krsmith17

I don't necessarily think he would, although he has in the past, as recently as last year with the Cholowski pick. LeftWinger brought up the possibility of him going off the board this year. All I'm saying is that I'd be pissed if he does.

I don't know who "will be better", but I know "who is projected to be better" based on scouting reports and mock drafts. We should be drafting the best player available that suits the team needs. We don't need another undersized, play-making center. Who knows, maybe Hischier develops into the best player in this draft, 3-5 years from now, but as it sits today, I'd take any of the 3 ahead of him. I don't doubt for a second that there are much smarter hockey brains in that room than you or I, but that doesn't mean we can't question decisions they make, and if Holland were to go off the board, as a fan of the team, I would be pissed...

You want Holland to make a bad pick, just to see the reaction from LGWers? I agree with Lefty. If Holland takes the small, left-handed, play-making center (Hischier) with any of the big, right-shooting centers / wingers (Patrick, Vilardi, Tippett) still on the board, I'd be pissed. I'd also be pissed if he takes Liljegren with any of those guys still up there. If we get in the top 3, and we don't draft one of those three guys, f*** Holland...

What does that have to do with anything I've said / am saying though? My point is that Bowman and Babcock have made their fair share of bone headed decisions in regards to player usage. They won despite some of those, not because of it. Blashill makes similar bone headed decisions and he shouldn't be called out by us fans for it? Because we're armchair coaches / GM's? Some fans do go overboard for sure, but Blashill does deserve a fair amount of blame for the state of this team...

You really think anyone is claiming to be a better coach or GM than Blashill or Holland? I'm certainly not. That doesn't mean we can't see flaws in the way they operate. What's your point about making Zetterberg and now Kadri better centers? Who are arguing with here? That's exactly what I was saying in my previous post... You listed nine changes that previous coaches made, and my only point was that, just because they changed the way nine different players played, doesn't mean it was better for the player or team. In my opinion, a lot of those changes were dumb. Blashill is making a lot of dumb decision too. This organization (GM / coach) need to put fosus on developing the kids, that means giving them a little more rope, let them make their mistakes and learn from it. There are better ways to get your point across then healthy scratching one of your best players back to back games... This, so much...

Tippet would be unreal, but I'm still hoping for Patrick or Vilardi...

Just because a coach tries to mold a player into something he's not, doesn't necessarily mean it's going to work, or be beneficial to the player or team. Of the nine changes you mentioned, I think only three really benefited the player / team, and they are Zetterberg converting to center, Franzen converting to wing and Yzerman learning to play a 200 foot game. Converting your biggest offensive threat to defense is dumb. Switching any player between forward and defense is dumb. I think Ericsson could have potentially been a better forward than defenseman, although, who knows, he could have just been another Aubry that amounted to nothing. Abdelkader should be a bottom 6 (arguably 4th line) forward. Glendening is a borderline NHLer, and shouldn't ever see above 4th line duties. A big power forward, sniper like Shanahan should never be converted to a defensive / penalty killing role. Bowman and Babcock are great coaches, but that doesn't mean they don't make some dumba** decisions. Blashill just seems to make a lot more. Playing defensive hockey is losing hockey, and that's exactly what Blashill tries to implement (in the NHL)...

Exactly. Jeff Blashill, coach of the Detroit Red Wings is not the same Jeff Blashill, coach of the Grand Rapids Griffins. Not even close.

Howard can be traded, and assuming he can stay healthy and get in a handful of games to close out this season, he will likely be picked up in the expansion draft or traded this summer. Buying him out is a terrible idea. Like kliq said, even if you have to retain salary, or throw a pick a teams way, you do that before you even consider a buyout. You know what else is a terrible idea? Trading a 25 year old goaltender that has a ton of potential. He's had a bad year, but so has the entire team. We keep saying that players should be given the benefit of the doubt because of bad coaching / bad team, well so should Mrazek. I'm not too worried though, because Mrazek will be protected, and won't be traded unless Holland is offered a deal he can't refuse (Norris calibre defenseman)...

Last game of the season, Wings are up by one with seconds remaining, New Jersey pulls their goaltender, Sheahan goes in on a breakaway, sees the wide open net, gets tripped, shoots as he's falling, misses the net... He's given the goal without actually putting the puck in the net... 57.4 Awarded Goal - If, when the opposing goalkeeper has been removed from the ice, a player in control of the puck (or who could have obtained possession and control of the puck) in the neutral or attacking zone is tripped or otherwise fouled with no opposition between him and the opposing goal, thus preventing a reasonable scoring opportunity, the Referee shall immediately stop play and award a goal to the attacking team.

One is an NHL player, the other is a bottom pairing guy in the AHL... At this point in their careers, Ericsson is the better player. I'm not saying McIlrath will never amount to anything (although I don't think he will), I hope he does. I'd love to have a big nasty guy that is a beast in his own end, and can chip in offensively. I'd love to have a bottom pair of McKee - McIlrath, if either were legit NHL players, that could actually skate, pass and shoot with the best in the world. Unfortunately neither are / can in my opinion... Except Brendan Smith. But I'm sure most would find it difficult to evaluate their brother without personal feelings...

I'd love to trade the pick for a legit top pair (number one) defenseman, and depending where we're picking, it might not cost a whole lot more than the pick and a roster player(s) (Nyquist / Tatar / Ouellet / Jensen). If we land the number one overall pick, a lot of teams would be willing to pay a premium. That's why I think any such trade would have to happen after the draft lottery. I don't think any of the elite type guys you mentioned would have to be involved if it were a top 3 pick. If we do keep the pick though, I want any one of the big, right shooting forwards (Patrick, Vilardi or Tippet). I'm not a fan of taking Hischier, because although supremely skilled, he's just too similar to every other player we have. Small, left shooting, playmaker...

I'm aware of this rule, but what if injuries do hit real hard to some team? What if after the deadline, a team has 7+ injuries over the span of a few games? The 23-man roster is cut to 20, they use all 4 call-ups and need another one or two... Would they be forced to play the remaining games short benched, with only 16-17 players?...

They did play a few shift together last game, and it looks like they'll start this game together too.

Exactly what I was going to say. None of the forwards will go down, and I think Jensen would have to clear waivers again, so I doubt he will either. Russo and Callahan are the only two currently up that I would think will be sent down for the Griffins run.

Nyquist IS playing up to his contract. He's producing right around where a $4.75M player should be. Like I said before, Nyquist is playing above his head, he should be playing 2nd line, but he's defaulted to top line because there aren't any other (much) better options. Someone has to get those minutes, and if not him, then who? Larkin? Athanasiou? So what happens if / when they don't put up top line numbers? You blindly hate them? Or would you think about the situation rationally, and understand that they too would be playing above where they should be in the lineup... And don't take any of this as me saying we should never trade Nyquist, because I've stated several times now that I would trade Nyquist or Tatar in a heartbeat, if the right return is there. I argue when you say they are "useless", or they "suck", or we should just "waive them", or hopefully "Vegas takes them in the expansion draft", etc. etc... They are both very good players that would fetch a good return, so to just give them away would be horrendous asset management. We waive a top 6 AHL player like Frk or Pulkkinen, Holland is a complete moron, let's waive top 6 NHL players... Logic.

Yes, he is cheaper, but the team doesn't save any money if both are on the roster. Which is why I said I'd like to move Ericsson and that contract and give McIlrath (if he's my only option) an opportunity. Otherwise, if we're not saving money on Ericsson's contract, I'd play the better player, and as much as people would hate to admit it, Ericsson is the better player...

LOL Now we're getting somewhere. McIlrath is a less skilled version of Ericsson...

If both are on the active roster, I'd rather Ericsson as number 6, McIlrath as number 7. If we're somehow able to trade Ericsson (hope we can), I'd give McIlrath a shot at being that "shut-down, penalty-kill specialist"...

Same thing applies... And by the way, Chara sucks. F*** that guy!

Nyquist is a 40-50 point, top 6 winger, playing in the best league in the world... and he "sucks"... F***ing blind hate at it's finest... He's paid fairly for his production on a team that has holes above him. It's not his fault he's forced into a role because the team lacks top 3 wingers. The only legit top 3 winger we have right now is Anthony Mantha. Nyquist in my opinion, is the best option we have available to go along with Zetterberg and Mantha. Ideally, Nyquist plays on the 2nd line, but as our team sits today, he should absolutely be on the top line.

The only thing I really agree with is sending Miller down and calling up one of Nosek or Frk. Svechnikov would benefit more playing top 6 / top power-play unit with the Griffins than he would bottom 6 for a few games with a losing Red Wings team. Lorito is a very good AHL player, he is not an NHL player. People get upset with the play of Nyquist and Tatar, Lorito is a smaller, less skilled version of those guys. I'd be okay with Tangradi playing a scattered game on the 4th line, but I think he is more important in Grand Rapids right now, than he would be for the "entertainment factor" in Detroit. I wouldn't mind seeing Kronwall get a break if we were on the verge of a playoff run, but without any chance of playoffs I'm okay with him playing the season out. If he were to get injured, Hicketts should get the call, not McIlrath.

No he's not. No they shouldn't. ... and you complain about Holland making dumb moves...

So is Jagr. They're also elite in every other area of the game. Big difference in a guy trying to crack a lineup that lacks speed (among other things) and a guy that has been a dominant player in the league for 15-20 years...

If we get a top 4 pick, you want to trade up to get Patrick? That would cost a major asset, all for a guy that isn't even the undisputed number one in the draft... I'd personally rather keep our asset and the pick and hope to get Vilardi or Tippett.