krsmith17

$2M AAV

Yzerman is such a f***ing boss.

I think that definitely played a factor into it being a two year deal. From everything I've heard and read on Stecher, he's a very underrated defenseman, and Canucks fans are pissed that Benning let him walk. Hopefully he's a good fit in Detroit. I'd choose to keep Cholowski over both Stecher and Lindstrom at this point, just because I believe he has a much higher upside. Much like DeKeyser, players like Lindstrom (defensive defensemen with limited offense) are a dime a dozen in free agency. Even if Cholowski is a complete bust, I wouldn't see losing Lindstrom as any more of a loss than losing Nosek a couple years ago in the Vegas expansion draft. To be fair, some, if not all of these things will change drastically over the next couple seasons. We're going to have a huge turnover on the ice, and potentially behind the bench, and with that, systems should change with as well, so that point may be moot...

Again, we'll see how the season goes. A lot can change in the next 9 months before the expansion draft. The only real lock to be protected on the back end is Hronek. Then it'll be two more of DeKeyser, Stecher, Cholowski and Lindstrom. Right now, I'd choose the latter two, based on age and upside, but we'll see how each perform this season. Also, regarding DeKeyser's veteran leadership, if he were exposed and taken (I doubt he would be), Yzerman could then take that $5M and acquire another veteran, with less injury concerns, in free agency.

We'll see how this season goes, but as it stands right now, I don't see Yzerman protecting DeKeyser over Cholowski. DeKeyser will be 31 years old, coming off pretty serious back surgery. If he comes back strong, and plays 70+ games, having a positive impact, maybe he'll be protected. Cholowski will be 23 years old, just entering his prime. If he struggles to stay in the lineup, maybe he'll be exposed, but I think Yzerman would choose to trade him, before giving up on him this early, with nothing to show for it.

I'd want a couple 1st's (one from Vegas, one from the other team) on the high end, but I'd definitely settle for a couple 2nd's, if that's what it takes to beat out another team, and get the deal done. Regardless, a couple high picks / prospects is worth the $3.5M in dead cap space for a couple season's.

Yzerman better be on the phone with McCrimmon, working on a three way trade involving Fleury / other team...

After kicking the bottle, Bobby is likely in the best shape, physically and mentally, he's been in, in years, maybe his entire career. He's been working his ass off through the entire shutdown, hired a skating coach for the first time in his career, and has cut down 10-15lbs. He still has a great shot, and will be that much needed right-handed shot on the power-play. Hot take: Bobby Ryan scores 25 next season.

We have a lot of pending UFA's, but not all will garner much interest. I'd say there's about seven or eight (if we're lucky) that teams might inquire about. Of the seven or eight, probably only three or four actually get moved. I highly doubt six players get moved before next year's trade deadline. Some may be traded with a prospect coming back. Maybe some are traded with a 2022 pick coming back. Just saying that's it's extremely rare to go into a draft with "way more than 12 picks"...

I wouldn't expect "way more than 12", and if that is the case, he should definitely be packaging a few of those picks to move up. We definitely need quality over quantity at this point. I wouldn't worry too much about that. Some have already had a look, and others will get a look at some point this season. The players that are going to be true rookies, will be young, but high end prospects. Most will be sheltered and / or playing lower in the lineup anyway. I think in order for us to have a shot at Shane Wright, we will have to win the lottery and jump half a dozen or so teams.

Which is fine. Take the picks, and look forward to the massive roster turnover over the next couple years. We should still have around the same, 12ish picks going into next year's draft, with at least five in the first two rounds, and hopefully another top five pick.

A lot of trade bait for next year's trade deadline. This team is going to look dramatically different in the next couple seasons...

Good to see. This should speed up the process. Would like either side to do the same with Mantha. I'd just like to see these deals get done at this point... Two-way deal, I'd do it. I wouldn't expect too much from him though. Similar to Hirose, good depth, but likely a career AHLer.

Yeah, I can definitely see Cholowski at least starting in Grand Rapids, but if it were up to me, I'd give him another shot up with the Wings to start the season. Give him sheltered minutes with who I hear is a great defensive defenseman, Merrill. I want Staal to play, to hopefully up his (limited) trade value, so I'd also be good with Cholowski being first injury recall...

As it sits right now, I think we could be looking at something like this... Bertuzzi - Larkin - Mantha Zadina - Fabbri - Ryan Svechnikov - Filppula - Gagner Erne - Glendening - Helm Nielsen / Timashov Nemeth - Hronek Dekeyser - Stecher Cholowski - Merrill Staal Bernier / Greiss

I wouldn't mind Namestnikov on a short-term contract. Yzerman did draft him, but also traded him away... Maybe uncle Slava could talk him into signing a team-friendly contract...

Sure. As long as we can somehow offload a couple players before the start of the season...

The shot was nice, but I more so like the way he finished off the defender after the goal...

I would assume they will be more willing to attach an asset now that no one helped them out by claiming him off waivers... I think I'd want a 1st round pick at minimum to take on that contract though...

Yeah, I'm thinking those three should come in at $12M max. Which is where I got the $8M from. Four roster spots open? I assume you're not including the three above? Once they sign, we're down to one spot open, and I would think Rasmussed would come back from Austria to fill that. There's also Svechnikov that is no longer waiver exempt. He needs a spot. Including all of these guys, we have 15 forwards, 7 defensemen and 2 goalies. I'm still hopeful that Yzerman has a plan to get rid of one or both of Nielsen / Filppula... I don't think we should be signing any more UFA's. The only way we should be adding to the current roster, is if we can take on another bad contract to gain asset(s). As it is, we have one too many forwards...

Can't f***ing wait man!

FIFY But yeah, great moves so far by Yzerman, and with all of Ryan, Gagner, Helm, Glendening, Filppula, Nemeth, Staal, Merrill, Bernier on expiring contracts, Yzerman is going to have a ton of trade bait for next year's trade deadline. I still hope we take on at least one more bad contract as well. We should still have approximately $8M+ (not including Zetterberg's LTIR), after we sign Mantha and Bertuzzi.

The f***ed up thing is, I guarantee there are fans out there, some that frequent this site, that have been no shows for a few days, are legitimately pissed off by these moves... "Yzerman isn't doing enough". "These players suck". "This team is still going to suck"... blah, blah, blah... The same people that were pissed off at the draft, because Yzerman didn't take the players they wanted him to take, accusing of him making "safe" picks, when in reality he swung for the fences on a lot of his picks. Great draft! Great free agency! Great job Yzerman!

Another low risk, short-term signing. Gotta love it!