kipwinger

Erne ern-ing his money on that Gagner goal. Took the defense totally out of the play. Also, loving Mitchell Stephens back. Forgot how awesome he is.

Berggren with a measly three points already today.

I'm not really sure that having 12 better forwards is the correct way to evaluate Zadina (or anyone else for that matter). He's not competing with Dylan Larkin for the 1C spot, nor with Mitchell Stephens for the 4C spot. In fact, most people don't even want him competing with guys for a 4th line winger spot (considering ppl lost their minds when Blash had him on the 4th line). So basically, are there six better wingers on the team? Bert, Vrana, Raymond, and Fabbri are all notably better. That leaves two. So he needs to be better than all but one of Gagner, Sundqvist, Erne, Smith and whichever of Veleno, Stephens, or Rasmussen gets moved to the wing when everyone is healthy. Safe to say he can probably do that. But with guys like Berggren and Sodorblom knocking on the door it gets really tricky. Doubly so if they add people via FA (think Namestnikov-type guys here). At that point it's not so clear cut. It's not obvious that he'd be better than all but one of Rasmussen, Berggren, Sodorblom, and Namestnikov for instance. AND he has basically ZERO special teams value, which genuinely kills his value to the team. Reminds me a lot of Owen Tippett in that way, and look how tradeable that guy very quickly became. I'd say Zadina's days in Detroit have come to an end.

I love that Rasmussen is producing, its got to be great for his confidence. As you'll all recall, I predicted big things for him this year and that really hasn't happened so it's good to feel like I wasn't 100% in the weeds. But I'd like to see a few things vis-a-vis the big fella. First, the team (i.e. coach) needs to figure out a role for him that makes sense. They've previously said they want him to be a Jordan Staal-esque 3C, which he's never ever been, and he's put in some serious work trying to make that happen...to mixed results. His defense is actually pretty good, but his offense hasn't really shone through in that role the way a Staal's does. That's probably because Ras needs to be near the net to score, and in Blash's system the center plays the F3 position high (almost like a 3rd defenseman) so something's gotta give (and it's his scoring). If they intend to keep him in that role, then it's got to be as a 4C because he's just never going to score enough as a center (in that system) to be a 3C. The other option, obviously, is to make him a winger where he'll score more but you'll lose him as matchup center. Essentially, he can be Tom Wilson or he can be Martin Hanzal but not both. The 2nd thing the team needs regarding Ras is for him to squat about 600lbs. His lower body is crazy weak for his size and it limits his ability to really wear down the opposition (an obvious appeal for a 6'6 player). Anybody remember when he absolutely buried Hampus Lindholm on the forecheck the other day in Boston and then Lindholm left the game later with a lower body injury? Anybody think those things are unrelated? Me neither. Ras needs to do this every single game.

Business strategy for the Sharks. Trade all of those guys, 50% retained, to the Wild over the next two years.

I don't see any scenario in which the Islanders trade Barzal and still "compete now". You've got to imagine trading him means they're retooling. I don't see them wanting a Bertuzzi in that case. Suter's just a warm body to flip next year, the real value is the picks.

My "sure to make the playoffs" next year roster: Ras-Larkin-Raymond Bert-Barzal-Vrana Berggren-Veleno-Sodorblom Erne-Stephens-Sundqvist Smith/Gagner Kulak-Seider Edvinsson-Hronek Walman-Lindstrom Staal Trade: To Detroit: Matt Barzal To NYI: Suter-Zadina-2022 2nd, 2023 1st.

Anyone else think Cutter Gauthier might be an Yzerman sleeper pick here? I've been too tunnel visioned on Nazar, Kasper, and Lekkerimaki to notice the 6'3 200 lb. C/W that's leading the US NTDP in goals. Supposedly super competitive with a bit of a bully streak. I don't think I'd hate it.

I think the short answer is that a bunch of those guys aren't on the roster next year. I'm not positive Fabbri is ready to go by October, given that guys with ACL tears usually end up missing about a full year. Next most likely is a trade or two (Zadina and Suter are primed for this, to a lesser extent Veleno and Ras too). Then others will be injured during training camp and the pre-season. Finally, (as you mentioned) some guys will be waived if nothing else (Smith, Stephen, Erne). And despite all this, I think they re-sign Gagner for the 4th line (which I'm okay with). New guy Pontus Andreasson: Two goals today in the SHL playoffs.

If you don’t play this game with a big heart and a big bag o’ knuckles in front of the net, you don’t got dinky do.

I'm thinking he's reinforcements for GR should they make the playoffs. They're flirting with the post season despite having an impressively horrible roster.

Anybody else like Rasmussen’s play on the wing of late? His development as a shutdown 3C had basically stalled, and it was clear that role wasn’t maximizing his offensive potential. But he still might have some untapped potential as a power winger. Most will recall that he split between canter and the wing a lot during his junior days. While I definitely get them wanting him to be a defensive minded 3C, looks like this may be the best way forward.

Another primary point for Berggren tonight already

Filip Zadina is Brendan Perlini 2.0. Full stop. Nothing more needs to be said. You could put him with McDavid and Draisaitl and he still wouldn’t score. He’s a loser. A bust.

Who said you should be ashamed? Like what you like, it’s a free country.

Evolution doesn't follow a script bud. All I know is that the time of the Al Sobotka's is dead and gone. It's like the Gaelic language, relevant only to a dwindling number of zealots who can't bring themselves to look forward. Personally I'd rather look forward to what's in store rather than breaking out my VHS tape of the the March 26th fight once a year and longing for what once was. But that's just me. We all rode the wave through the 90s and 2000s and it was a good ride. But that wave crested and broke. It's gone. And hopefully it wasn't our high water mark. I'd rather the Wings try to be the next Lightening rather than the old Red Wings. F*ck Sobotka.

Drunk Polish guys from Hamtramck WERE Detroit. That was yesteryear buddy. Evolve or die.

Am I the only one who doesn't give a s*** about this? Who cares? He's a facilities manager. The glory days are over. Yzerman has moved on. Lidstrom has moved on. Fedorov has moved on. Draper has moved on. McCarty...well...maybe not McCarty. Point is, everybody with any brains has evolved, set new goals, pursued a different path. They're not thinking about 1998. But Al was. Al will always be the guy who twirled the octopus. Good riddance. Time to start making some new magic around the Red Wings. Otherwise we're going to end up like Tigers' fans, still talking about 1984 like it was yesterday.

Agreed. And it's not like Blashill hasn't done everything possible to get him going. He's played him up and down the lineup, given him powerplay time, better linemates, scratched him, etc. etc. etc. What else can the coach do? The dude sucks. His best attribute is that he hustles. That's it. What a waste of a top pick.

Any other choice aside Joel Quenneville is laughable. But after the Blackhawks fiasco I'm going to assume he's in purgatory with Babcock forever.

Yeah, hard to say. By most accounts Ottawa had an absurd internal cap. AND they spent the least amount in the league on things like scouting, analytics, etc. So maybe Dorion did a decent job all things considered? I dunno. Plus, it's gonna take a while for Melnyk's heirs to find a buyer and sell the team. Maybe they stick with the guy they know until then? Or maybe they bring in someone new, try to win a bunch, and pump up the value of the team? Lots of questions surrounding this team right now.

All I’m saying is, if you’re gonna spend years sh*tting all over a guy maybe find someone else to write his obituary?

One of my favorite things about hockey media right now is watching people pulling a complete 180 degree turn on Melnyk after his death. The snarky little dweebs that dominate hockey media have done nothing but s*** on Melnyk and the Sens for about the last 5 or 6 years. I can recall him being accused of being cheap, bad for the league, ruining player's careers, etc. etc. etc. Now suddenly all those same people are offering their "condolences". Must be nice to be in an industry where you can be an unbearable c*ck one day, and do an about face the next, without even a hint of irony. TLDR: I hate modern hockey media.

I can't see the source tweets and can't find anything else about this. Are we sure this tweet is in reference to Barzal? If so, I'm assuming any package going the other way involved Bertuzzi, Hronek, or both. NYI don't want Zadina, Ras, Veleno, etc. and Larkin, Raymond, Seider, and Edvinsson are probably untouchable. So the only guys that are A) valuable, and B) available would be Bert and Hronek (plus prospects and picks obviously).