DannyD

I would like Niskanen but I also don't to drastically over pay. Just call me Ken Holland Jr.

Honestly, it might not be the worst thing ever to get Quincey back. Kronner-Smith Big E-Dekeyser Quincey-Ouellet/Marchenko/Bäckman Anything would be better than a Lashoff-Kindl/Quincey pairing.

Khan just retweeted. Waiting for LGW explosion in 3...2...1...

Pretty smart move for him. Chance to play with Crosby/Malkin and still get paid again next year.

Anyone else think they may hold off to see if Mantha makes the team before committing to Alfie?

Everyone is talking about getting both guys, but do we have the cap room for that? I would love both guys, but then again it really limits the chances of any of the kids coming up anytime soon. I would at minimum like to see Sproul and Marchenko up in the next year or two. Maybe if Mantha makes the team instead of signing Alfie and we dump some salary we could fit both? I would be perfectly fine trading Kindl and Miller to get some money off the books.

Jurco, Sheahan, Mantha and the evil Franzen all have size. Dekeyser, Smith, Marchenko, Sproul, and Bäckman are all 6'2" or taller. AA2 is actually much bigger than most people think at 6'2" 200lbs. I imagine he would put on at least another 5lbs working out in GR. The kid we just signed from across the pond, Nosek is 6'2" 202 lbs. (exact same size as Kesler) We have also 4 young Dmen out there who are 6'5" or taller. We have definitely been investing more in size and skill lately. To insinuate that we have only been picking 5'10" 160lb guys is dumb. Interesting note. I went back to look at last years prospect rankings and Sproul has gone from 6'3" 186 lbs to 6'4 205 lbs. He may be closer to 215lbs by the time he reaches the NHL.

Florida is looking to trade #1 because they don't necessarily need anymore young defenseman. I would love Ekblad, but not at the price it would cost to get him.

I understood it that out of the 6 teams on his list CHI/ANA had made the best offers. Could be way wrong though, it wouldn't be the first time.

While I do love most of our kid Dmen I think signing Niskanen would give us a lot of options when it comes to trading some of them to better our team. Personally I would keep the righties (Marchenko and Sproul) and attempt to trade Bäckman and/or Ouellet in a package for someone like Kesler or E.Kane. OR to move up to the top of the draft and get ourselves a future #1C. Tats+Helm+Ouellet for Kane/Kesler Kronner-Dekeyser Niskanen-Smith Big E-Marchenko/Bäckman That D is a TON better than last year. No Kindl, Lashoff or Quincey in the top 6.

I wish we could sign Stastny and give Weiss away for a bag of used hockey pucks.

As would I, I just don't see him jumping ship to DET when they beat us so bad in the playoffs.

There is always a way. Trade up in the draft to #7. Give CAR #15, and Ouellet. (We have a connection with CAR now with Bill Peters being HC. He has seen how good Ouellet is.) Maybe he would even take Kindl off our hands. lol Give Florida #7 + Tatar + Helm + Bäckman Z-Pav-Alfie/Mantha/FA Goose-Weiss-Franzen Jurco-Sheahan-Abby/Pulks Abby/Callahan-Glendening-Miller Kronner-Ekblad Dekeyser-Smith Big E-Marchenko That D would be MUCH improved. Still a little green but Marchenko would be an upgrade on Kindl/Lashoff and Ekbla would be much better than Quincey.

I have a feeling it would take more than that. Probably Tats + Jurco +1st and one D prospect or Tats + Ouellet + Bäckman +1st. If not more. If we could do the 2nd option though... I'd do it in a heartbeat. Florida gets a potential top 6 winger and two potential top 4 Dmen + a pick.

I put in a little side note that I traded him at the deadline for a pick after what I gave up for O'Reilly. I'm a fan of Kesler, I just like O'Reilly a little better because he is younger. I would like to trade Helm + Anderrsson + Marchenko and a pick nstead of Pulks if at all possible. It opens up the logjam at forward a little bit when Mantha is ready. I don't want to be stuck in another situation where a guy is stuck in GR because we don't "have room for him" on the roster. Z-Pav-Kesler Goose-Weiss-Jurco Tats-Sheahan-Franzen Abby-Glenny-Callahan Still leaves us with Franzen, Tats, Pulks, AA, Backman, Sproul, and Oullet as trade bait for a Top 4 D. (Although I don't think we need it.) In order for Mantha to be up next season I don't see how Franzen stays on the roster though, so I would try to trade him for something, maybe in the Kesler/O'Reilly deal. Z, Pav, Goose and 2C (Sheahan or Weiss) are locks. Add in Kesler or O'Reilly to that mix and that's 5 of your top 6. If Franzen, Jurco, Tats are all still on the team where does Mantha fit? In reality though, I wouldn't be surprised to see us do anything this offseason except maybe... Z-D-Sheahan Goose-Weiss-Jurco Tatar-Helm-Franzen Abby-Glendening-Callahan/Miller

If i meant them getting Sproul in the lineup who is much cheaper, letting them resign young talent like Jurco, Goose, etc, and can provide offense on the 3rd pairing and the PP? Yes.

I think we could see Z, D, Sheahan, Goose, Jurco, Tatar, Franzen and Alfie (if he comes back) all score 20-25 goals with Z up around 30. Part of me wonders if they would pull the trigger on a top line guy because they expect Mantha to fill that void next year, or later this year if at all possible. Now if we went after O'Reilly I would be all over that because he could play on Pavel's wing or lineup at C. He would also greatly improve the defense. Z-D-O'Reilly Goose-Weiss-Franzen Alfie-Sheahan-Jurco Abby-Glendening-Callahan So next year (15'-16') we could see something like this. Z-D-Mantha Goose-O'Reilly-Jurco Pulks-Sheahan-Franzen Abby-Glendening-Callahan Kronner - Dekeyser Big E - Smith Bäckman - Oullet Howard Mrazek To me, that is a team that could compete for a cup. Note: Traded Tatar, helm and Marchenko for O'Reilly. I'm not really sure what O'Reilly could bring but I would be perfectly fine giving up those 3 guys and a high pick if need be. I'm also giving away Weiss for a draft pick at the trade deadline because he doesn't fit. Honestly in two years I could see us trading Big E in some package, maybe to move up in the draft or something. I think the FO is really high on Sproul and I can't see them trading one of the young guns or Kronner to get him in the lineup. Big E would be expendable and if we were to ever trade him then would be the time to do it. In 2 years we could have a really good young D. I really don't see a huge need for a top 4 D when we have several guys in the minors who could be a top 4 guy. Kronner-Dekeyser Oullet-Smith Bäckman-Sproul.

I agree that Wheeler is better at the moment, but he is also 5 years older than Kane. Give Kane a few more years and I think you'll see him reach that level and exceed it. I like Pulks. I like Tatar, I just think Tatar has much more trade value right now because he has shown what he can do in the league. I just don't see him ever becoming a top 6 winger on the Wings. He didn't register a single point in the playoffs (of course not many did) but he got roughed up a lot. We haven't had someone like Pulks on the Wings in a long time. He would easily be an upgrade at the point on the PP and would add another guy to the roster who isn't afraid to shoot. Tatar isn't the best in the D zone so we wouldn't really be losing much there. I'm ok with Pulks being a one trick pony because that trick is scoring goals and he is pretty darn good at it lol. I still think in say 2-3 years Mantha, Jurco, Nyquist and AA if kept at LW or Pulks would be a really good set of top 6 wingers.

Rumors online from Bob McKenize that Winnipeg may be looking to trade anyone, including Evander Kane. Thoughts? I would LOVE to see him on Pav's Wing. Big kid (6'2" 200lbs, 22 years old) isn't afraid to stick up for his teammates or himself, has speed, can create for himself and has a great shot. I would give up Tatar, Ouellet, Almquist and a pick. I'm only giving up Ouellet because I think the brass wants Sproul up in a bad way and with how well Bäckman played for the Griffs I think Ouellet is more expendable. Z-Pav-Kane Franzen-Weiss-Goose Jurco-Sheahan-Pulks Abby-Helm-Glendening If Mantha makes the team I'd put him in Franzen's spot and put Franzen down on the 3rd line with Sheahan and Jurco. A team in a year or two with Kane, Goose, Pulks and Mantha would be pretty nice. All guys who aren't afraid to shoot the puck. Just to put things into a little perspective Kane played 10 fewer games than Tatar did this year and still shot the puck 92 time more than Tatar.

Call me crazy but I don't think we need to trade the farm for a "sniper" especially when we have someone like Mantha who could step in this year or next year. Someone who could pot 35-40 goals would be awesome, don't get me wrong, but look at it in the grand scheme of things. We have 4 guys next year that are still relatively new to the team that could all score around 20 goals. Goose 22-24 goals. Tatar 21-22 Sheahan 18-20 Jurco 18-20 Pulks could probably be a 15-20 goal scorer in is first couple years if given PP time as well, imo. I would much rather have balanced scoring and guys on three lines who can net us some goals rather than relying on one or two guys to get the job done, not to mention these kids are going to keep progressing and becoming better players. If we could add someone in FA than I'm all for it, but I don't see the need in trading away Goose or Tatar for a guy who MAYBE will net 10 more goals than them. Now I would trade away Tats in a package for a top Dman, but that's a different story.

Mantha just scored the game winner with 52 seconds left for the QMJHL Championship! No GR for him, headed to the Memorial Cup! Edit: Also finished the playoffs with 24 G in 24 GP meaning he finished the whole year 81 G in 81 GP.

Am I the only one that thinks Sheahan would do better on the 1st line than Abby? He played pretty good in front of the net this season and has shown he has good hands. Obviously I'd rather have a guy like Vanek or Moulson on the top line, but if we strike out on FA then I would give Sheahan a look on the top line. Plays like these make me very curious as to how he could do with Z and Dats. I'd like to run this lineup a couple games just to see what happens. We know Nyquist and Franzen have shown good chemistry so that line could score some goals if Weiss can get healthy. A third line of Tatar-Helm-Jurco would be FAST. They could really change the pace of the game. 4th line is probably the best checking line we could do with our current roster. Z-Dats-Sheahan Franzen-Weiss-Nyquist Tatar-Helm-Jurco Miller-Glendening-Abby

I have seen nothing official at all stating that Z will in fact be in. All of the twitter folks are saying it's a game time decision and that he is on his way to see the doctors. Even the link wings87 posted says "There has been no confirmation yet from the Red Wings about Zetterberg's status." If we are in fact getting Z back tonight, it should be huge for everyone's confidence. We'll probably have to double shift Nyquist and Tatar a few times to limit his minutes but just having him back on the ice should settle everyone down. Reinforcements are coming and we can still win this thing. Also I'm ok with Bert being in. Jurco hasn't done much of anything so far in the playoffs. It might do him some good to sit in the press box and watch. Of course if Z can't go then Jurco would still be in. Bummed that Ouellet isn't in for Kindl or Lashoff though.