Richdg

Yes Kip, those are the projected season totals. BTW 248 goals as a team would be top 10 every year as well.

Ok here is my expansion team. BTW I have a love/hate relationship with capgeek. lots of good info, never can get it to post over here....... King 18 G / Johansen 32 G / Okposo 32 G Niederreiter 14 G / Hanzel 24 G / Kassian 17 G Kulemin 11 G / Eller 16 G / Brouwer 15 G Greening 7 G / Wingels 17 G / Setoguchi 13 G Kulikov 7 G / Erik Johnson 12 G Smid 2 G / Petry 5 G Siedenburg 2 G / Fayne 4 G Bishop G total cap: 43.3 million total goals: 248 total hits: 2966-500 hits more than any team over the last 10 full seasons! Other than Siedenburg everyone is 28 or younger, all RW are RHed, 3 of the D are RHed, and 2 of the C's are RHed. BTW I spent about 4 hours playing with this. Next time I will make it easier.

No. One game, no matter how good a team looks doesn't matter. unless it is game 7 of course. A true turning point is going on a run. Win 7 of 8, 8 of 11 etc..... That is a turning point. Fact is we play Chicago tough and always have. In many ways we are mirror images of each other. Good skating skilled teams that are not physical. Let's not over look the "over looking" factor. Most teams are not scared by us anymore. That can be a good/bad thing.

After I posted this, I started to work on it. It is tough. Anyone can build a fantasy roster without limits. This requires balance and research. it is almost homework! I will have mine up shortly.

Really? I had no idea...... So much for the fun of this........

Kip, you ever notice there are very few rumors about the RW's and good players......... other than Ryan-who we foolishly passed on.......

This could be a long night. have to work early tomorrow morning. Not sure if my liver and boss will like it...... Oh well, GO WINGS!!!!! errr Griffins!

Franze a big goal scorer? LOL 1 season in 9 where he had over 30 goals. 1. That is not a big goal scorer, that is average. But he can be bought out, and hopefully that now happens. Get out from his terrible contract this summer.

May list of untouchables is much shorter than most. Howard, Dekeyser, datsyuk and Z are about it off of the current roster. everyone else could go in the right deal. As for the prospects, only Mantha is in that category. heck the only reason Z and datsyuk are there is because we can't do it emotionally-far to many would have a cow. Other that those 5, any and all COULD go if the deal is right. let me add, it has been a long time since the RW's had this short of a list. Now some can't be moved due to their contracts: NMC and NTC etc....

Some other names that I would move in the right deal: kindl-has some skill, size, and yes promise. Means he has value. Almqvist-small and skilled, but is one of many LHed D and there are better prospects behind him. We could lose him via waivers, trade him for something. Callahan and ferraro-both need to pass through waivers this summer or be on the RW squad. Both could be moved in the right deal. Helm-yes I know, he is the "best 3rd line C in the game", but he is also injury prone. He isn't the best anything sitting in the trainers room. With his style of play and small size, will he ever play more than 65 games a season? He has value. A decent amount as well. if the right deal comes along, yes I would move him. He also is getting to the point where he isn't going to be cheap to pay. next contract could be pushing him into the 3.5-4 million per season range.

Long topic I know. But have to start somewhere. If I was to take an uneducated guess on next years team I would start like this: 14/15 RW: F: Datsyuk, Z, Weiss, tatar, Nyquist, Abby, Helm, Sheahan, Jurco, Andersson, TooToo, Miller, Glendenning, and Callahan. That is 14 guys that are signed or we control for next season. D: Kronwall, Ericsson, Dekeyser, Smith, lashoff, Kindal, and a cheap vet for the 6/7 Dman. Again 7 players. G: Howard and McCollum. That pretty much fills the roster up and depletes GR. Of those 23 guys only 22 is a UFA IIRC. Main prospects in GR for the 14/15 season: F: Mantha, Jarnkrok, Nastasiuk, Frk and Pulkkinen. D: Oullett, Sproul, marchenko, Jensen, Backman, and nedomlel. G: Mrazek Most if not all of those guys really need another year if not 2 in the minors. 15/16 RW: F: 22 is out and Mantha is in. Only real change to the forward group. D: let the 6/7 vet UFA we signed walk and replace with the most ready of the young Dmen. Prefer it be a RHed shot. G: No changes yet. propsects in GR: Mantha moves up and guys like McKee, McNulty, Wheaton, Pope, and maybe a 2014 1st move in. also, thanks to the new CBA we will be losing prospects to waivers faster than before. More years to come.......

2014 is a weak draft, but that doesn't mean there isn't talent. Last year there was 7 or 8 can't miss types, then 60-70 guys that all had a question about them but should be top 5 players on most teams in 5-7 years. This years draft has 3/4 can't miss types and about 35 guys that should be top 5 players on most teams. The depth just isn't here this year. Now 2015 looks like it will be better. That draft looks like it is very top heavy but we will see next year......

yes I do like to plan things out for a few years. In the business world it is called strategic planning, which the RW's need to improve at. The main focus of the draft and the minor leagues is to provide talent for the big club. You can do that 2 ways: drafting, developing, and keeping OR drafting developing and trading. At some point every roster has a hole. Some would say we currently have a lot of holes right now. So how do we fill those holes? What do we have coming? How long before they are ready? Are there positions of strength and depth that can be used to fill positions of weakness? This thread kinda ties in with my 2014 draft thread. Where are we weak? The answer is: big scoring forwards. We have 2 good G prospects, a bunch of D prospects, a few grinder types and a few small skilled guys. laying the system out like this shows that very clearly. This allows us to make moves if/when Holland decides to move. Assuming he will of course......

Maybe a better way of doing this is list prospect by class years. 2013/14: Nyquist, Tatar, and Dekeyser-all here and playing well. 2014/15: Jurco, Sheahan, and Almquist-first 2 are up playing well, not sure if Almquist has a spot or is trade bait. 2015/16: Mrasek and Mantha-2 potential great ones! 2016/17: Frk, Jarnkrok, Pulkkinen, Oullett, Sproul, jensen, Merchanko, and Nedomlel-5 Dman ready, not all will make it. lots of trade bait here. 2017/18: Paterson, Wheaton, McNulty, McKee, and Nastasiuk-way to early to really know if any of these guys make it. None have played a pro hockey game yet. 2018/19: yet to be determined.......

Ok the 16/17 season. F: Datsyuk, Z, helm, Abby, Sheahan, tatar, Jurco, Callahan, Mantha, Nyquist, 2014 1st round pick, Nastasiuk, Miller, Glendenning, McKee? That makes 15. D: Kronwall, Ericsson, Dekeyser, Sproul, Smith, Lashoff, Oullett, Jensen, and marchenko. that makes 9. G: Howard, McCollum, and Mrasek. 3 G's. This is where things get more interesting. We have more players than roster positions. But with the new CBA rules there are a lot of guys in the make it or walk years. Pulkinnen, jarnkrok, Mrasek, Oullett, Sproul, Jensen, frk, etc.... all will have to pass through waivers to be sent to the minors. So either they are on the RW's, traded, or waiver losses. Of course this does nothing to account for guys that are UFA's and if they are resigned. The 2015 and the 2016 drafts are not accounted for yet either.

Rick, that thread is all about trades and UFA signings, which is fine. Here I am talking about when we can expect young guys to be ready and what positions they fill. This will go out for several years, not just next season.

Sorry but leadership isn't this teams problem. old age, lack of talent, injuries, lack of toughness, and new lines every night are the issues.

Before we all come up with our opinions of trades, signing, etc..... please stop. Those are all opinions, I am trying to stay focused on what we actually know. We know what players are signed and under control. if others are added or subtracted later-which will happen in some form, we don't know that today. I for example am hoping they finally buyout franzen. With mounting health issues, that may come to pass. But again we don't know that today. For example. Almquist either is on the team next year or he is gone. He will never pass through waivers. I expect a move involving him. But I can't say what that move is, thus he isn't listed. I would expect Holland to be smart enough to not just let him be taken in waivers.

Now, I did this mock draft and scouting reports based on the thought that we would end up in the 15th range of the draft. What happens if we miss the PO's and then by luck get the number 1 pick? Do you keep it or trade it? This draft is considered to be a weak draft. mainly because it lacks superstars on the top end and depth like last years draft. if I was in charge and we had the number 1 I would think long and hard about trading the pick. Now what would I be looking for? well I want a RHed shooting forward that can score and bang. In a perfect world: Ryan. he is only 27 and has proven that he can score 33-36 goals per year in the NHL with 125 hits per season. He is what this team needs for the top 2 lines. Ottawa is also cash strapped and can't afford to resign him either. perfect trade for both teams. But he is not the only guy, just and example. Another guy I would take a long hard look at and another team with money issues, would be Hanzel with the Yotes. he would be the perfect #2 C between Jurco and tatar. Not a fighter-few euros are, but he is 6-6/240 a great 2 way guy that scores 20-25 G's and hits a ton. Also in the 26/27 year old range. You get the idea of what I am talking about if we have the #1 pick and choose to trade it.

Ok we have reached the halfway point, well a couple games past but you all get the point. So how is this season going vs what you thought prior to the season? before the season I posted that we would: 1. Start fast and do well the first 30-40 games. 2. be middle of the pack scoring but pretty good on D. 3. Injuries would mount mid season to second half. 4. We would fight for the final PO spot most of the year. Well, mostly right to date. The one that we as a team are a little behind on is D. I thought we would be top 10 by the end of the year-currently we are 14th in goals allowed. IF the PO's started today we would be 7th, 1 point ahead of 8th. As for some of the players, some more thoughts. Dekeyser is our best Dman. We have to get him healthy asap. I thought he had a good chance to be the top Dman after a year. Great job DD! Tatar and Nyquist. I have said for a couple of years now on this forum that both need to play and that both were 40 point per year guys. Some attacked me for saying that, which is fine. But guess what, they are on .5 points per games pace, which comes to 41 points per year. I think some of that attacks come from the fact we haven't had many 40 point per year guys, and forgot what they look like/play like. 40 points isn't bad, just not superstar numbers. Jurco-he looked good and needs to come back up. he could be awesome with about 10 more pounds of muscle. Sheahan=Abby. Not a bad thing. bring him back up asap as well and let him play of the 4th line. All the young Dmen. Almquist, oullett, marchenko, soon to be Sproul, etc..... All have played except Sproul and all have done a nice job. They are proving they have value and thus give us depth and trade pieces if/when needed. For the second half, expect more of the same. I think we will still make the PO's keeping the streak alive. Now that it is the new year, I will also start looking at the draft prospects as well. Go WINGS!!!!!!!!

many like the idea of Ott here. But I don't see the reason why? In his 8+ full seasons he has scored more than 12 goals in a season twice, so it isn't O. yes he is a good defensive gritty guy, but he isn't really an enforcer either. he is another 3/4 line guy to add to the large collection of those types we already have.

Something else to watch and keep in mind over the next couple of years. The new CBA changed-lowered, the number of years guys can be hid in the minors before they have to clear waivers. IIRC it went from 5 years to 3 years. This pretty much kills the old RW stand by of "overripening". This might push more guys into college hockey. before most guys got drafted, played 1 more year of junior, then played in the minors for up to 5 years. meaning teams had control for 6 years before they got to the NHL. Now teams have 4 years for most guys. Final year in junior and 3 years in the minors. if players start heading to college more, you still can control guys for 6 years. 3 in college and 3 in the minors. overseas players are not affected of course.

The injuries should have been expected, and in some ways I think Holland was preparing for those. That is the only way the resigning Cleary and others makes any sense. he wanted depth because he expected injuries. if that wasn't his thinking then he has lost his mind. But many of us talked about injuries going up with our move to the more rugged east. yes there are a few tough physical teams out west, but most are not. The opposite is true in the east. Physical play is something that is learned. You learn how to take hits and give hits. We have seen guys this year-Dekeyser, get hurt because he hasn't learned how to protect himself. Howard gets hurt because other team know they can run our G and maybe a penalty gets called, but they take the risk to take out a starting G. This is part of the game. maybe it shouldn't be, but we have to live in reality. Hockey is a tough physical sport, which is what makes it so great. This isn't the KHL where big checks can draw a penalty, and it better never come to that! We are also caught in transition from a player perspective. A ton of old vets have moved on, and more will do so this year. TBH it is about time. We are all sick of watching guys like bert, Cleary, franzen, Sammy, etc..... get hurt, fail to perform, and in general steal money. We all love watching the energy that guys like Nyquist, tatar, Jurco, Sheahan, and Andersson are bringing. if helm ever gets healthy again and Abby stays healthy, that is a nice group of talented young guys with speed, skill, and some size to watch play. But, and this is a big one, it is really tough to watch in the meantime. yes we all will, but our livers are not going to like it.

Yes Little Tuzzi was taken far to early. But we have him. Interesting how a guy that misses 1/3 of his games with injury and loses every fight he is in, is somehow considered a great prospect. I highly highly doubt he ever amounts to anything. truth be told, if he didn't have a famous uncle does he get drafted? Tigers also drafted Rod and Mario's kids as well. There is a degree of favoritism in sports. MP, thanks. yes players move up and down all the time. Most mock draft currently have Mantha in the 3/4 round. As for Tuch I am a big fan. he has 20 G's in 32 games this season for USA U18 playing their mixed schedule against college, USHL and international team. The guy puts the puck in the net. being 6-4/225 and an American is just icing on the cake!

FG, yes Holland needs to be proactive again. he has been way to passive and reactive the past 4 or 5 years. Just because a guy wants to sign with us-Weiss, should not be the primary reason for bringing him in. You can't pass on young proven stars like Ryan-26 years old with 18 goals, and O'reilly-22 years old and 16 goals. You just can't. Instead we have 40 year old Alfie, 37 year old Cleary and 2 decent young guys Tatar and Nyquist, who combined have 30 goals vs the 34 that the other 2 have. Not to mention the other dead weight on the roster sucking up space and money. Yes everyone makes mistakes. no trade is 100%, no FA signing is 100%. But you play the averages. if we want a better team, it is real simple: we need better players.