DickieDunn

And it would be worth it to get Fowler or Trouba

I don't think Winnipeg is that dumb

Wish in one hand, crap in the other, see which fills first. The D is crap. Dekeyser is the best barring a miraculous Kronwall recovery and he's best suited as a good #3. Smith might be a good second pair guy if he didn't have so many brain cramps. Ericsson has regressed to the point where he's an adequate third pair d. Kronwall's knee is toast. Marchenko and XO project as ok second pair guys at best, Sproul probably not even that, and Jensen is most likely a career AHL/#7. Without a trade the team is sunk, and Holland is completely unable or unwilling to make one unless it's for a guy who wants out, or at least is rumored to be thinking about Europe.

I should have said rental. Stuart was brought in with the idea of keeping him. Bertuzzi and Lang the same.

Considering Trouba will probably cost more than Fowler and Barrie probably isn't really available, yes, getting Fowler would be good. You seem to think that if they dont get Fowler they're going to get someone else instead, like Holland is buying a new car and he's choosing between a Corvettte, an Escalade, or a Buick. It's Holland, of course it's all academic. What was the last trade he made where he brought in a decent player not at the deadline, Stuart?

No, predicting a guy who scored a ton in juniors and has done ok in the AHL could score 20 goals in the NHL is not overhyping him, unless saying AA is for sure a second line center is too.

First, not everyone wants to play close to where they grew up. Second, even if he wanted to, that downy mean he'd take much less. Of course, he could also be telling Winnipeg that he wants that much to force their hands, which would be good because giving him anywhere close to $7 or 8 mil right now is ludicrously risky.

What evidence do you have that he'd take less money here? Didn't they trade picks for next summer? A team has to have their own picks available in order to make an offer sheet

Detroit doesn't have the money or the draft picks needed to do an offer sheet, even if Holland wanted to waste his time

You have Larkin and Nielsen at 1-2 for centers for the next few years, they don't need AA there nearly as much as they need a good defenseman.

#2 D>2nd line center

1) Dekeyser, Mrazek, and Larkin are the Wings' best assets, nobody is suggesting trading one of them for Fowler. 2) unless you truly believe AA is going to consistently score 60+ a year, a guy like Fowler is going to be more valuable especially with the lack of high ended prospects in the system.

Still didn't answer. I didn't say points, I asked why a division winner would play a guy who will never be a #2 top minutes? And what is the top potential for the three of them.

BTW you dodged my question. Here's another. What do you think the top end potential is for Dekeyser, Fowler,and Trouba?

Still better than what they have And now he's just not a #1 at 24 years old.

He's a solid #2 with #1 potential, better than anyone Detroit has. Now please explain why a team that won their division would play a guy who will never be a top pair D more than anyone else.

Is that why he led Anaheim in toi/gm?

Where did I say either were already #1s?

20-25 goals isn't great, it's pretty realistic. The people who were saying he'd score 30 or 40 were predicting greatness, awake with the people calling Larkin Toews with speed and taking about how elite he is/will be, or AA can't be traded unless they get OEL or some established Norris candidate.

I think Mantha is going to be a 20-25 goal guy. Maybe not this year, but they're not winning the Cup this year anyway. If that's overhyping him, so be it.

I like Larkin and Mrazek, I just don't think that they are elite yet, and I question if Larkin will ever get there. Fowler, even if he doesn't get any better at all, is still better than anyone the Wings have except Dekeyser. Tatar and Nyquist are guys that can be replaced internally with AA or Mantha. They don't have that on defense.

I st not to get overhyped about what a 20 year old is doing in juniors or GR when people say things like Nyquist is the next Zetterberg or Pulkkunen is going to score 30 or 40 goals a year in the NHL. That's not even close to saying a 24 year old NHL player could still take a step forward.

Fowler is younger anyway, D take longer to mature, so yes, Fowler has room to improve a lit more than Tatar and Nyquist

Fowler is 24, still plenty of room to improve. And why the he'll didn't Holland have that philosophy for free agents?

How about an Eriksson and picks for Chelios, or Primeau and Coffey for Shanahan, or any of the good trades Holland used to pull off? Nyquist and Tatar are what they are, small one dimensional wingers. Pulk is barely an NHL player. AA is likely a second line forward, Dekeyser MIGHT be a #2 with the right #1, everyone else in the D pipeline are 4/5 guys. I'm not saying dump them for nothing or a vet, but if you can move them for a good young player it's stupid not to, even if it's a two for one deal. The team that gets the better player wins because one elite player is more valuable than two secondary players.