kipwinger

So pumped about this game. First time all season that Ras hasn't been saddled with one or both of Sudnqvist or Erne. Dude has 9 points on the year and he's buried in the defensive zone for the whole game with those two boat anchors as linemates. Woof.

Says you. My boy Horvat is on his way. I'm pumped. In two years time our center depth will be Larkin-Horvat-Kasper-Ras with Raymond, Vrana, Copp, and Kubalik on the wings in the top six. We're gonna wreck shop old son.

If Michael Rasmussen flourishes in the 2C role it will be the culmination of my time here on LGW.

"Some scouts question his offense but here's 20 clips of him absolutely bullying adult men when he's 18 years old".

Don't look now but with his goal yesterday Marco Kasper has 4 goals and 8 assists through 20 games. He's on pace to best Lucas Raymond and Alexander Holtz' D+1 production (18pts in 34 games and 18 pts in 40 games). Not too bad for the "he doesn't have much offense" guy.

To be totally honest he's a guy I didn't pay a ton of attention to. He underwhelmed in his D+1 and his production last year was middle of the road when you consider it was his D+2. So I kind wrote him off. Subsequently I've read interviews with his coach in Portland that he was "focusing on defense" and his "200ft game" and I thought it was just b.s. But he's a stud, I just totally whiffed on the guy.

I think the Larkin deal gets done. I'm not at all convinced that the reason he isn't signed yet is because of HIM and not SY. He's having the best season of his career. Imagine if he'd signed in the offseason for 8 million (or whatever) when he's likely above 9 million now. Maybe he wants to play most of the season out to increase his value? Bert's trickier. I absolutely love the player but his value is hard to determine. He's been injured most of his career. But when he wasn't he had some really solid seasons. So, is he a 6 million dollar winger or a 7.5 million dollar winger? And how do you know what you're getting going forward when there's no track record. There's not a chance in hell that his agent and SY agree on that value and we're running out of time before the TDL for him to prove to SY which player he is. You might very well be better off trading him, getting the assets, and throw that 6-7 million at a guy like Horvat.

Also, anybody else REALLY excited about this guy?

You're not gonna like this but Bert is as good as gone. In an ideal world he'd re-sign but I don't see it happening. He's gonna want way more than Steve is going to be willing to commit to him by the TDL and SY isn't going to lose him for nothing. Plus, Kubalik's awakening has basically ensured that Bert's loss (offensively) can be mitigated. Plus, if they go out and get Horvat they're essentially getting a similarly productive, gritty, and aged player at a position of need. Regardless, Bert's days with the Wings are numbered.

Andreasson has been really really good. He's got a lot of Berggren qualities to his game (skating, deception, excellent passing) but he's a little grittier than Berggren is as well. I like his game a lot. Cross Hanas has also been really really good in Grand Rapids. Still a little bit of polishing needed in his defensive game, but he's looking like someone who's going to play in the NHL which is a surprise to me because I had basically written him off. Finally, nice to see Chase Pearson back. He's not a game changer or anything, but he should help GR stay competitive and that's good for the prospects overall.

I had to listen to it on the radio while I was driving but it sure seemed like the Wings mostly gave as good as they got. There are definitely a few things that need to get ironed out before this team starts competing with the big boys though. 1. The 1st defensive pair needs to be able to shut the door against good offensive players. Whether that's Seider-Chiarot or Seider and someone else. 2. Copp is not a long term solution at 2C. I'd be going hard after Horvat at the TDL or in the offseason. 3. We need Vrana (or someone like him) badly. Someone who can change the game their his offensive ability. How nice would it have been to have someone last night who could pick corners.

I think I saw recently that Fabbri is practicing with the team and I'm pretty sure Ken or Mick said he was ahead of schedule during one of the broadcasts.

Filip Hronek will probably never not score again. Mark it down.

Generally I'd agree, but the situation is fluid because we're actually a better team this year than anticipated. If teams want to have long term success they need to take advantage of entry level deals and undervalued deals. You lock up Horvat now, while you've got guys like Kubalik, Perron, Vrana, Raymond, Seider, Husso, outperforming their contracts you're in a really good position next year. The alternative is that you wait a year or two and a bunch of those guy are either gone or making so much more that you can't afford that missing piece or two if you need it.

Optimistic how?

I wouldn't say "thin" but I agree that behind centers our biggest need is RHD. Wallinder will be a top 4 dman for a long time. McIsaac, Buium, and Johansson have 3rd pair floors with room to grow into bigger roles. After that it's more of a crap shoot. I'd still consider defense the strongest part of our organizational depth. Essentially we have a top 4, all 25 and under, already in the organization (Seider, Hronek, Edvinsson, Wallinder) with McIsaac, Johansson, Buium able to be in that conversation too. That's not too bad when you consider that between Kronwall and Hronek we really didn't draft and develop a single top 4 defenseman. If I have to pick an organizational weakness it's still at center, though Larkin-Kasper-Ras-Veleno isn't as weak as I once thought our center depth was. Followed by goalie, but again, Husso-Ned-Cossa isn't terrible either. Honestly, at this point I'd be drafting for dynamic skillsets. You've got all your foundational pieces in place. Now start looking for guys who can be game changers at whatever draft position you're sitting in. And for the love of god SY, please sign Bo Horvat in the offseason. Bert-Larkin-Raymond Copp-Horvat-Kubalik Perron-Ras-Vrana Fabbri-Veleno-Berggren Chiarot-Seider Maatta-Hronek Edvinsson-Whoever ^^^^^^^^^^^This is a Cup Contender^^^^^^^^^

From the guys you listed here I'd rank them (in order of "Definite Top 4 Dman" to "Will not play NHL games") Wallinder McIsaac Johansson Buium Sebrango Viro

I wouldn't hate it at the right price. The Caps are on a downward trajectory, maybe he wants to ride some Red Wings coattails. He's pretty much exactly the kind of guy I'm talking about.

If Edvinsson is up and on the 3rd pair next season (and I think he should be) he's going to need a Maatta-like partner to stay at home and cover for him. Edvinsson's game is built on puck transportation, and he's best when he's up in the play. I don't care who that partner is, but a solid veteran right hander (Pysyk?) makes sense. Chiarot-Seider Maatta-Hronek Edvinsson-Pysyk Wallman/Hagg/Lindstrom/Oesterle

I see what you're saying, and I agree for the most part. But I'd just clarify that it's not that I'm trying to minimize Chiarot as much as maximize his value. Like Hronek I think he's probably MORE effective with slightly fewer minutes against lesser competition. If he's not out there against top lines he won't be defending as much and we might get a little more offense out of him.

Meh, you're underpaying for Seider and Hronek so it comes out in the wash. Not ideal, but not a difference maker. Give him 12-14 even strength minutes and another 3.5 on the PK and he's earned his keep. I just don't think Seider can be as dynamic as we'd like to see him be with Chiarot. I'd rather see Seider with a true stay at home guy (like Tampa does with Hedman-Cernak).

The only big change I'd like to see is getting Chiarot off Seider's pair. I always thought of Chiarot as a shutdown, stay-at-home guy because of his physicality but that's really not his game. He wants to play in the offensive zone too. Ideally I'd like to see all of Seider, Hronek, and Chiarot playing with a more defensively minded partner to allow their offense to flourish. Without bringing someone in from outside the team I'd do something like below, but obviously longer term I'd want to see someone better than Hagg on that top pair. Hagg-Seider Maatta-Hronek Chiarot-Lindstrom

This was the most complete Red Wings game of the season. And it should have been. Columbus is decimated by injury and were basically playing with an AHL team. We were supposed to dominate that game, and we did. Every single aspect of the game, even strength, special teams, you name it. These are the kinds of games that improve a team because they're more than practice, but not as high stakes as a game against the league's best. Just high level reps for a team that needs them. Huge win.

The additions of the new guys, and specifically the fact that those guys are flourishing, will be Zadina's death knell. He's the same s***ty player he's always been. But you add Suter, Kubalik, Perron, Berggren, and (sorta) Vrana in two years and suddenly Zadina's run out of track. Sucks because if he'd been traded a year ago we'd have gotten something for him. Now he'll be a throw in. I'm actually more excited to see Pius Suter get traded than I am for Zadina. It's clear which player has more value.

Nifty pass to gain the zone by Berggren on that goal by Veleno.