krsmith17

I don't believe it's "the streak" that's so important to this organization, it's icing a competitive team, and doing everything they can to compete for the Stanley Cup every year. You have no chance to make a Cup run unless you make the playoffs, so that is the goal every single year, the streak is just what comes with that. Holland is not a short sighted GM. He will do everything he can to trade the contract, to improve the team this year, but he will not do so if it will hamper the team in the future. He's already said he won't give up too much in terms of assets to trade Datsyuk's contract, and I think that would include Jurco or even Pulkkinen unless there's a pick coming back the other way.

I think us needing to trade the contract is being overstated, since Holland said himself that if the asking price is too high, we could end up eating the cap hit for a year. It's not like we're in desperate need to move it, so no team should have any leverage over us in negotiations. I do think though that a team will want something back for taking the contract off our hands, whether that's a mid pick or mid tier prospects, who knows... A team like Arizona or Carolina can always sign a UFA to a contract well above market value if they're trying to reach the cap floor, so that alone wouldn't be enough to get them to take Pav's contract...

Yeah, the Datsyuk for Pronger swap makes the most sense for both teams. Wings take Pronger, having to pay real dollars but no cap hit, and the Coyotes take Datsyuk and his cap hit, but don't have to pay any real money... Seems like a no-brainer...

Give up Pulkkinen and a pick just to get rid of a contract? No way we have to give up all that without getting something in return. Just eat the cap hit for one season and play the kids...

I could stomach losing Pulkkinen for taking on Datsyuk's contract, if we get a mid to late round pick in return. It would be a huge mistake to trade Jurco though at this stage of his development...

Okay, okay, I'll re-sign if you trade Ericsson and Howard, sign Stamkos and trade for Trouba. Also, if you could draft McLeod or Bean it would help the negotiation process... 5 years at $3M? I'll take $2.75M over 3 years if you pull off that feat... Get er dooonne Kenny!

How has this poel troll not been banned yet? There's no way he / she is serious about all of this Helm hate... I'm drunk as f*** right now and seriously laughed out loud through the entire post... thanks poel, keep it up bud... And FYI.... I AM DARREN HELM!...

If that's the case, I'd prefer to eat Datsyuk's cap hit for one year. F*** trading a valuable asset unless we're gaining something in return.

New coach? Seriously? I'd definitely give Blashill another season to see if he can evolve and learn from last season...

This exactly. Great post PVD.

So sad... Rest In Peace Gordie. You were and always will be a legend, not just to Red Wings fans but the world of hockey...

Can you please point out a single "lie" that anyone has told to "defend Helm"... I'd love to hear it...

I believe there is still a "need" for defensive minded, stay at home defensemen, I just think they're overrated. I'll take an offensive minded, puck moving defenseman any day over the former. The same thing goes for shut-down forwards, they are massively overrated. I'm not talking about forwards that play solid defensively, I'm talking about those that can only play defense and provide little to no offense, aka Drew Miller. Players in that mold are a dime a dozen. People point to Miller's stellar shot blocking and penalty killing ability, and he's not even that great in those areas. Sure, he "can" penalty kill, he's just not near as good as people make him out to be. Guys like Helm, Athanasiou, Larkin, Glendening, Abdelkader all are / would be much more effective in that role. The prototypical "shut-down" players, that can't do anything but defend are way overrated...

I didn't say anything about the Tampa series. You're confusing me with someone else, just as you're confusing me with a very talented NHL player. Anyway, I'm done with this conversation, but you can continue on with your trolling. You're doing a great job so far. Keep it up bud!

I'll admit, I know very little about this guy, but no matter who we hired, it has to be an upgrade over Firschweiler...

Yes, everyone that thinks Helm is a very good bottom 6 forward is actually Helm in disguise. In fact, Helm has already been gone for a full season. He left for Toronto for whopping $50M last spring. No wait, wasn't Helm the guy that coached the Red Wings into the playoffs last season? Or was he that guy leaving for Russia known as the "Magic Man"? Or maybe he's that bald guy with glasses that knows everything hockey related between the glass on NBC?... I'm so confused, there are way too many Darren Helm's... No matter how many times you say "Helm sucks", it's not going to make it true... Pretty much every advanced stat out there proves you wrong. But year, keep beating that drum, you obviously know better than NHL GM's, coaches, players, analysts, and the majority of fans... Although, Id prefer to get him locked up for under $3M, he absolutely is worth every bit of 3, and he will get that or more whether he signs here or elsewhere this summer...

I disagree. One of the best 3rd line centers that can play top 6 wing in a pinch, is much, much more valuable than a guy that can't play anywhere but 4th line wing. That's not even taking into consideration that Helm is better at virtually every single aspect of the game. An extra $2M is nothing for the significant difference there is between the two players... Miller sucks and shouldn't be re-signed even if it's for one year at league minimum. Helm is a very good bottom 6 player and should be re-signed, as long as he's willing to play strictly in the bottom 6 and he signs a fair contract.

Hahahaha Helm >>>>> Miller, and it's not even remotely close... I can't even believe this is a conversation...

No, I am not confusing Helm with anyone. The guy has been our best penalty killer and he is one of the best bottom 6 guys in the entire league. Stats prove this. But you can keep with your "Helm sucks" theory... I get that some people don't want to pay him a ton because he is a bottom sixer, but he is a very valuable piece to any team. Miller sucks and isn't worth a fraction of what Helm is. I'd rather pay Helm $3M then Miller $1M, but that's just my opinion...

When people constantly talk up "Miller's penalty killing", do they even bother looking up the stats? He's not even close to our best penalty killer. That honor goes to Helm and it's not even close. Miller is "good defensively" because he literally doesn't do anything else but defend. He provides zero offense. There's not a question in my mind that we have players with under 10 games in the NHL that could step in and do a much better job than Miller, on the penalty kill and even strength...

I couldn't agree more. I'll be kind of pissed if we re-sign Miller again, even if it's one year at league minimum (which it wouldn't be). There are countless other players in the organization that could step in and provide more than what Miller does. He's the definition of a plug. Move on Kenny...

Our number one need is hands down a defenseman, but not necessarily offensive or defensive, but a true top pairing guy. I'd prefer a two-way, someone that can move the puck exceptionally well, and also shut down the oppositions top players. I think Jacob Trouba will be that player in the very near future, so he'd be my number one target...

I'm hoping we're able to trade Datsyuk's contract to Arizona along with Pulkkinen for Pronger's contract and a mid to late round draft pick. That would be the best scenario imaginable in my opinion... Red Wings get rid of the cap hit but take on real dollars, while the Coyotes take on cap space to get to the cap floor, while not having to spend the money... Yeah, I really hope Helm's issue with his usage last season was more to do with being moved up and down the lineup, and never getting a chance to gain any chemistry or momentum with linemates, rather than wanting to be in the top 6. He needs to realize that he could either be a mediocre to bad top 6 forward, or one of the better bottom 6 forwards in the entire league. It's up to him, but he always seemed to me like a guy that thrived on being a bottom 6 energy guy that killed penalties, blocked shots and threw his body around. I hope that's the case, and we're able to re-sign him to play strictly in the bottom 6, at a very reasonable contract ($2.75-3.25M for 3 years)...

Anchor? When the hell has Jurco ever been an anchor on any line? Just because he's not producing as much as we would like offensively, doesn't in any way make him an anchor... I remember back to back games last season in which Jurco played some of the best hockey of his career. He was instrumental on two goals for, by driving the net and providing traffic in front. He was then scratched, either the very next game, or the following game. Jurco has not been given the same sort of opportunity as others on the team, since his rookie stint 3 years ago. He hasn't regressed and he has improved, but like so many others on this team, some fans refuse to see the positives in a player once they've determined in their own mind that they're "not good"... I think the biggest misconception is that people think that when someone defends a player, that person must think that player is amazing... Not at all. I think Jurco is a very good player, and in time has the potential to be a very good middle six, skilled winger that can throw his weight around a little. No, it wouldn't be the end of the world if we lost him, but it would be a huge mistake to get rid of him as a throw in just to trade Datsyuk's contract. Unless of course, like I said, if the only way we can acquire a big name player is to trade Datsyuk, and the only team willing to take on the contract is demanding a player like Jurco in the deal...