krsmith17

Lafreniere has the potential to be in this conversation. Likely not McDavid level, but Matthews level is definitely possible. And don't say, "we hear that every year, about every top prospect"... because we don't. Lafreniere is much different than Hughes, or Hischier, or Dahlin. In any other draft, I'd agree that a player from 2-10 could end up better than 1. It's actually likely, since there are 9 chances to 1. The problem is, you still have to pick that 1... In this draft though, I highly doubt any player comes close to Lafreniere. He's that much better than anyone else in my opinion.

... and you could say that... Why not? How much have you seen these two play? ... and I disagree with that point. In my opinion, you always take the best player available, especially if they're as "special" as Lafreniere is projected to be. The last thing this team needs is another left-handed winger. The most important thing this team needs is "elite" talent, regardless of position. Ideally IF we were to land the top pick, the best player on the board would be a center. That's not the case though, so you don't pass up the best player, just so you can take a center. Lafreniere on the wing, is going to make whichever center he plays with, that much better. If he happens to be Larkin's winger, I think Larkin is an 80+ point two-way center. You don't seem to believe that Veleno / Rasmussen are legit top six centers. Lafreniere on either of their wings would make them legit top six centers. He's that good. He drives play, and makes everyone around him that much better.

Because I've been following this kids career since he was like 14... I'm not pretending to be an amateur scout or anything, but I've watched enough over the years to have a somewhat informed opinion. As informed as an average hockey fan can have... I've watched every Canada game of both U-18 and U-20 World Juniors he's played in. I usually try to watch a few CHL games throughout the year of the top prospects, but life is much busier for me these days, so I haven't seen him at all this season. I have seen a few of his games in years past, but none at all this season. I find it hard enough to keep on top of all the Wings games and most Griffins games, let alone juniors... When did I say that I'm skeptical of media narratives? I mean, I think we need to take a lot of what they say with a grain of salt, but for the most part, I at least listen to a lot of what Craig Button and others have to say. Everything I've seen and heard, Alexis Lafreniere is and will be a very special player. I think he's a step above any top draft picks we've seen in the past dozen or so years (aside from McDavid). So, not generational, but maybe close to it. So what makes you believe Byfield is close to Lafreniere? besides stats and age?...

Serious question... Like who?

Zadina puts up 55 points in 75 games next season... mackel: "Daigle was on a 50 and 60+ point pace his first two seasons"... "BuStS cAn HaVe GoOd SeAsOnS"...

Yeah, probably not a 75 point player, but a 60-70 point 2nd line winger could still be in the cards for him. I think so anyway... especially when we add some more talent to this team.

Yup. I truly do believe that Lafreniere could be a Matthews calibre player on the wing. I think he will be well over a point per game player in his prime. He will be able to drive a line as good or better than most number one centers in the league. He has shown at every level that he IS that good. Will it translate to the NHL level? I haven't seen any reason why it wouldn't yet.

You say "who cares who the best player is right now?", but continue to point out that Kakko is better than Hughes "right now". Everyone (including Dabura) expected Kakko to be more NHL ready out of the gate. That doesn't mean that Hughes won't be the better player long term. Same goes for Tkachuk vs Zadina. Tkachuk was obviously more NHL ready, but don't be surprised if Zadina ends up the better player long term. Lafreniere is / will be the consensus number one pick next June. Of course media will try to make it seem like Byfield is close, but he won't be. If you really do think they're that close, I question how much you've watched, or even read on Lafreniere. He is going to be a really special player. I'll admit, I haven't watched a ton of him, outside of tournament play, but I'll be watching every WJC game, and both players should be on full display. Lafreniere will be the top line left wing, and Byfield will likely be the number two center. Looking forward to it. Either way, I just hope we luck out and get a top two pick.

If Eklund is reporting it, it almost guarantees it not happening, which I'm fine with, since I don't really like the Islanders as a trade partner. I have no idea who I'd target from that team... Maybe Wahlstrom... But even then, I wouldn't be too thrilled unless it were Wahlstrom plus, which I doubt the Isles would do... Yeah, kid is the real deal. He's not on the Crosby / McDavid level, so not generational, but he's as close to that level we've seen in years in my opinion. I think he could have a Matthews level impact from the wing. He's a pretty significant step above Hall in my opinion. Pass.

Always. Best. Player. Available. We need elite talent. It doesn't matter which position that comes from. I'll be thrilled with either of Lafreniere or Byfield, but if we end up with the number one pick, I'm taking Lafreniere every time. Whichever team ends up winning that draft lottery will as well, because he is / will be the best player available. Elite wingers can drive a line just as well as elite centers. Having a Lafreniere instantly makes your team that much better. He will make everyone he plays with, including the center, that much better. We need line drivers. I'd argue that our best line driver right now is a winger. I think Larkin needs Mantha just as much or more than Mantha needs Larkin to produce offense. Mantha makes that top line go. Lafreniere could do the same, but even at a higher degree. Byfield would be one hell of a consolation prize, and I'd be thrilled if we took him at number 2. I'm also getting on the Stutzel hype train. He might be who I'd lean towards at 3. At 4, I have no idea who I'd take. Maybe one of the Swedish wingers (Raymond / Holtz)...

Yzerman has made 6 trades, including 3 RHD (Regula, Saarijarvi, Kaski) out and 2 RHD (Biega, Wood) in. Three of those defensemen were purely minor league moves (Saarijarvi, Kaski, Wood). One is a short-term stopgap (Biega), and the other was a long-term project (Regula). Also, this team *was* RHD deficient for a while. However, that was probably the organizations biggest positional strength since those trades have been made.

I know this is probably sarcasm, but I don't get it... Yzerman traded an AHL defenseman for an AHL defenseman...

I don't think Kaski will ever play in the NHL, and I doubt this Kyle Wood guy will either. Seems like a minor league move. Maybe a replacement for McIlrath, since he's up with the big club?

If Perlini started producing he probably could fetch a return at the deadline. Probably not much though. There's no way we should be shopping Fabbri at the deadline, unless a team is willing to overpay with a 1st round pick. A 23 year old that has been one of our better players this season. Keep him around as part of the core. I agree on trying to boost Athanasiou's numbers and shopping him at the deadline.

That's a very real possibility, and one that I would easily accept if he were given an opportunity. Until that happens, I'm going to assume the past three years weren't a complete fluke, and he's much better than he has been this season, playing with s*** for linemates. Translation: significantly less than he has now.... Maybe 5 points?

AGAIN, he has "earned it"... He has been better than Erne, as well as every other bottom six forward, but is still stuck with two of the team's (league's) worst linemates... I asked CRL earlier, and I'll ask you now... Bertuzzi is our leading goal scorer this season with 25 points. How many points do you think he would score anchored to the likes of Nielsen, Ehn, Erne and Abdelkader all season? Never mind saying he'd play better and move up, because in Perlini's situation, he has played better and hasn't moved up. Assuming Bertuzzi is stapled to that line, how many points do you think he would put up?

He started on the 3rd line with 4th line caliber players (at best). He has yet to play a single game with a quality linemate. Do you think Erne is a better player than Perlini? He's not. But yet he's being "coddled" and playing above where he "should" be... You're acting as if I'm suggesting something outlandish here. I'm not. I'm saying give him a few games with quality linemates to see what he can do. There's literally no downside in doing so. Developing the players with a future here? And who is that exactly? We don't have more than 4 or 5 forwards on this team that should be here beyond the rebuild...

But he has scored at a 3rd line level. Correct? In my original lineup, I had him pegged as a 3rd line winger. Apparently that's blasphemy... The skill is there with Perlini. He is not a 4th line player on an average team, let alone the worst team in the entire league. It's dumb, and I can't believe you (and others) are actually arguing this... We have two options. We can continue playing him on our 4th line with non NHL talent, and let him walk this offseason, losing out on him and Regula. OR we can put him on a line with actual NHL quality players, boost his stats, and trade him at the deadline...

I agree that Perlini likely doesn't have a future in Detroit. I'm not advocating giving him an opportunity because I think he's this unreal player. I'm advocating giving him an opportunity so we can find out what we have in him. Right now, we have no idea. Give him some quality line mates for a dozen games, up his trade value, and maybe we can trade him at the deadline for a team looking for scoring depth. Playing him every game with the worst players on the team isn't doing anyone (player or team) any favors.

Perlini has shown flashes with the puck, but his line rarely ever has the puck. He does forecheck hard for the most part. But that's about all he can do on a line that is literally the worst in the entire league. I brought up Zadina because fans would be pissed if he were given the same treatment as Perlini, not because I think the players are at all comparable. Like I said, Zadina is a MUCH better player than Perlini. That's the thing though. He already has outplayed Adam f***ing Erne (among other players), but hasn't been rewarded for it. I'm sure the injury *also* effected his play, but he *also* needed the minutes and linemates to start producing. That's my whole point though... Fabbri didn't "work" for s***. He was given top six minutes and quality linemates the moment he put on the Red Wings jersey. Why wasn't Perlini afforded the same opportunity? If he were put in that sort of situation, I don't doubt for a second that he would have produced as well. The skill is there.

I couldn't disagree more. There are always situations where a player gets buried down the lineup, when he probably should be playing a more prominent role. Again, I'll point to Fabbri. He was buried on the Blues 4th line doing f*** all. Gets traded, and given an opportunity with skilled players, and he breaks out. It's not a coincidence. The same could easily happen with Perlini, and there doesn't need to be a trade for us to find out. Give him an opportunity in the top six, and see what happens. What's the harm? If Zadina were put on a line with Ehn and Erne, fans would be piiiiissed (yourself included). It's bad enough he was on a line with Nielsen and Helm, but they're at least a small upgrade over the other two plugs. If Zadina were put on a line with Ehn and Erne, he'd have trouble digging himself out as well. And yes, I'm aware he set up Ehn for his first goal of the season last night. Zadina is a MUCH better player than Perlini, but it still doesn't make sense to bury either one of them.

Nah, I'm saying we don't know what we have in Perlini because he hasn't been given an opportunity. He could be a 30 point, middle six winger, which is still valuable, or if everything goes right, he could be a 40-50 point, middle six winger, which is very valuable. That's probably unlikely at this point, but he did score at a 30 point pace as a 20 year old, 33 point pace as a 21 year old, and a 25 point pace as a 22 year old. He's currently on a 4 point pace as a 23 year old. He didn't just forget how to play hockey... Again, very few middle six wingers can drive a line with other middle six forwards, let alone AHL quality forwards. If Svechnikov can get going, I see him as a similar player to Perlini. He could be a good complimentary piece to a middle six scoring line. Every team needs these types of players. Everyone loves Fabbri and now see him as a building block for the future. However, if he were put in the same situation as Perlini, I highly doubt he'd have many points at this point either. And if Perlini were put in the same situation as Fabbri, I'd bet he would have quite a few more points. I think Fabbri may be a little better of an overall player, but neither would be capable of producing with the likes of Nielsen, Ehn, Erne, Abdelkader, etc...

Again, I'm not saying Perlini is a "great" player. I just think he could be a solid middle six winger. And I have seen flashes of what he can do. More so in the first half dozen games. Not much lately.

Maybe, but that's just different play styles. Perlini is never going to be a junk yard dog like Bertuzzi. That doesn't mean he shouldn't get an opportunity up the lineup. I'm not saying he should be gifted top line minutes for the rest of the season, regardless of how he plays. I'm saying give him an opportunity with skilled players, and see what happens. Worst case scenario, we find out we traded for a dud and move on in the offseason. Best case scenario, we find out we have a player and we trade him at the deadline (for a future 3rd pairing defenseman), or extend him in the offseason. We're not finding out s*** playing him every game with borderline NHLers...

Serious question... How many points do you think Bertuzzi would have in 10 games on a line with Ehn and Erne?