kliq

Sure. I think it's just as tough to do it without a premier forward though. In most cases, you need both to win it all. If you know your offense can score 4-5 goals a game, that takes a lot of the pressure off your defense...

I agree with the general sentiment that theres a lot to feel good about looking forward. Yzerman is playing this right and theres lots of praise for him in the video but I think Holland should be mentioned also. It was clearly his plan for contracts to start dropping off right now as younger guys are coming in.
Lord knows what he would have done with the capspace but he should get some credit.

I would say that losing Zetterberg and Datsyuk definitely contributed to f***ing this team as well. Lidstrom was a bigger loss, not because he was a number one defenseman, but because he was one of the best defenseman the league has ever seen. 
This is debatable. A lot of teams build around and win Cups with that elite number one center as well.
Some would also debate whether or not Seider will be that true number one defenseman. He definitely has that potential, but maybe he tops out as a solid number 2 or 3. Then, what is more valuable? The number 2/3 defenseman, or the elite top 5 sniper in the league?
Again, I wouldn't pull the trigger on that trade either, but it is definitely interesting to think about...
I agree. There's no way Yzerman is trading Seider. 

Oh I didn’t say it was smart lol.
I really do think they are banking on an injury, or of course there could be a move in the works. Like Kip said above, I could see a Dermott trade.

Ah. That explains it.
I like CRL. We've talked in DMs a buncha times, just shooting the s***. He's actually a very chill, very normal dude; he's clearly playing a character with his trolling. I would argue that every self-respecting online forum needs at least one divisive heel. Back when the Wings were still contending and this place was buzzing, there were always multiple beefs. Beefing is good for business. Though, I suppose maybe now might not be the best time for a CRL type. Or, on the other hand, maybe we need a CRL type now more than ever. I dunno. *shrug* Fs in the chat for our fallen tovarishch.
I *am* pissed that my Stacher post got deleted. Oh well. The gist of it was that Stecher appears to be low-key legit -- and I am here for it. (That's how bad things are right now.) Think a hardcore shutdown guy like Nemeth -- but capable of 1) potting points at even strength and 2) playing in all situations. I love that he has the shutdown chops he does while being 5'10-185. That means he's an outstanding puckmover.
Some stats:
https://www.nhl.com/player/troy-stecher-8479442

https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/s/stechtr01-advanced-ev.html

Look at that f***ing zone starts split. Beautiful. (And, as a matter of fact, damn near identical to Nemeth's.)
In adding Stecher and Merrill, Yzerman basically pulled a respectable middle pairing out of his ass.
Nemeth  Hronek
Merrill  Stecher
DeKeyser  Seider
Staal/Lindstrom
All of a sudden, we've got a blue line that looks like an Yzerman-constructed group. That is to say: We've got a bunch of big, mobile, quietly effective two-way guys. That's the formula.
We've got McIsaac, Wallinder, Tuomisto in the pipeline. The 2021 draft class features a bunch of really good defensemen in Brandt Clarke, Carson Lambos, Owen Power, and Luke Hughes. Dougie Hamilton could hit the UFA market next year -- and Yzerman's going to have crazy cap flexibility to work with. I think we should feel pretty good about the future D situation.

Keep in mind everyone, name one season where we didn’t start the year off with at least 1 injury. Someone, or multiple people will be put on IR.

I've had my moments with Blashill, but you're right. You can only do so much with the rosters he's been given, if he get make us at least competitive this season, Ill be happy.
Didnt Yzerman say they were going to play Fabbri at C this season?

Your hate for Blashill is unfounded. No coach in the league would have gotten much more out of the teams that Holland assembled the past few years. I'll wait and see what Blash can do with a competent group before I completely write him off.

Very interesting. I had forgotten about this little wrinkle. Nielsen is the one I would have bought out over Abdelkader from the beginning, but I'm not sure how I'd feel about another but-out. That's a lot of dead cap over the next four years... I think I'd rather just waive both Nielsen and Filppula at this point. Going to be interesting for sure, to see how things play out...

Ya, I meant if they could retain 1.5.

I see what you are saying, but it all about probability. If we have 2 picks in the 4th/5th round, chances are that we go 0 for 2. If we have 6 picks in the 4th/5th round, while we still very well go 0-6, the chances of us going 1 for 6 are significantly better then us going 1 for 2 in scenario one.
Its like we are in a raffle and we just got ourselves some more tickets, buy no stretch a sure thing, but our odds went up and sometimes to land your Point/Kucherov or Datsyuk/Zetterberg you need as many tickets as you can get.

I see what you are saying, but it all about probability. If we have 2 picks in the 4th/5th round, chances are that we go 0 for 2. If we have 6 picks in the 4th/5th round, while we still very well go 0-6, the chances of us going 1 for 6 are significantly better then us going 1 for 2 in scenario one.
Its like we are in a raffle and we just got ourselves some more tickets, buy no stretch a sure thing, but our odds went up and sometimes to land your Point/Kucherov or Datsyuk/Zetterberg you need as many tickets as you can get.

Exactly! I think the biggest knock on him is that he’s small. I’d love to be able to give him a shot. I’ll take him over Erne any day on this roster. 

Kind of surprising they didn't qualify Bracco..just looked at his stats, 79 points in 75 AHL games a season ago, only 23. 2 different leagues but still. Would be nice to get him for GR!

You are probably right, but I'm telling you, kid is an amazing skater. Buddy of mine asked him if he figured skated as a kid (based on his technique), and he said he did. I'd like to see him get a shot.

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!

This is what I was referring to.

I mean, yeah. But I'm more referencing the bozos here thinking he'd get 8-9 million per. 

Absolutely. That's why I said "backup". Assuming both can stay healthy, I think it will be a pretty even split. Maybe roll the hot hand for a few games here and there, but for the most part, back and forth between the two.

I agree. Or even if Tampa were willing to trade him along with another asset, I'd consider it. To pick Johnson up off waivers and eat that entire $20M, helping a divisional rival get out of cap hell, would be an awful move by Yzerman.
Johnson has been in steady decline, and it's only going to get worse over the next few years. Also, factor in the fact that he was putting up decent numbers on one of the best teams in the league, coming to one of the worst teams in the league, I think he'd be lucky to put up 35-40 points.
If we're in the market for a middle six center, I'd rather give Galchenyuk and short-term prove it deal. He's still just 26, would likely come cheaper, and has the potential to be as good or better than Johnson.

Initially I thought the same thing, but then I saw he has 4 years and 20mil left on his contract.  Plus he's 30, not old by any stretch, but in a couple years when we are hopefully good, I could see that contract coming back to haunt us. Now if TB traded him to us for a 7th and at 1.5mil, then I'd be open to it.

I think a part of it is negotiation. I think their camps put out a number like that, assuming that someone will offer them say 80% of what they put out there. If they put out 6, maybe they just get offered 5. Its all a game on both sides.

This.

The Score is reporting that Vegas is willing to give up a 2nd for a team to take 50% of Fleurys Salary.
Lets take 100% of it and get a 1st!!
Two birds, one stone. We get our goalie AND we get a 1st in 2021.
https://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/2035682