Neomaxizoomdweebie

Yep, its really not that big of a deal. If ur team is bad and they want out, they'll waive it. Unless ur the Shane Doan type and you just don't want to leave. That's loyalty/commitment to ur team/community. That's a good thing in its own way (unless/until Shane Doan turns into Dan Cleary anyway). NTC/NMC are really only about giving the player more control over their future, especially when they have families. They aren't some insurmountable obstacle that makes them untradeable. Nor does it mean the team is stuck with them forever. Is Holland making his job more difficult if he needs to trade someone? Yes, but not impossible. Besides, that is not even the reason those players aren't being traded. Take away the NTC/NMC from those contracts and those players aren't getting traded anyway. Not Ken's style. So why all the uproar?

I don't want to deal Howard. Mrazek hasn't proven himself as a dependable, stable starter. No one else in the pipeline close to NHL ready. Don't want a Mrazek/Coreau or McCollum tandem. That would be awful. (unless of course that's what you are looking for) Keep Howard, sign Mrazek to a much lower deal this summer and keep him as back-up, or trade him and sign a competent backup in free agency (always some available) to a cheap contract. Wait to see on Petruzelli, with Howard as starter going forward.

Svech? Bert? Doesn't that leave them with only 11 forwards?

Clearly. I wouldn't be surprised if Holland re-signs Ericsson in 2 years either. Can't wait for the "Catalina Whine Mixer" that pops up in here when it happens. (Wish I could have found a clever meme for this.)

Positive note: NTC/NMC are put in by the players, right? The number of NMC/NTC on this team shows that players want to be here. That's loyalty. That's a positive, right?

A couple of articles regarding point production based on line position. This one from 2011: https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/2011/9/27/2452941/common-misconceptions-how-much-should-that-forward-score This one from 2015: https://www.pattisonave.com/reasonable-scoring-expectations-centers/ Based on these articles, overall scoring among forwards between 2011 and 2015 is down 8% which I took into account. I was shocked what I found in regards to point production from top 9 Wings forwards. I am really questioning my math, so if anyone finds different numbers, please correct me. Listed is projected totals for this season based on 82 games being played: Mantha = 72 points = Good 1W Larkin = 68 points = Average 1C Z = 50 points = Elite 2C Tatar = 32 points = Poor 2W Nyquist = 36 points = Average 2W AA = 32 points* = Average 2W Frk = 41 points = Good 2W Abby = 41 points = Good 2W Helm = 32 points = Poor 2W Nielsen = 36 points = Elite 3C * = prorated for full season Of course these are based on a full 82 game season being played which not every player accomplishes every season. Obviously the numbers would be lower with injuries/fewer games played.

Ericsson has 2 years left after this season at 4.25 per. Although that sounds high, the average 2nd pairing defensemen makes like 4 mil+ and 3rd pairing around 2 mil. 1st pairing d-men aren't available via free agency anymore, so the 2nd pair guys that are available are getting bigger paychecks because of it. Brendan Smith was just signed over the summer with the NYR to a 4yr/17.4 mil contract. The Oilers signed Kris Russell to a 4yr/16 mil contract. Both are 2nd pair D AT BEST. That also trickles down to good 3rd pair guys too. I wouldn't be surprised to see this pattern continue this summer as well. That will only help in Ericsson's case. Ericsson IMO is a 4/5. (Good 3rd pair guy who can fill-in for 2nd pair when needed) I believe that most GMs would rate him about the same. So based on current salaries for d-men at that level, Ericsson is overpaid; but not as much as you might think. I don't think that Holland would have to throw in picks to trade him unless it was a higher for a lower. If he had to withhold salary, I don't think it would even take more than 1 mil. 3.25 for a 4/5 d-man sounds reasonable to me. If Holland was to keep 2 mil, Ericsson would be a good value at 2.5 per for 2 years. I think there would definitely be interest there. Although I think Holland would get a better return if he waited until the trade deadline next season. All of this is probably meaningless cuz Holland isn't trading E anyway. I think the best course is just to wait it out for 2 more years.

Nielsen is on pace to score 27 goals this season. And I hope he does considering what he gets paid. His assists are low, but that's not surprising considering who he plays with on the 3rd line. My point is that despite being pushed down to the 3C, with lesser linemates and less ice time, he is still scoring goals at a pace higher than a lot of 2C's. How does that make him a 3C? Because he's behind Larkin and Z on the depth chart, not because his skills or numbers make it so. Over his career, Nielsen has roughly 400 points over roughly 700 games. If my math is correct, that's an average of 0.57 points per game, or 48 points per season. Those are 2C numbers (albeit on the lower end), not 3C. So he is either a lower end 2C (arguable)or a 3C (also arguable) with 2C numbers.

I'm hoping that Blashill is the new Dave Lewis in that he ends up being the filler in between HOF coaches.

From Brouwer's fist? Did that even count as a fight?

And on his backhand no less. He is turning into something special for sure. BTW, don't mean to sound like a Danish fanboy here, but I am becoming more pleased with Nielsen as the season goes on. At this rate he will somewhere around like 25ish goals for the season as a 3C. Not too shabby.

I've noticed that many Wings (not pointing fingers) fans tend to undervalue the players on the team that they feel are underperforming, while fans of other teams see a lot more value. I've seen fans of other teams comment that they would actually love to have guys like Abby or Helm on their teams, particularly when those players fill a void their team is lacking. There would be interest for sure, although there would also most likely be concessions. Sheahan is an example. Pens saw value where many Wings fans did not. He was something Pitt needed, and they saw more than just his goal totals. I thought Holland got a good return considering the numbers he was putting up, which he would not have gotten if the Pens thought Sheahan was as bad as so many Wings fans thought he was. I think you could say the same thing about E. Some Wings fans think he is hot garbage and want him sent down to GR, bought out, whatever. If Holland wanted to trade him (which I don't think he does), there are teams out there who would be interested because they see more value than a lot of us do (although probably not at that salary admittedly). And I think the return would be a lot better than people think.

Calgary 6, Detroit 3 It's either a defensively bad hockey game or defensively good football game.

Svech - Larkin - Mantha AA - Rass- Smith Goosebumps!

What Sisyphus does with a rock. What Chuck does with that rock.

Be honest. How long have you been waiting to use that one?

Or Roland Orzabal's love child. Waiting for him to break out into "Everybody wants to rule the world..." LOL, did I just date myself?

Which is still better than some of the empty toolboxes this team has had on defense over the past decade and a half. Sigh.....

I vote: He doesn't need 2 others.

Ericsson? Seriously though, I hope you're right. Won't believe 'til I see it. Still think he turns out to be a good middle 6 winger. And that's not a bad thing.

LOL, that's the only way I knew what the french door was going on around here.

Don't kill the messenger. I don't want fighting to go away. I grew up watching the true enforcer era. I understand and agree with the argument for it. Players policing themselves, cheap shots decrease when players know they'll have to answer for it. I agree with that, I'm sure the NHLPA would prefer it that way to. But that doesn't change the fact that the league is moving away from it due in large part to liability and fear of lawsuits, even though they won't admit it. I'm not a Proteau fan BTW, but: http://www.thehockeynews.com/news/article/nhl-fighting-cultures-biggest-foe-is-the-legal-system Another very wordy article with a lot of legalese written by a law firm, but still very interesting. https://robichaudlaw.ca/five-fighting-nhls-legal-liability-long-term-health-effects-fighting-enforcers/

I believe he's the new Baron Administrator of Cloud City in episode 8.

Removing fighting from the NHL isnt just about the violence. It's also about liability. The NHL doesnt want to end up in a NFL scenario. It's too easy for former players to sue the league for brain injuries and the like. Remove fighting, eliminate hits to the head, make the players wear helmets...and you make a physical game with risks "safer". Insurance premiums and lawsuit payouts go down, operating costs go down, ticket prices go down...or at least they should. I don't blame the league or even the PC crowd as much as I blame the lawyers. Following up CRL's meme from earlier.

What's the team nickname going to be? https://www.cbssports.com/nhl/news/ranking-15-nickname-suggestions-for-a-future-nhl-expansion-team-in-seattle/ Some good ones in there. Surprised the Metropolitans aren't listed. Would like to see Seals return to the NHL somewhere. Whatever it would be, they have to bring back these sweaters.