krsmith17

Good stuff. Also nice to see that he took Lashoff's spot in the lineup, rather than one of the kids.

Rasmussen should be on the opening night roster.

Because maybe he's not any better than anyone in their top 7...

What does "playoff experience" have to do with anything when you're team that should be rebuilding? This team was never going to make the playoffs. And "mentoring abilities" / "leadership skills"? Who was he mentoring / leading? He was paired with Ericsson all season, and we didn't have a single young defenseman on the team for him to mentor / lead... Which is kind of the point some of us were arguing last July... Holland even said flat out in his post season presser, "our defense is old". Maybe he's finally starting to get it... You can't keep signing these stop-gap veterans and expect to successfully rebuild a team. At some point you have to give the kids an opportunity. He's been reluctant to do this in the past, but I think we'll see this team get much younger over the next couple seasons. This is what should have been priority last off-season. It wasn't, but I guess it's better late than never... No, there probably weren't any "MUCH better 2nd pair defensemen" available in free agency, but the point is, we probably should have stayed away from free agency altogether. We didn't NEED to sign a free agent. I would much rather have kept Hicketts or Sproul on the team over signing Daley. But if for whatever reason we didn't think Hicketts was ready, and thought Sproul wasn't a player, and for whatever reason, Holland had to sign a free agent, there were younger options available. I would rather have taken a flyer on a 25 year old Joe Morrow or Ryan Murphy (both 2011 first round draft picks) over a 34 year old Daley. Sure, they would have been gambles (similar to sticking with Hicketts or Sproul) but that's what a rebuilding team should do. Roll the dice on the kids and hope some of them pan out. I still think Hicketts would have been ready last year. He was the last cut in training camp, and looked good in his pre-season games. I also think we gave up on Sproul way too early, but that's another discussion. I like Daley, I think he's a solid defenseman, but three years was way too long to sign a 34 year old, when you're trying to rebuild. Especially considering we already had a 36 year old Kronwall locked up for two more years, a 33 year old Ericsson locked up for three more years, and a 32 year old Green for this year. Our two youngest defensemen were both 27 years old, DeKeyser and Jensen... That's an average age of 31.5 on defense for a team that should be trying to get younger... Makes no sense to me... Let's sign Francois Beauchemin this summer. He was more productive than Daley last year and he'll only be 38 years old next year... While it was a bad signing at the time, Holland can still make good by trading / waiving one or two players in the coming months to make room for some of the kids. Kenny, you were extended for another two years to prove that you can successfully rebuild this team. I went out on a limb and said that I think you're capable of pulling this off. You better not f*** this up...

5-0. This is your opportunity Mrazek...

Pens up 3-0 after one. Hoping Elliott gets the yank and Mrazek plays out of his mind for another short stretch of games... We need Mrazek to win 6 games and Philly to make the ECF... Highly unlikely, but here's to hoping...

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/tom-cochrane-performs-in-tribute-to-humboldt-broncos~1352123/tom-cochrane-performs-in-tribute-to-humboldt-broncos~1352123

I agree that Daley wasn't a good fit for this team, but going forward we shouldn't have much of an issue making room for the kids. Kronwall's contract is up at the end of next season, and he may or may not play the entire season. I also think management, right or not, were thinking that Kronwall likely wouldn't be healthy enough to play all of this season, let alone next. Ericsson and Daley's contracts don't end until the following season, but one or both could easily be moved before then as well. Hicketts should have a spot once Ouellet is likely traded or waived. I want Green back, but only if he's 100% healthy and one or more of the other vets (Ericsson / Daley) are moved and / or if Kronwall isn't healthy. Hronek will likely get a look at some point next season as well. I'm not that high on Saarijarvi or anyone else in the system other than Cholowski, and I think he needs a full season in Grand Rapids (unless he proves otherwise). A lot will depend who we take with our first pick in this year's draft as well. If we luck out in the lottery and get Dahlin, we will obviously need to make room for him. Anyone else would be at least one year away anyway.

I think way too much of what happens this offseason is going to depend on the draft lottery. If we get one of the top 2 picks, we'll have to make room for one of Dahlin or Svechnikov. Anyone else would likely be a year away from making the team anyway. I would assume the "2-5 young players" are Svechnikov and Hicketts guaranteed to start the season in Detroit, Rasmussen will be given every opportunity to make the team, Cholowski will have an outside chance, but will likely start the season in Grand Rapids, and Hronek and Turgeon will get a(nother) look at some point next season. I see Svechnikov as Tatar's replacement, and Hicketts as Ouellet's replacement. I'm hoping we move Nielsen (doubtful) and insert Rasmussen into the 3rd line center slot. Cholowski should probably play a full season in Grand Rapids before getting the call. Hronek should be up by the trade deadline, when we hopefully trade one of Ericsson or Daley, or in Kronwall's place if he spends any time on IR. Turgeon should also be up by the deadline, when we hopefully trade one of Helm or Glendening. I don't think Athanasiou will be moved this summer, but it wouldn't really surprise me if he were. I'm okay with it, as long as it's for a good return (young, high end defenseman). Nyquist should be moved at next year's deadline, and if he has a bounce back season (I think he will), he'll net a very good return. I'm okay with Witkowski serving as the extra forward / defenseman, and I'd be open to bringing Booth back again in the same role. We need 2-3 guys sitting in the press box every night, and I'd much prefer it be these guys than a Svechnikov, Turgeon, Hicketts or Hronek. Abdelkader and DeKeyser aren't going anywhere. I wouldn't care too much if we traded Jensen, but I like him as a bottom pairing defenseman. I think he's more valuable to the team, even as a 6th/7th defenseman than he would be in any trade. It will be interesting to see what happens with Green as well. Part of me wants to bring him back short term to help the kids and give us another trade chip, but I'm also worried the surgery could affect his game, and prevent any potential return. It's going to be a very interesting offseason. I just can't wait for the draft lottery on the 28th...

I agree. Signing Daley, who is at the tail end of his career, for three years with a NTC made no sense for a rebuilding team. Sure, he's a solid top 4 defenseman, but it was just an unnecessary signing in my opinion. Luckily it was a very fair contract, so it was never going to cripple the team. The NTC however, makes him difficult to move if and when we need to make room for one of the kids. It becomes a modified NTC (15 team no-trade list) 10 days prior to next year's trade deadline, but he can still determine whether or not he gets traded by carefully selecting those 15 teams. We're going to need to make room for some of the kids (Hicketts, Cholowski, Hronek, maybe someone else) over the next season or two. Ouellet is likely gone, Jensen could easily be moved (although I like him as a bottom pairing guy). Kronwall is on his last year, and Ericsson could be moved (although I doubt he will be). Depending on Green's health, he may be back. DeKeyser isn't going anywhere.

I've always been a fan of the Western Canadian teams, and became a big Jets fan the moment they came back to the NHL. It also helped that we had their farm team here for a couple years. I just really like the way that team is built. I'm a huge fan of a lot of their players. Scheifele, Wheeler, Connor, Ehlers and Laine, Byfuglien, Trouba and Morrissey, Hellebuyck looks like he could be the real deal. They have the elite talent and the depth. Stastny was a huge addition as well. I think (hope) they're going to go on a long run. Same. I realty like the way Poile has built that Preds team as well. If it's not the Jets, I'm hoping it's the Preds or Bolts.

Don't forget younger. I think the age difference from 10+ years ago, is a huge factor in the drastic change in the NHL as well. This is exactly why I don't think Gretzky's records will ever be broken though. The league is going to continue to get younger, faster, stronger and just more skilled overall. That goes for every position though. So while forwards are getting much more skilled and can make plays out of seemingly nothing, defense are also more skilled and better at reading and breaking up these plays. Goalies are also bigger and much more positionally sound, and coaches stifle offense. I think Gretzky's dominance in his era had more to do with the fact that a lot of the players in the league at the time simply weren't as good, as it was about how great he was. And he was Great. That's no knock on the Lemieux's, Bossy's and Stastny's of the league, but more so a knock on the number of no name 3rd and 4th line and 3rd pair plugs in the league. The NHL is all about parity now. The difference between the top tier teams to bottom tier teams and top tier players to bottom tier players is getting smaller, and is going to continue in that direction. It's getting much harder to dominate the way Gretzky did his era in today's game. I know it's always a sticky subject to compare eras, but I truly do believe that if you swap McDavid into the 80's/90's era and Gretzky into today's era, we'd be debating whether or not anyone (maybe this Gretzky kid) can break McDavid's ridiculous records...

NSH in 5 WPG in 4 LAK in 6 ANA in 7 TBL in 5 BOS in 7 WSH in 6 PIT in 7

I agree. But the difference, for me at least, is that we wouldn't trade him for junk. IF we're trading him, it would have to be for a good return, whether he alone gets that, or we add a pick or prospect. I'd call Anaheim and see what it would take to get Montour, who is also a pending RFA. It would likely cost a little more than Athanasiou, but maybe a pick and / or prospect would get it done. If not, some other young potential top end defenseman.

The problem with that theory is, $4.75M isn't close to the standard 30 goal scorer contract. The other problem is that you're basing his worth solely on goals scored, when he's not even a pure goal scorer. His first season and a half was an aberration, not the norm for Nyquist. Never in his career has he been a big goal scorer. He's always been more of a setup guy. Nyquist averages around 45 points per season. (this was a bit of a down season for him). Just for reference, a low-end 2nd line winger produces 35-40 points, mid-tier 40-45, high-end 45-50. So based on that, Nyquist produced at a mid-tier level this season, but generally produces at a high end level 2nd line winger level.

Lol It's hilarious to me that you like(d) Tatar but hate Nyquist, despite him being on a better contract and the better player. Irrational hate at its finest...

F*** Babcock! He's a Leaf...

Keep beating that drum Lefty. Your obsurd hate for Nyquist rivals only that of a fellow Swede; Franzen... I'll say it again (I'm not sure why I'm wasting my time), but Nyquist is a solid top 6 forward and is well worth that contract. It's pointless to tell you that though, I know...

I agree. I was in the process of writing much of the same, but had to run out midway through my rant. Came back and you had basically summed up what I was going to say. My biggest beef with Blashill at the beginning of this year and last year, was his insistence on constant line shuffling and not playing the kids enough. The latter half of this season, he stuck with lines that were clicking and seemed to have given the kids a bit of a longer leash (for the most part). I'd still like to see him get away from using scorers, like Frk and Svechnikov in a 4th line role with Glendening, and form more of a prototypical checking 4th line, with Helm and Abdelkader. That's basically been my only issue with him the past couple months though. Well, that and the stupid faces he's constantly making behind the bench... I'm okay with Blashill coming back to finish out his contract (one year remaining). Worst case scenario, we're slightly worse than we would have been under a better coach, get a better draft pick, and move on from him after next season (or sooner). Best case scenario, he continues learning and progressing at the NHL level, the kids take another huge step, and we extend him. I'm okay with either scenario really, but like you, I don't think Blashill is this team's biggest issue, and certainly not the only cause of the team's demise, like so many fans make it seem...

My bad. Completely missed that... Well, yes I agree. Holland has done a great job over the past couple years. He's saying all the right things, hopefully he puts those words into action. Continue the youth movement.

Huh? Quenneville is back for at least another season...

Hronek was a part of that Datsyuk trade as well.

I agree. When I first heard that last summer, I couldn't help but role my eyes at the notion that we're going to draft based on character rather than skill... I'm sure skill is still a huge factor, but drafting more of these hard working, character kids may not be a bad idea. It's sure worked out with Larkin. Appears to be working out with Bertuzzi. And may also work out with Rasmussen. Bouchard looks like he could be that type of player in this year's draft. Here's to hoping...