krsmith17

I agree with pretty much everything Iyer says in this article except for (again), I think we should utilize the buyout on one of Daley or Ericsson this offseason. The savings this season, as well as the extra roster spot is more than worth the extra year of the contract at less than a mil. I think we should be making room for all three of Hronek, Cholowski and Bowey in the top six, to go along with Green, DeKeyser and Ericsson / Daley. I agree that Byram and Cozens should be our main targets if they're available at 6. I agree that we should let Kronwall and Vanek walk. I agree that we should stay away from any and all free agents. I agree that we should stay away from offer sheets. I agree that we should utilize our extra cap space to take on a bad contract to acquire assets. I even for the most part agree with his 2019-20 lines and pairings... just move Bowey in for Daley.

That wouldn't really help us much though when you think about it. Maybe we could steal whoever they were high on in the 3rd round or later, but the first two rounds won't matter much. We're picking 6th overall. Chances are, the Lightning haven't been heavily scouting top 10 picks, and even if they were, have enough trust in your own scouting staff that they can competently make the 6th overall pick. Whoever the Lightning staff were high on in the middle / late 1st, they will have picked their guy with their pick anyway, so it's not like we would be able to steal one of their guys with one of our three 2nd round picks (unless we trade up). They don't have a 2nd round pick, so that's irrelevant as well. And beyond that, it's all a crap shoot anyway. Regardless, I think Yzerman will be back in the Red Wings organization in some capacity very soon, and do think it'll happen before mid June...

Yeah, I've mentioned this a few times, and with the amount of talent similar in value in the 3-10 range, I'd be okay with moving back a few spots to pick up another pick in the 25-40 range. That also depends who drops for me though. If Byram and / or Cozens are still on the board, I say f*** it and take one of them. If it's between Turcotte, Zegras, Dach, Krebs, Boldy, etc. I'm all for a trade back to get one of them, plus another dart to throw at the board...

That's all fine, but there's no way you even consider going that far off the board on any non-high profile types or potential sleepers with the 6th overall selection... That's my point. Late 1st? Maybe. 2nd? Sure, why not... Believe me, I get the intrigue, but I'll save the potential sleeper picks for the 2nd round or later...

I'd be open to using one of our 2nd round picks on him, sure. But 6th overall? No f***ing way! There's no way he's THAT much of a sleeper that no one is even talking about him as a potential 1st round pick, let alone top 15... I obviously don't know much about this kid, but there are a ton of other guys that I do know a fair bit about that I'm hoping will slide to us at 35...

I'm confused. Are you (or anyone) suggesting we take this kid at 6th overall? This is honestly the first I've ever heard of him. He's not even projected to go in the 1st round is he? That would be a terrible trade... That 2020 1st round pick could be top 5, maybe even 1st overall, Lafrenier...

I don't really care what name is called on June 21st, I just hope in a year or two down the road, we'll be sitting right here talking about how we can't believe he fell to us at 6th overall... I'm hoping (and still optimistic) about that same conversation about Zadina as well.

I'm sure most of you have seen Craig Button's most recent mock draft by now. But for anyone that hasn't... https://www.tsn.ca/craig-button-s-tsn-hockey-mock-draft-post-lottery-edition-1.1287914 This truly is a "mock draft" (how he thinks it will play out), not a draft eligible "prospect ranking" (how he thinks it should play out). What I found very interesting is that he projects Trevor Zegras going to Minnesota, 12th overall, in his mock, but thinks (like kipwinger) that he's the 2nd best center in the draft (behind only Jack Hughes)... In a recent podcast that I've listened to, he compares him to Elias Petterson. Point is, we should get a really good player at 6th overall, regardless who goes in the top 5. I'd be thrilled with any of Byram, Cozens, Dach, Zegras, Turcotte, Podkolzin, and the more I think about it, the more I'm thinking I wouldn't mind trading back a couple spots, if a team in the 7-9 range (Buffalo, Edmonton, Anaheim) is willing to pay the price. But then at the same time I think, don't overthink it, we need quality over quantity, take your guy, and hope that he end up being the best player available...

I guarantee we'll get the 1st overall pick in 2020...

Yzerman is still under contract with the Lightning until July 1st isn't he? Which would mean, regardless how things played out in this series / playoffs, the earliest anything could "officially" be announced is after July 1st...

I'm in on that guarantee, because f*** the Leafs. I guarantee they won't make the Finals. Actually f*** it, I guarantee they won't get out of the first round...

To DET: Kucherov To TBL: Athanasiou

I don't get this... Why not? He's a 2nd line center / winger that relies heavily on speed to produce chances / goals. That speed isn't going to last forever, and I question how productive he will be when he does eventually (inevitably) lose a step or two. I'm not advocating trading him for just anything, but if we could trade him in a package for a top pair, or even top three defenseman, I'd do it without thinking twice. You say "never trade AA. Period." as if you wouldn't trade him for a Rasmus Dahlin or Miro Heiskanen... I don't think that would be the case though (at least I'd hope not), even for the most die hard Athanasiou fans... I f***ing hope not. Stay away from any and all big name free agents. That includes Karlsson, especially at that price...

Anaheim traded Theodore to Vegas in order to protect both Sami Vatanen and Josh Manson from the expansion draft. I said at the time that they should have just taken the hit losing one of Vatanen or Manson, rather than the up and coming stud, Theodore. It was dumb back then, and it looks even dumber now. Theodore is a better defenseman than the other two combined, and he's also 4 years younger than both.

It seems you may have taken what I said seriously...

Yup, guy is an absolute stud. I advocated trading for him so many times before he ever played a game in the NHL. Anaheim clearly weren't that high on him, since they basically gave him away. I really wish Holland would have put a package together before the expansion draft to nab him... Since then, I've wanted Bean, Fabbro, Makar, Fox, etc... Of course all of these players aren't available, but I do believe one or two of them would be attainable for the right price. Getting Bowey was a smart move by Holland, but I think some of these high end defensive *prospects*, could be had for a reasonable price...

I used to like you... What happened? Also, you're wrong.

NO!

To be fair, Justin Schultz would be a more apt comparison to Fox rather than DeKeyser. Dekeyser was never drafted. Fox was drafted in the 3rd round. Schultz was drafted in the 2nd round. Fox put up better number than both at the same age. A player of Fox' calibre would be a huge addition for this team, but I'm starting to side with Dabura. Maybe it would be a bad trade to make if we think he's likely to walk when he becomes a free agent after next season to the Rangers. Maybe Fox isn't the answer, but I still say this is the "type" of move Holland should be looking to make...

I'm not sure about the headcase part, but from everything I've seen and read, he's much more poised, less erratic between the pipes than Mrazek. I was a big Mrazek fan, still am, but I'd prefer a goaltender that plays smarter, wastes less energy, relies more on positioning, rather than raw athleticism.

The one thing I disagree with is that in order to acquire a top four defenseman, you must give up a significant "core" piece like Mantha, Athanasiou or Bertuzzi. That's the going rate for an established top four defenseman. However, I think we should be looking to trade for a prospect that has top four, maybe top two potential. It's been reported that Adam Fox could be had for a pick and a prospect. That's the type of trade that Holland needs to be all over...

F*** it, retain 50% salary on all three at the deadline to get max value...

The past couple years it's been BAD, but it could / should be much better in the not too distant future... DeKeyser, Cholowski, Hronek, Lindstrom, McIsaac, Bowey isn't a terrible young corps to build around. Add in a Trouba, Fox or Byram via free agency, trade or draft and we could be looking pretty good in the next few years...