krsmith17

None of this makes any sense whatsoever... Where did I say that Nyquist, Vanek, Nielsen or Zetterberg are equitant to Abby? I didn't. Where did I say I'd rather have Abby on the power-play over Zadina? I didn't. Same ol' Buppy. Can't win an argument so start trying to force false narratives. You do it every f***ing time. You either try to put words in my mouth (see above), or spin the argument into something completely irrelevant to the main point. Main point - where Mantha should play on the power-play. What you focus on - everything else... I think Mantha should play up high on the power-play to better utilize his shot, and I think it's a waste of his talent to strictly play him down low / in front of the net. You disagree, which I'm fine with. But you have to spend hours / pages trying to prove why my opinion is wrong... It's absurd.

Ok, maybe you should understand the difference between signing a contract as an RFA and UFA first. What do you think Larkin will be making on his next deal? How about Mantha when he hits UFA? Assuming they continue on an upward trajectory, they'll be making much more than they currently are now.

I know you're likely joking, but Helm definitely has a much better shooting percentage in tight than he does out high, just like every single other player in the history of the game.

The quicker you understand market value and that players get paid more than they did 10 years ago, the easier it'll be for all of us. The rule of thumb is $1M per 10 points scored. I expect Nyquist to have a bounce back year this season (contract year), and hit 50+ points again. Assuming he does that, $5M is not at all an overpayment. Nyquist is more than a 30-35 point scorer, therefore he will definitely get more that $3M-$3.5M on the open market.

To be fair, I don't think I'd want to re-sign Nyquist to 6x$5M either. I think he's worth that money to a lot of teams, but I just don't think it would make a ton of sense for this team. If we're spending that kind of money in free agency next offseason, I hope it's for a top 4 defenseman, not a top 6 winger.

I'd be okay with re-signing Nyquist after trading him at the deadline. However, if we do, it would not be at a reduced rate, and wouldn't be as low as $3M-$3.5M. I'm kind of surprised that you'd be open to the idea of re-signing him, but not at all surprised that you think he's only worth a fraction of what he's currently making. If Nyquist makes it to unrestricted free agency, assuming he has another 45+ point season, I think he'll get offers for slightly more than he's making now from several teams. He's not going to take a pay cut. If anything, he'll be looking for a raise. I can see him signing a long term contract somewhere in the neighborhood of what he's making now (6 years, $30M).

All joking aside, Daley to the Oilers for a pick would be a great deal for both sides. Oilers need help on the back end. We need to free up cap space / roster spots.

First of all, again, not a single person has said anything about anyone "ruining" Mantha. Secondly, no one is expecting Mantha to come close to "50 goal season mark"... Wheeler and Mantha are both big guys that can skate really well, protect the puck, have good hands and a quick release. The thing is, I'm comparing Mantha to what Wheeler was early in his career, and what I think Mantha could become, not a direct comparison to what the players are now. Of course Wheeler is far better than Mantha now, but do you think Mantha tops out as a 40-50 point player? Did you miss the point I made about how their stats were similar early in their respective careers? (Mantha being slightly better). Wheeler also scores in a variety of different ways. A lot of his goals come within two feet of the crease, much like Mantha, but he also scores quite a few out high, and some even from the point. He's used as a net front, similarly to Mantha, but the difference is Winnipeg actually have a ton of legit snipers on their team. He's also been used out high on the power-play in the past, and had great success. I don't think being compared to Tatar is an insult at all. I just don't see any similarities in their games, other than having a good shot... "Abby and two kids who have never been tried there in the NHL"... So Nyquist, Vanek, three kids who have never been tried there in the NHL, and two older players (one that might not even play this season) that are more of setup guys than true snipers. This season on the power-play, I'd go with Rasmussen and Abdelkader / Bertuzzi as net front, and Vanek, Nyquist, Mantha, Athanasiou / Zadina / Frk as the triggermen. If you disagree with that, that's fine. Again, this isn't about Mantha. He's going to score goals regardless where he is on the ice. I just think it would be in the team's best interest to put players in position that best utilizes their strengths. Put your best shooters in position to shoot. In my opinion, Mantha is one of the best shooters on the team. How good do I think Mantha is? I already answered that, but once again, I think he's our best winger, and best pure goal scorer.

Even when a player is injured short term, there are often short term replacements as a temporary captain. Not saying the Wings would or should do this, but I could see it, and if they did, I agree on Kronwall being the likely candidate.

Yes, I most definitely would have. How different things would have turned out for those two organizations if that trade had gone down... I remember hearing the news when I was around 8 or 9 years old, and crying uncontrollably... and being so happy when I found out that it wasn't going to happen...

I'm not sure if anyone will immediately be anointed the next captain if Zetterberg is placed on LTIR. If he were actually retiring (he won't), I think it would go to Larkin, but where he'll still be on the roster, I think they will give it to a more temporary placeholder like Kronwall. That or no captain for a year (which I hate).

I'd be shocked if the Wings finish dead last this season. I think they will finish higher in the standings than they did this past season. I just hope we manage to get lucky in the draft lottery... If anything, Ottawa are determined to NOT finish dead last. Unfortunately for them, no matter how hard they try, I think they will finish bottom of the barrel, behind Detroit. I think they will try so hard to fix things this season, to not have to give up a top pick to Colorado, that they'll end up making things worse. That team is a mess, and we haven't seen the worst of them yet. The bold I agree with, along with everything else you said in response to joesuffP.

Doesn't this statement kind of contradict everything else you just said?... Yzerman was the better all around player, and brought it every shift, every game. Fedorov was the more flashy player, and when he was on, he was one of the best the game's ever seen. If I could have one player in their prime right now, it would be Yzerman and it wouldn't be close. Yzerman doesn't leave a single box unchecked. Of course there's probably a bit of a bias from me. Yzerman was my idol as a kid and the reason I'm a Wings fan today. Even to this day, I get people ask me why I'm a Wings fan, and my answer is always the same. "I grew up a huge Yzerman fan". Which always helps them understand how a guy from Eastern Canada, where the population is about 98% Leafs and Habs fans, and 2% other, is a fan of an American based team. Most people always assume, especially when the Wings were the top team in the league every year, that that's the only reason I was a Wings fan, so I explain that I became a Wings fan around 1990, a few years before the Wings became that powerhouse team.

I think Mantha will be a 30 goal scorer regardless how he's utilized on the power-play. Like I said, I don't think playing him as a net front is negatively impacting his scoring rate, I just think he'd be better utilized as a sniper, since that's one thing the team is sorely lacking. Blashill also knew him well enough to play him on the right point in Grand Rapids, and he excelled there. I get the point you're trying to make about Pulkkinen, but there's a big difference in a player that can do everything well and has an elite level shot and a player that has limited skill aside from an elite level shot. The reason Pulkkinen is not in the NHL has nothing to do with whether or not he is a sniper, it's that he can't do anything else well enough to stick in the NHL.

There are many more similarities to Franzen than Tatar in my opinion. Of course you won't agree, so agree to disagree I guess. Yeah, Franzen was "significantly more productive" when he was in his 4th full season at the age of 29 than Mantha was in his 2nd full season at the age of 23. You got me there... He may have even been more physically developed as well... So you found a highlight reel of Tatar that doesn't "highlight" his turnovers? You're on a role... I assume most of us here watch most Red Wings games, and if you do watch the games and don't think Tatar tries to do too much (makes three moves when he only needed to make one), I don't know what to say... I don't think Mantha playing net front is negatively impacting him as a player, I think it's more so negatively impacting the team. Throw any NHL player in front of the net and they're going to score goals. Playing the teams most skilled winger, and arguably best shooter in front of the net is a waste of talent in my opinion. I think Bertuzzi would be a good net front guy (he played it a bit in Grand Rapids). Play Mantha up high, and Bertuzzi in front of the net and I think it's a net gain (pun intended) for the team... Who mentioned anything about the coach "ruining" a player? I'm not arguing that Mantha would score more playing up high on the power-play. He probably wouldn't. I'm arguing that a player like Bertuzzi could probably score just as many in front of the net, and Mantha could be used in the Nyquist spot and utilize his shot / playmaking ability up high. Like I said above, I just think it's a waste of talent to stick your most skilled winger in front of the net just because "he's big". Mantha's best attribute is his shot. Let him use it. Any player would have a massive upswing in power-play goals being thrown in front of the net. If Abdelkader can score 8 PPG's in a season, I'm sure Bertuzzi or whoever else can score around that number as well. Regarding the bold... He's done this quite a few times in his young career. I'm not sure why you think he can't continue to going forward...

Yeah, I didn't watch much of the tournament, just caught highlights. What I seen though, he looked pretty damn good.

I don't know much about any of these kids other than Hughes and Cozens so far. Is Podkolzin the kid that scored the hat trick for Russia a couple days ago in the Hlinka?

The whole Mantha's speed debate came from me saying that he's not "slow-footed". I don't think he has elite speed by any stretch, but I'd say it's above average for sure, certainly not a hindrance. He does need to work on his compete level for full games / stretches of games, but he's acknowledged this, and I think he'll get there. We'll see. I'm not sure if he'll ever get to the level of Wheeler, but I don't think it's out of the question either. I do think he'll be better than Franzen, and that's coming from a huge Johan fan. The Tatar comparison is the worst yet. I don't see a single similarity in their games other than being left handed and drafted by the Red Wings. Tatar always tries to do too much, gets the puck in the slot and has to make one extra move before shooting. Mantha keeps things simple, gets the puck in the slot and it's on net immediately.

In order for this team to land Jack Hughes in next year's draft we're going to need a lot of luck. With or without Zetterberg, this team is not close to the worst in the division, let alone the league. We're not finishing dead last, so we would need the lottery balls to fall our way, ala Philly last year and Carolina this year. I think we'll have another top ten pick, hopefully top three, but don't expect number one.

I agree with the Franzen comparison, but I do think Mantha's much faster than the Mule ever was. See there you go, underrating his speed... I'm curious, what makes you think the Wheeler comparison is "terrible"? I see a lot of similarities in their game. I don't follow any team as closely as the Wings, but my distant 2nd/3rd favorite teams have always been Edmonton and Winnipeg. I've been a big fan of Wheeler ever since the relocation from Atlanta, and I've watched a lot of Jets games. Even if you've never watched either Mantha or Wheeler play a single game, you'd get the impression that they were very similar style players just by reading their scouting reports and stat lines. What makes you think they're such different players?

Lafreniere isn't eligible until the 2020 NHL draft. The number two guy behind Hughes right now in my opinion is Dylan Cozens. I'd also say that Kaapo Kakko, Alex Newhook, and Bowen Byram are worth mentioning.

I agree that one of Holmstrom / Ehn will likely be the next Emmerton / Andersson, if even that good, but I don't see much reason to doubt that Turgeon could be the next Glendening, if not better. He has the defensive acumen, great penalty killer, and good faceoff guy, and he may have a little higher offensive upside. I'd like to see him, like Dabura said, be given an opportunity to take over that 4th line center role in the next year, year and a half.

Why is that bull? You think I would have said that Keith becoming elite was "impossible" 15 years ago? Why would you think that when I haven't said that about Cholowski becoming elite? Highly unlikely? Yes. Impossible? No. Keith defied all odds becoming an elite defenseman in the NHL. Could Cholowski follow the same path? "Possibly", but I wouldn't bet on it. No, I didn't foresee Keith becoming an elite defenseman 15 years ago, just like all the other defensemen you mentioned, but you don't have to see something coming to say it's possible. You just have to be somewhat open minded...

Unfortunately our D will still be a mess, and there doesn't appear to be any elite defensemen in next year's draft (yet) either... Hughes is the clear cut number one, but Dylan Cozens would be a great consolation prize. Maybe a defenseman emerges in the next year, but right now it looks like they're the top two guys.

Why do you feel like I'd have said that? You've said how similar Cholowski is to Keith early in their careers (I agreed), and I've said I think Cholowski will likely develop into a solid number 2/3 defenseman... But yet I would have said that "I don't see Keith as anything more than a 3rd pairing guy"?... Makes no sense...