kipwinger

I mean anything's possible, but given their position in the standings I'm assuming that Buffalo wants picks or NHL ready prospects before they want an upcoming UFA. I definitely think Vanek could be had, it would just cost a lot and might not be worth it, as good as he is. I think Pominville is probably the more cost effective option if you're going to trade with Buffalo, and while he's a real good player, he's not as much a pure finisher as Vanek is. And I definitely want a pure goal scorer. Something that will bury those beautiful Datsyuk set ups. Vanek is that, so is Gaborik, Pominville...maybe, but a significant step down as a scorer. Edit: One reason I like Gaborik over Vanek is because he's exactly the type of player I hope Brunner will become. He'd be a great example for Damien in terms of learning how to use that speed and shot effectively (and consistently) in the tighter checking, faster, NHL game. Probably.

Agreed, I'd rather spend on a top forward like Gaborik and then pursue Yandle, or Smid (if available), or Regehr, or...nobody. Our defense could be improved no doubt, but I wouldn't be heartbroken if we did nothing on the back end as long as we got Datsyuk a real winger. Edit: Another benefit of adding Gaborik, is that he's exactly the type of winger that Damien Brunner should aspire to. He'd be a perfect example of how to use your speed and shot effectively, in spite of lacking ideal size or strength. Put him out there, give Brunner a pen and pad and let him take notes on how Gaborik plays the game.

I was thinking the same thing, I logged on and it took me a minute to figure out what I was looking at.

I keep making this point and it keeps getting ignored. If you sign Bouwmeester with that price tag, you pretty much ensure that you can't sign a high end winger as well. We simply can't take on that much salary with the cap going down next season. By the time J-Bo's salary is off the books, Datsyuk is back in Russia (perhaps) and every other member of this team is two years older. Bouwmeester doesn't help in the short or long run because we need defense AND a top six winger. Signing J-Bo means you're going to get another Samuelsson type winger who's top six in theory only.

The Sabres aren't likely to trade for Flip because they aren't making the playoffs, so a rental player has absolutely no value to them. I like Vanek, but you'd have to give them something else for sure. Conversely, Flip might have value to the Rangers as it looks like they'll sneak into the playoffs and could use the rental.

This is correct. Also, TheFourthPeriod.com is reporting that Holland has been "very" active on the phones and he's seeking a top pairing d-man, a top six winger, and a depth forward. Take that for what it's worth. http://www.thefourthperiod.com/news/det130329a.html

Good on Kent Huskins, hope he gets a little playing time. Was perfectly serviceable in his time here, which is all we could have asked for.

Ok enough of this stupid Crosby/Bettman b.s. please. Doesn't anyone remember Crosby being one of the most outspoken critics of Bettman during the lockout? They're both idiots, but this absurd conspiracy theory that somehow the league has a preference for the Penguins is getting annoying. Also, this is a thread about Dekeyser, not Bettman and Crosby. This is every bit as annoying as people bringing up how Franzen is a floater in each and every single thread on this site. Crosby's marketable and the NHL is a business, get over it. Or at the very least be creative with it instead of pandering to the lowest common denominator.

I think the Wings probably asked him to wait, if for no other reason than because nobody in the organization would be available to field questions, make remarks, etc. while they are in the air. Do we know if KH was with the team for last night's game or no?

I have a question. Does anybody know if Dekeyser is physically still in Toronto? Think about it. By all accounts, Dekeyser had his equipment and was ready to join his team immediately after his decision. The Wings aren't due back in Detroit until around 5:00. Seems like the wait here actually works in our favor right? Maybe we're waiting because he's not going to announce a signing on his own, and his new team won't be around to announce it with him until this afternoon. My guess is they'll call a presser for right after the Wings get back to Detroit, and the signing will be announced with KH and Dekeyser attending personally to field questions and all of that. All predicated, of course, on Dekeyser's current whereabouts. I do. I seriously was typing the exact same thing when you posted. I'm with you buddy.

Well at least we got Verlander locked up...maybe Dave D should hop on a plane to Toronto and seal the deal with Dekeyser. Coffee is for closers!

At least the big Czech kid had the courtesy to sign with Tampa and get it over with. This Dekeyser guy is a real prima donna. No thanks. lol.

Again, his cap hit severely limits your ability to sign a quality forward to play with Datsyuk. By the time that cap hit is gone, Datsyuk will be sippin Stoli in Red Square. The overall cap goes down next season, taking on a huge contract for a guy who's biggest assets are his versatility and the fact that he plays a lot of games doesn't make sense because it all but assures that you A) probably can't resign Flip and B) definitely can't resign Flip plus add another top sixer in order to be competitive. And god knows Nyquist and Tatar aren't the answer up there with the big boys. Speaking of Dats and J-Bo in the same post. You're talking about acquiring a guy who doesn't NOTHING exceptionally well, but everything decently well AND HE MAKES MORE THAN DATSYUK. Why on earth does that seem like a good idea. If you want defense get Robyn Regehr for the remainder of the season and call it quits.

I think that we can all agree that Yandle plays on a low scoring team. We can also all agree that if he were making bad pinches all the time they'd be getting scored on. From those two premises I can draw two conclusions. 1) Yandle is less likely to pinch on a team that isn't desperate for offense. 2) Given that his team doesn't score much, if he were getting caught pinching a lot, and it led to goals against, he'd be a negative player. He isn't. Bouwmeester is though. Of course you'd get Bouwmeester for less, he's not a young, or as good, and he's on a worse contract, and Yandle is under that reasonable contract for three more years. What does that prove? All he asked me for were the sources, not to extoll the virtues of each hypothetical deal.

Well, we'll start with these... http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/spector-on-nhl-trade-speculation-heats-up/ http://www.thefourthperiod.com/news/chi130328.html http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2013/02/red_wings_ask_ansar_questions_10.html

I'll agree with this, but the reason I'm concerned with their cap hits is because it may have a huge effect on our ability to land a quality top six winger. Those are typically fairly expensive and the million dollar difference between Yandle and Bouwmeester would have a huge effect.

I agree, he plays a lot. So did Kyle Quincey when he was with LA and Colorado. Doesn't mean he's a legit top pairing guy, it just means he was on a defensively weak team. Bouwmeester is too.

Wait what? The very same sources that suggest Bouwmeester is being shopped are the ones saying Yandle is on the market. Dreger has reported it repeatedly. It's not like they're dying to keep him and I'm just wishing here. The guy is actively being shopped. And again, Yandle's defense is not that bad. It's on par with Rafalski's, not a shutdown guy, but responsible and positionally sound.

First of all, Bouwmeester isn't more versatile. He's good on the PK, Yandle is good on the PP. Neither are physical. Both play a ton of games, and log a ton of minutes. Secondly, versatility is overrated. Dan Cleary is versatile too. I'd rather have a player who's exceptional at something than a jack of all trades who's not particularly good at any one thing. You can build around one, the other is just a plug. In this case, an expensive plug.

That's exactly it, Yandle doesn't "make a ton of mistakes". It's the same absurd hearsay as Semin's "too lazy" for his money stuff. People repeat it just to repeat it. When Yandle first entered the league he was a 20 y/o offensive defenseman who was undersized. Of course his defense wasn't up to par, and then the reputation just stuck. Since then his complete game has rounded out and he's a top flight NHL talent across the board. Also, Quincey is not an offensive defenseman...at least not a good one, and neither is White. Smith might be one day, but he's not scoring OR playing defense all that well. And Kindl surprisingly has been good on each side of the ice. Any way you cut it, as far as puck movers go our team looks better with... Yandle Kronwall Smith/Kindl/Quincey than it does with... Kronwall Smith Kindl/Quincey/White

I don't pretend to know what Coyotes management is thinking. All I know is that it's pretty unanimous amongst hockey analysts that he's available.

Because for the last few years every time we've lost any sort of talent it's been replaced by mediocre hacks?

Nope, only if the moves actually make the team better. Bouwmeester doesn't. Nobody is saying make a trade just to make a trade.

According to the rumor sites they're asking for essentially the same thing, young roster player, prospect, pick. yeah nothing like having expensive mediocrity in the lineup night after night after night after night after night.

Yandle's as good as Rafalski offensively and defensively, and he'd make our powerplay lethal. Plus, he's excellent in transition. He's already everything we're hoping Smith will be one day. His defensive play is wildly underrated. He only gets knocked because he's smallish. Don't get me wrong, I'd love a top minute shutdown defender who can play physical, I like Smid for that, but here's the thing...Bouwmeester isn't a physical shutdown defender either. You're getting a worse contract, marginally better defense, and worse offense for a lot more money and essentially the same asking price. Plus, if Yandle's numbers weren't already impressive enough, imagine how much better they'd be on a team with offense who doesn't play a defense first system.