chaps80

Blash should bench him for the rest of the season so he has no shot at that one elusive goal. It's what he deserves. 15th overall pick lol

Kronwall was a big part of this team for a long time yes, but he's no longer useful as a player. Marchenko, while nothing special, is a useful able bodied right handed Dman. We all know Kenny's loyalty knows no bounds, and that's a huge reason he's in the mess he's in, and it doesn't seem like he's learned that yet. Marchenko wouldn't be a big deal to lose, but I am worried he'd expose someone like Sproul instead of Kronwall, and maybe even Errorsson if it came down to it.

They won't win a game without him in net either. The whole team is s***. I think they've given up.

Yeah I can see him getting claimed. Not a huge deal since he's nothing special, but this move is just typical Holland. Waive a younger player who has a good chance of being claimed instead of a vet who wouldn't be claimed. Kronwall is finished and overpaid, Errorsson is useless and overpaid. They'd easily clear. This team is going to take forever to rebuild if he continues protecting his useless vets and ditching his younger guys for nothing. It's getting more and more unsettling as time goes on knowing Holland controls the Wings roster.

Well said. The kids aren't going to progress if they don't get to play. If Blash wasn't giving them the best opportunities and playing the vets regardless of their play because management and ownership wanted to continue the streak and he was under pressure to play them, I get that. But now that the playoffs are out of reach (Maybe not mathematically, but realistically, It's over.), there is no reason not to let the kids play as much as possible. Start the fire sale, and as roster spots open up, call up some of the top GR guys and give them some NHL experience too. May as well use the rest of this s***show season for something productive.

No one would trade for Errorsson, at least not with his cap hit. Other teams know he's useless too. Too much cash and term left on his contract to take a gamble that the change of scenery would help him and he'd suddenly stop making horrible mistakes, scoring on his own net, turning the puck over, standing around like a pylon, and playing like he's half the size he is. He's been in the league for a decade. He is what he is at this point. I doubt he'd get picked up off waivers either, even if he'd come cheaper. One could hope though...

Kronwall should be waived instead. Holland getting rid of more youth. Good job.

I dunno if it's that he doesn't care about not being a Red Wing, or if he's just saying that if he's traded in general that it won't be a big deal to him. Trades happen, and if he is traded, then he'll roll with it and play where he's sent. Trading Mrazek at this point is ridiculous. His ceiling is high, much higher than Coreau's, who has started to struggle as well. Howard has been great this season when healthy, but who knows what will happen with him in the future. He could come back from his injury and play horrible again, or suffer another injury. You don't give up on a goalie with Mrazek's level of talent after one bad season, especially with it being a horrible season for the team in general. With the uncertainty surrounding all three goalies right now, you don't move him unless it's a trade that brings huge reward, and that won't happen. Protect him him the expansion draft, Vegas won't take Howard or Coreau anyways, so there's nothin to worry about.

Yzerman may as well still be captain. Lidstrom, while a great player, wasn't much of a captain. He was simply next in line for the "C" due to his on ice abilities and being with the team since The Streak began. The year he won the cup as captain, i'd say Z was more integral to the championship run as far as leadership goes. Not saying Lids didn't play a big role as well, but out of it all, the moment I recall most is Z killing off that late third period 5 on 3 frustrating the hell out of Crosby or anyone else who touched the puck. But while Z has better leadership abilities than Lids did, he doesn't come close to Stevie. Playing the entire 2002 cup run on one leg says it all. Pretty well any other player would have packed it in.

Holland said something about him not having a great attitude, and not working hard enough while experiencing the adversity of a down season. Apparantly he was in the backup net during practice and skated off when Coreau did (whoever is designated backup for the upcoming game is supposed to stay on the ice longer to work with other players on shooting adjustments and other things and with the injured players able to skate), and "a teammate" asked him about it. He said he was pissed Blash was giving Coreau the start instead of him. Guess he felt he should start, especially with Howard injured and Coreau having just been called up. It probably snowballed from that point.

Haha if Weiss made Cleary money he'd still be around somewhere. And Datsyuk's blood is black.

Yeah, there's not much value in goalies at this time. Tampa and Pitts are trying to trade Bishop and Fleury right now so they don't lose them for nothing. Bishop is UFA and they can't resign him with Vas being the one they want to move forward with and protect from Vegas. Fleury will surely be snatched by Vegas if he's not moved, and they can both probably be had for a low cost. Dallas will probably be looking to trade Neimi soon as well. Elliott is UFA and won't be resigned by Calgary. Tons going on.

Exactly. I fully expect Blash to get another season at least. Kenny probably doesn't even know Hitch is unemployed, and if he does, most likely didn't give it a moments attention. Once Kenny gives you a contract, it may as well be a pact for life. He probably signs it in blood.

From WIIM. Another link there: http://www.wingingitinmotown.com/2017/2/1/14457328/quick-hits-bolts-ready-to-move-on-from-bishop-blashill-believes-wings-can-go-on-run That's the latest thing i've read concerning playoffs from Blash. In the last thing I read from Kenny, he was saying he wasn't ready to start selling, playoffs are still very possible if they can get everyone back from injury and put some wins together, they have a good team that has the ability to make some noise, etc, etc. Typical Kenny bulls***. He refuses to admit the team is in huge trouble in a number of ways, refuses to come out and finally say he's committing to a full, proper rebuild, even though most fans want it, and some of the team has said they want it. Probably the only ones who don't are the ones who have the real power to make it happen, and that's frustrating as hell.

He had said this was his last season of coaching in general. He didn't even want to coach this year, but the Blues convinced him. Maybe he'd consider coaching still though... I agree he'd good for Detroit just not sure he' like the idea of coaching here wit the team in a free fall and no real plan for the future in place. Hell, Blash and Kenny are still talking about a playoff run when it's clear that they need an asset selloff and a high draft pick more than anything. It's insane.

Hitch was retiring at the end of the season anyways. Interesting option for Vegas though if they can convince him to stick around. Vegas will will a few solid choices for a head coach. As for him coming to Detroit, I can't see it happening. He doesn't strike me as the kinda coach who likes his GM closely involved with how he runs his team, plus I think a lot of coaches know Kenny has a mess on his hands, and may be too set in his ways to fix it in a decent amount of time. When guys like Kronwall and Errorsson, who have zero chance of being claimed (even though it would be great) don't get waived whe there's a D logjam and a young player gets exposed instead, there's a big problem. Kenny and his "loyalty" have ran this team into the ground.

Mrazek has struggled this season obv, but it's time for Blash to set any problems they may have with each other personally aside, give him the net back and let him work things out, at least until Howard gets back, then go from there. Coreau getting continuing starts is not working out. He's had some good outings but lately he looks like a borderline AHLer. His inexperience is showing. Just because your 6'6 and cover a lot of net, doesn't mean you don't have to move to make saves. And his movements mostly consist of hitting the ice anytime an opposing player gets close. That shorthanded goal he allowed against NJ was a perfect example. Palmeri is a former 30 goal scorer, getting down on your knees before he's even around your defender then diving facefirst on the ice and giving him a wide open net..great move. Not playing Mrazek will not help him to regain his form, which the team desperately needs. I know Blash and Kenny keep talking about making a run, but it's not happening. Sell assets, play all the kids, waive Kronwall and open up a D spot for Sproul or another D from GR, and start the damn rebuild already. Mrazek will be protected in the expansion draft. He is the only goalie with any chance of being claimed. Howard wouldn't because of age, injuries and inconsistent career play, and Coreau wouldn't even be thought of as a possible pick with his limited experience, and lately showing he isn't NHL ready. Vegas will have guys like Bishop and Fleury (if not traded by then), Raanta, Neimi/Lehtonen, Halak, Elliott, Smith, Budaj, Gustavsson, Reimer, Ward/Lack, etc. HSJ saying expose him and protect Coreau, who has barely any NHL experience, and go forth with Howard/Coreau if he is claimed, I dunno wtf she was on, but I want some. Lol

No, but if there was a period of time where he could have earned it back, that was it. His GAA wasn't over 3 in that time and he got 8 out of 10 points. Just pointing out that his entire season hasn't been as horrible as some of you guys see it as. If you'd rather keep an inconsistent veteran who's never achieved a single thing with a groin to rival Gustavsson's around based on 15 games this season, cool. I'd rather cut ties with the past and go wit youth, regardless of the problems the younger guys are having right now. Let them play, ship Howard out. Oh wait, they can't because he's still untradeable.

I don't think Howard is tradeable. Even though he's been playing well overall, which no one expected, he's already been injured twice. His solid season means nothing if he can't play. Injuries aren't new for him either. That, coupled with his history of bipolar play, which hits the lows at bad times (like playoffs), I see Holland pretty much back where he was in the summer with him. Only now he's got two younger goalies to keep instead of one, and Howard has 2.5 seasons left instead of 3. I agree buying him out would be stupid, but Vegas won't take him. Might have to waive him. If he clears, pay his contract off as it sits. If he doesn't, good.

Been some talk in the press lately about how Mrazek needs to work harder, how he wasn't responding well to adversity and getting pissed at Blash and doing things like leaving the backup net at practice too early, and he needed to basically man up and get back to form, and he responded with a solid outing last night. Hopefully it continues and gets back to where he once was, at the top of the league.

Howard isn't worth anything in a trade, regardless of his play in a whole 15 games. And not all those 15 were good. He's injury prone, inconsistent (especially for an 8 year vet), and still has two years left on a $5 million plus per contract. No team will touch him. He's the obvious choice to expose in the expansion draft. Can't risk losing Mrazek or Coreau, and Vegas won't take Howard anyways, although one can hope. Save Kenny from having to waive him. Mrazek has been inconsistent, but he hasn't even played two full NHL seasons yet, and overall he's 55-39-11, .912 SV%, 2.43 GAA, 9 SO. Playoffs 4-6, .931, 1.88, 3 SO. These numbers, while on a pretty bad team, are very respectable, even excellent. Especially his playoff numbers while being wayyy overmatched against Tampa. His current slump is no reason to give up on him. Too many overreact about how bad he's been. Coreau shows promise, and i'm happy the Wings have him. He's got a .889 SV% with a 3.43 GAA so far, and is 2-1-1, but we still need to see more of him, and i'm sure he'll get better.

Halak was playing pretty bad, and yes, it was part of the reason, but it was also to go forward with Greiss and Berube. He was on the outs for awhile now.

Doesn't need to be elite talent. The league these days has tons of great players at all levels of skill, and the goaltending has never been better, with many teams having two starter calibre goalies. They'll have a solid team. Much better than any of the other 7 franchises that have joined since 1991. It's not going to be a Sharks or Senators team with 8 wins in their first couple seasons, or a BJ's team that missed the playoffs in it's first ten seasons.

But he did play well enough while Howard was injured the first time. Once Howard was back, one loss and he's benched even though Howard lost his next three games until he was injured again. If you want to look at it as Mrazek was by then the backup and Howard was simply given his job back, cool. But saying he didn't earn it back, wrong.

If it gets to the point where Howard has to go (which may happen this coming offseason with Coreau no longer waiver exempt next season) and the Wings can't find a team interested in making a trade, then the only option is waivers or buyout. Yes, they'll need need retain most of his salary for two seasons, but the team is capped now and in the league basement. Not like freeing up that money matters, especially with pending UFAs. Despite his performance so far this season, I really can't see him not being the one of the three to go. Despite Mrazek's issues so far this season, which I think will work themselves out, and he and Coreau still developing, there's no real reason to keep Howard over two younger goalies with the current situation the franchise is in. He's gonna be 32, has reached his ceiling, is injured at least once a season, and his play is erratic for an 8 year veteran. And yes, I KNOW HIS STATS in 15 starts this season, but in the grand scheme of things that's a drop in the bucket. Halak was waived mostly because the Isles are going with youth. He cleared, as expected.