little aggressive on the trade market. In retrospect, I'm not overly upset about most of the prospects he's moved (except for Janmark), but shilling the "B" and "C" prospects within the organization for washed-up vets isn't cutting in. They have depth at forward - swing big trying to bring in a blue-chip defender. Obviously, that's easier said than done, but he needs to remodel the core of this team.

I don't completely hate what the team did on July 1st, but seeing stuff like this is head-scratching: Kind of tough for these guys to "grow" when they're facing such an uphill battle just to make the roster. I don't believe in placing some of the skilled guys in roles that aren't a good fit. However, if you've got this mentality, then why are you creating such a logjam up front? I don't get it.

I think advanced stats have their place, but they're not the be-all, end-all in determining a player's value (as some writers/bloggers suggest). My biggest issue is when they're used to ride-out a narrative regarding a specific, "sheltered" player (ie: this guy is the best player on this team, just look at this chart). Often times, the chart/graphs leave out information regarding quality of competition, quality of teammates, zone information, etc. Not to mention, Corsi and Fenwick don't account for shot quality. They're a good indicator of success over the long haul - the more data, the better (obviously). To me, I think analytics are more useful for comparing higher-end players. Guys who are deployed against the best players and play big minutes. It gives a bit of a clearer picture, then you can kind of tinker with the other variables. Sure, you can use them to suggest that a guy might deserve more minutes, but he needs to play in those situations to figure out if he can actually thrive in that role. TL;DR: Advanced stats don't paint the whole picture, but are still a part of it. It's all about context.