krsmith17

I agree. Somewhat realistic best case scenario assuming no other moves are made... Red Wings Bertuzzi - Larkin - Mantha Zadina - Filppula - Athanasiou Erne - Nielsen - Hirose Abdelkader - Glendening - Helm de la Rose DeKeyser - Green Nemeth - Hronek Ericsson - Bowey Daley / Hicketts Howard Bernier Griffins Rasmussen - Veleno - Terry Svechnikov - Ehn - Puempel Kuffner - Turgeon - Smith Elson - Pearson - Ford Pope / Shine Cholowski - Seider Lashoff - Lindstrom Saarijarvi - Kaski McIlrath Larsson Pickard I'd like to see Veleno given a chance as our 3C, but with Nielsen and the addition of Filppula, I don't see that happening... I'd also like to see Cholowski in over Ericsson / Daley... Maybe once players inevitably get injured, or players get moved... Either way, with this being another throw away season, I'm good with the kids getting top minutes in GR. That just means I'll have to watch more Griffins games...

I wouldn't go that far. I used to watch a lot more hockey. I don't have as much free time these days... I used to watch a lot of CHL games (mostly with Wings prospects), 50-60 Griffins games a season, and every Wings game. Now I barely watch anything outside of Wings games (still don't miss a single game), and maybe 10-20 Griffins games, and nothing noteworthy outside of that... I never voted Trudeau. You hate Canadians? Me neither. I know as much about politics as Jonas knows about hockey...

This makes the trade even more confusing... They could have submitted an offer sheet and kept their 4th round pick. There is no compensation on offer sheets up to $1,395,053... Yzerman throwing his buddy BriseBois a bone? Either way, losing a 4th round pick for a capable bottom six forward is a good value trade. If anything though, this trade once again proves why signing bottom six players to long-term contracts is dumb. The Abdelkader's and Helm's of the league can be replaced via free agency or trade, giving up next to nothing... I don't mind the trade, but I do hope we get rid of the glut of mediocre bottom six forwards over the next year...

In the last two years we've acquired Witkowski (fought Mantha), Nemeth (fought Mantha), and Erne (fought Athanasiou)... Who is fighting Boeser and Werenski this season?

11, only including players that are not waiver eligible. Larkin, Mantha, Bertuzzi, Athanasiou, Nielsen, Filppula, Helm, Abdelkader, Glendening, de la Rose and Erne. I think Hirose is all but guaranteed a spot, unless he really f***s up. I suppose it wouldn't be the worst thing if Veleno, Zadina, Svechnikov and Rasmussen start in Grand Rapids, but you'd have to think that at least one of them make it. But yeah, I guess my initial reaction was a little hasty... I'm starting to come around, and another player to compete with / against probably isn't the worst thing for the kids.

Very underwhelming trade. Of course this means that Yzerman already has a deal in place to trade Abdelkader for a 1st round pick... Seriously though, this trade doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. There have to be other moves coming? Maybe...

So... in other words, it's not at all accurate? That was my point... Players are often compared to other players based on play style, not so much floor / ceiling. Button thinks Seider plays similarly to Carlo. From the little I've seen of Seider so far, I disagree. Button also thought Larkin played similarly to Helm, it didn't take me very long to disagree with that take either...

Not. sure. if. serious... The only *slight* comparison Larkin has to Helm is speed, and even then I think Larkin is faster than Helm ever was in his prime. Larkin has better hands, better shot, better playmaker, higher hockey IQ, etc, etc, etc...

Moritz Seider > Miro Heiskanen...

Craig Button also said that Dylan Larkin would be "Darren Helm with better scoring ability", so I'd take the Brandon Carlo comparison with a grain of salt. I personally think (hope) Seider will be a much better defenseman than Carlo. Not that Carlo is bad (and still has room to grow), I just have very high expectations for Seider...

I think at this point, it's between Byfield and Raymond. Lucas Raymond is who I believe to be the closest though. Who knows how this year plays out though... Also, it's Lah-friend-year, not Lah-friend-yay...

What Athanasiou was able to do with Nielsen and Vanek was very impressive. Like I've said, he can self create better than anyone on the team, with the exception of maybe Larkin. So yes, if Mantha was put on a line with two black holes, he probably wouldn't put up many points. That's why he's put on a line with Larkin, and aside from a game / shift here and there, will play most of this season with Larkin. That's also a reason Larkin and Athanasiou probably wouldn't work well together long term... I don't think the Bertuzzi - Larkin - Mantha line are an "unstoppable force". Not even close. As of right now, they're an average top line. I think they have the potential to be a top top line, but they're not there yet. I'll bet anything that *if Mantha is healthy* he will score 30+goals, 60+ points this season. I'll also bet on him outscoring Athanasiou... Maybe we should bet another trip to Detroit / LCA? It's cute that you and the 4 other Red Wings fans still think Athanasiou is better than Mantha... (one of those four is AA's mom)...

It's certainly shaping up to be a very deep draft class, but Button is kidding himself if he thinks any of those players are competing with Lafreniere for the top spot. It's a battle for the number two spot in my opinion. I'm sure media will try to hype it all season as if there are players close to Lafreniere, but he will go number one and no one else will be close in my opinion.

Yes. Kevin Fiala, along with nearly 200 other players, were better than Taylor Hall last year... It's crazy how injuries can effect a players production...

I completely missed this, but yes, I do like Turgeon. I think he could be a decent 4th line center. Good defensively and has decent wheels for his size.

I don't even really agree with this. I don't think he stinks. Turgeon is the perfect example of why you don't sign players like Abdelkader, Helm, Glendening, etc. to life-term contracts. Turgeon is a replacement level player that could easily step in and play adequately on the 4th line.

For sure. I just think top 4 defenseman constitutes "decent", and I'd be a little shocked if both aren't at least that.

Absolutely. I don't give a s*** about this trade. I just think you're an arrogant prick. It's been a blast.

Athanasiou has 5 more goals in 31 more games. Mantha has 10 more assists and 5 more points... again, in 31 less games...

You don't think Cholowski or Seider are / will be "decent"?

McCarron was also re-signed by his team. So what? You think that determines a players worth? 9 games is a small sample size, but so is 69 games over the course of three seasons. He still has 8 more points than Turgeon now, and maybe 8 more than he'll ever get at the NHL level. Oh, but that doesn't matter, because Turgeon is such a stud defensively. Again, I like Turgeon. I think he could be a decent 4th line center. It's not even about this insignificant trade. It's about how you always think you know better than everyone else. "Not everyone. Just you" Derp...

As I said from the beginning. Sure, why not? It's two depth players that will never have a big enough impact on the game to move the needle one way or another. Maybe a change of scenery gives one or both a boost. But yeah, anyone that disagrees with kipwinger is dumb...

Imagine being so egotistical to call people names over a discussion about two minor league players in the dead of the offseason. F***ing loser.