kipwinger

Best case scenario we nab an Anton Lundell or Alex Newhook type center in the middle of the 1st this year, but that's leaving a lot to chance. Plus it'll take a few years to develop a guy like that.

Just you two wait, he'll be a Wing by December. Mark it down.

These two teams are identical.

I’m liking Filip Hronek’s game tonight. He seems like the meanest little bastard alive.

Why does Adam Boqvist look like he’s 43 years old?

I am but a humble public servant.

I try to be a role model around here.

Blashill had this to say about Veleno today: “He’s too young in his development to say what his ceiling is going to be, but I do think he’s a guy who can come in and play those types of third- and fourth-line role-type minutes because I think he’s accountable defensively,” Blashill said. “He knows how to manage the game, knows how to manage risk and when he’s done that he’s been really good. I certainly wouldn’t put a ceiling on him, but he’s going to get a chance to get back in the lineup, and every time you get back in you got to show that you can help us win hockey games.”

Kinda. I think Detroit's going to have to model their centers after the 2011 Bruins or the 2019 Blues. I see Roslovic as a very high end offensive player. Think Vrana, but at center. But he also needs to be sheltered because he's bad defensively (although he's been better this year by all accounts). I think if you've got Larkin as a workhorse 1C (think Bergeron or O'Reilly), Roslovic as a high end offensive guy that needs sheltered, Suter as a solid two way guy, and Ras as a shutdown center then Blashill can play to their strengths by using them situationally. Plus, at 24 Jack still has some room to round out his defensive game. But I like that he's produced good offensive numbers in relatively defensive systems under Maurice and Torts.

Right now? 3C until he gets the systems down and drop Rasmussen to 4C. Longer term I'd do something like: Bert-Larkin-Raymond Fabbri-Roslovic-Vrana Nemestnikov-Suter-Zadina Erne-Ras-Gagner

We've got Columbus tonight and Roslovic is listed on their 4th line. Yzerman works out the details of the trade this evening and Gentleman Jack is a Red Wing by December. Calling it.

I'm going to preface this by saying that Wallinder has consistently proved me wrong this season and I know it. He's produced much better than I thought possible. With that said, I see his scoring highlights and I'm still not convinced of his offense. He's got lots of goals like this, and there's just no chance that shot gets through in the NHL. I'll be happy if he continues to prove me wrong, but I'm still very skeptical.

Nope, you and I both know I'll buck a trend when I think it's appropriate. But most fans ARE all about draft hype you made a comment about about "fan expectations vs. reality". That's what I was responding to. Like most people I thought we were getting a very skilled offensive player in Zadina. So far that hasn't been the case.

Done.

He did, but coaching change plus drafting Sillinger (who's been pretty solid) has moved him down the lineup.

You'd have to trade for any of the guys I mentioned, but right now Roslovic is playing on Columbus' 3rd line. Seems like a guy that could be had. I think a reasonable start would be a good defensive prospect and a 2nd round pick gets the conversation started. My preference would be McIsaac.

Not really, I think Vrana is just as good as Forsberg (and I like Forsberg). For the rest of this season I'd do something like: Bert-Larkin-Raymond Veleno-Roslovic-Vrana Fabbri-Suter-Zadina Erne-Ras-Namestnikov That team would have plenty enough offense. Especially considering the strength of the team would be on defense and in goal. I think you can safely pencil Edvinsson in to the top four, but as excited as I am about guys like Soderblom/Johansson/Cossa/etc. I think its a bit too early to tell how soon (and in what roles) they'll make the team.

I know he's listed as a center on most UFA lists, but Forsberg hasn't played center at all during his NHL career. I don't think I'd target any UFA centers. All the good ones are 27-29 years old and going to get massive paydays right before they start to fall off a cliff. I'd be looking for under utilized guys on other teams that are deep at center. I've mentioned Jack Roslovic elsewhere as one option, but I'd be looking for guys like that. Maybe Clayton Keller? Casey Mittelstadt?

I think fan expectations were appropriate considering Zadina had consistently been ranked 3rd in pretty much all pre-draft rankings for the full year. I think there's a case to be made that he should have stayed in the minors longer, and a case to be made that he should only be playing 3rd line minutes in Detroit now. Both may have improved his NHL ppg when he finally WAS ready. But I don't think fans were expecting unreasonable things from a guy who was billed as a top three, offensive dynamo, before he was drafted.

Anybody ever hear that story about Larry Bird and Michael Jordan? As the story goes, Bird and a bunch of NBA stars are practicing for a international game (this is pre-Dream Team so must have been a friendly or something). On the other end of the court a bunch of recently drafted college players, including Jordan, are warming up. They are intended to be the practice squad for the NBA guys. As the story goes, a ball gets away from Jordan and rolls down to the other end of the court. Bird picks it up, recognizes Jordan as a future adversary, and in an attempt to gain a psychological edge fires the ball down to the other end of the court rather than hand it to Jordan (who had come to get the ball back). The goal was to imprint in Jordan's mind that Bird was the man. Total alpha move. I say all that to say this... I hope Mo Seider absolutely demolishes Conor McDavid's tonight. Just set the tone that for the rest of his career Seider is going to be eating McDavid for lunch. Alpha that b*tch.

Sure he would, but that's more based on his perceived "upside" than the quality of his play. If his production was EXACTLY the same as it has been but he was a 3rd round pick instead of 6OA he'd have been sent back to the AHL by now (see: Veleno, Joe). He's living on his reputation. You can't deny his on-ice production has been extremely underwhelming to date. Thus far in his career his scoring has been more in line with Tomas Jurco than Tatar, Nyquist, Filppula, or Hudler (all notable complimentary Red Wings scorers).

Nevermind "elite sniper", thus far in his career he hasn't even been a mediocre scorer. Last season Zadina was in a three-way tie for 9th on the team in goal scoring. Tied with Filppula and Glendening. I suppose you can never call a guy a total bust until he washes all the way out of the league, but in Jimmy D's words Zadina is "very, very, disappointing". You expect WAY more out of a 6th overall pick who was billed as a high end offensive threat.

You're right that nobody is currently pining for him too hard. I was responding to the tweet that was posted which seemed to be minimizing Zadina's obvious struggles by comparing him to Vrana, a guy who clearly doesn't struggle to score. I interpreted that tweet as an apology for Zadina by way of a false equivalency with Vrana.

I'm fine with these. I see the rationale and it's not like Zadina is playing so good that Namestnikov can't move up. Same goes with Stephens dumping Ras. This just shows our lack of depth though. Add Vrana and a halfway decent 2nd line center and suddenly the roster starts to make sense. The truth is that at least two of Ras, Erne, Smith, Stephens, and (maybe) Gagner shouldn't even be in the lineup right now.