LeftWinger

I hope Zadina turns out, but I still think we should've gone D no matter what. Whether it was Hughes or Bouchard. #ThanksHolland I mean, FWIW, he is 6th in scoring on this team, only 6 points behind Larkin and Hronek. If Raymond and Vrana are going to be our snipers, then I really don't mind Zadina become better defensively and a setup man. Whatever he has to do to make his pick at 6th worth it. Maybe he gets dealt too? Yzerman has pretty much said, in not so many words, if you were here before me, then you could be gone if you don't earn and keep your roster spot.

Stecher and Hronek are two of my choices to protect. Question is do you protect Cholowski or Lindstrom? Is Adam Erne earning himself a protection? In whose place? Namestikov? As always do you protect Smith or Svech? I have an odd feeling that Yzerman will choose to protect Smith, he mentioned him more on that TDL press conference and even referred to him as Smitty. Maybe I am just reading too much into that, but ya never know! As of today, here is are my choices: Larkin, Bertuzzi, Vrana, Fabbri, Rasmussen, Smith and Erne. Hronek, Stecher, Cholowski Griess ...I think if you expose Cholowski and or Svech, Namestikov is safe. Then again, maybe Seattle wants a little more experienced player. I do believe that if Erne keeps up his point pace,and he is left exposed, Seattle will take him over Svech, Smith or Namestikov. Just my opinion. Even though Cholowski hasn't shown much, I am not sure Lindstrom has overtaken him (yet.) I guess we will see with the last remaining games who takes the spot!

Vrana Hatty tonight!

Zadina for Caufield....get it done!

...so! Tomorrow it will no longer be the off-season. It's FINALLY here! Let's Go Red Wings! I do beleive our roster is pretty much set, with only one spot up for grabs up front. We have 13 forwards and 7 D on the current roster. Who comes in a takes those spots? I am think Svech has to be in the lead to take the forward spot. I haven't heard anything more about expanded rosters, except for the Taxi Squad, which I will assume will consist of players with waiver eligibility, since players have to clear waivers to be assigned to the taxi squad. I am hoping for a opening night lineup to look similar to this: Bertuzzi - Larkin - Mantha Fabbri - Namestikov - Ryan Svechnikov - Gagner - Zadina Helm - Filppula - Glendening (Erne, Nielsen) ...although I know Neilsen will probably be there in place of someone... Dekeyser - Hronek Nemeth - Stecher Staal - Merrill (Biega) Greiss (Bernier) ...who goes on the Taxi Squad? the rule is minimum 4, maximum 6, with one being a goalie. I know Yzerman said he may go with 2 goalies, but who do you think makes the sqaud? Brome, Rasmussen, Cholowski, Lindstrom, Smith are all good candidates, then do you go with one or two G's? That would eliminate someone from the skaters list, who?

nb

from what I've read about the similarities of the two when it comes to being in the "Doghouse" ends with playing time. Mantha was getting top minutes, and yet was still in the doghouse. Vrana was buried and wanted more playing time. He should get that here, so I would think he would be the one to show a huge difference in his play, considering he will get the icetime to prove that he is as good as he is touted. Mantha will benefit as well by playing with better players. But in terms of becoming a better player than they were on their prior team, I think Vrana will end up improving more over Mantha...although, how much of Mantha's issues were because of Blashill? Let's hope Blashill doesn't "Blashill" Vrana...

Wow! I didn't even know anything about Cossa. I would say Yzerman takes BPA first then, if that's not Wallstedt, take Cossa for sure in the 20's. We have a real bad Goalie pipeline so one of these guys should be the route to go!

so TWO 1st's now! Who are we liking? I am wondering if Yzerman will go D again with his first pick? Power or Hughes? depending on Washington's playoff performance, we could be anywhere from 15 to 32. Hard to make a prediction there, but here are current rankings via eliteprospects.com from 15 to 32:

Hey TWO TDL threads! LOL! MODS feel free to delete this one since it got buried and lost when the site was down.

Ok here is the first list by TSN on March 1, 2021. The deadline is April 12. As expected Staal, Ryan and Glendening are one the list. I know we are straight up sellers, but, like in the Hockey Trade thread, if there is a deal to be made, I would not mind picking up a player that would figure in our future. A couple on this list include: Dunn, Bennett and DeAngelo. Some players that aren't listed that may intrigue are Eichel (wonder what the price tag would be) and (as mentioned in the off season thread) Zach Hyman. Mostly I expect Yzerman to be selling and acquiring draft picks, but with the little rumor out there that he may be interested in dealing a young forward for the right price, you just never know what will happen! There would be a lot of people interested in Mantha for sure! If Montreal called, I'd ask for Caufield and a pick, or maybe him and someone like Mysak.

Well it now looks like they were BOTH too lazy for Yzerman's liking!

He is 25 and could fit into the rebuild timeline. I wish Yzerman had claimed him, but as always, none of us know what's going on between the GM's. Despite what my neighbors, friends, ex-husbands, former butcher says!

I know if the "right" offer comes along that Larkin could be dealt, but IMO Yzerman showed a lot of confidence in him by naming him Captain and it really would take TWICE the haul that Mantha brought to get him to deal Larkin. Anything is possible, but I just don't see Yzerman trading away his Captain. When a Captain is chosen in Detroit, it's a career choice. Unless something catastrophic happens, Larkin should be here his entire career as Captain. If Yzerman had ANY reservations about him being here forever, he would have NOT chosen him to be Captain. He would've left three A's in affect and waited to chose. I also don't see Hronek being dealt unless it's a similar haul as Mantha, same for Bertuzzi. Those players are Yzerman type players. Bert will get a nice raise this summer and the (if he stays healthy) will solidify his spot. BUT much like Mantha, he is older and may not fit in the "extended" rebuild timeline. So maybe he'll get another one year deal and become TDL bait again next season. Hronek is only 23, Larkin 24. I get the feeling that if you are 27-ish or more, then you don't fit the timeline. I have a strange feeling that there may be some surprises when Yzerman reveals his protected list for Seattle. He may even have a trade his sleeve in order to not lose valuable youngsters. Maybe deal Bertuzzi to Seattle for another haul?

I absolutely loved the trade! I am a huge Mantha fan too! But just like has been said, by time The Wings are ready to compete, his contract would be up and entering his 30's and wouldn't fit the rebuild timeline! (side subject. When the site is down for so long, am I the only one hoping that when it comes back up it is totally revamped? I mean, what actually is the reason for shutting it down for so long?)

Because she's 20 years older, birthed 900 bunnies, has mom hips, wears spanx to hold everything in and had a mastectomy due to family history of Brest cancer.

I hope teams "see" his potential and come with some offers for him. With they way our prospects are playing, and Zadina (so far) Mantha is somewhat, dare I say, replaceable now. Jimmy D was right!

maybe then they want us to also acquire a UFA contract to help clear some! or do some kind of 3-way deal where we take the contract and swing it for a pick somewhere else! (that way we can kind of guarantee they waive any NTC or NMC) But looking at the rosters, I see what you are saying.

I think we should offer Mantha up to a contender for a 1st a player AND a prospect. Or a 1st and a TOP prospect. Here are some examples: (I am just suggesting names by Mantha's potential) (also I am not dealing him to one of our REGULAR division teams. So no TOR or TPA or FLA for sure.) STL : 1st, Dunn and Bokk VEG : 1st, Hauge (don't @ me! LOL!) and Krebs WPG : 1st, Perfetti (with their addition of PLD, they have a surplus of C's) EDM : 2 1sts, Puljujarvi and Broberg (LOL, 2 1sts because it's Holland and he likes throwing those around!) NYI : 1st, Wahlstrom and Wilde WSH : 1st, Vrana and Alexeyev DAL : I think this would just have to be Draft picks, not unless we could et Dellandrea out of them. I am sure most (if not all) of these are unrealistic, especially given the play of Mantha this season, but maybe he is just having an off season, and getting him away from Blashill's trash system would turn him back into a 30 goal scorer. of course the reason being I added a couple of players to these suggestions is the 1st we'd be getting would be (hopefully for the acquiring team) at or near 30-31. If I am dealing him to a team that finished 15-20, I think I'd just take the 1st (and a mid-prospect with it, if they'd offer one)

would be a nice addition. nm, he is on LTIR.

I would be interested in Hyman because of his history with Larkin at Michigan. I mean, the NHL is different, but maybe they'd still have some chemistry. But again, I am not saying anything about any players until Blashill is gone. I just find it hard to believe that our players are this bad...even though Mantha is lazy and Jimmy D warned us all, I'd still like to see him under a better coaching staff. But then again, I wouldn't be angry is Yzerman dangled him out there for a trade. Maybe a package for Eichel?

who do we lose to Seattle?

now why would the Arena there play that song? Do they not realize the words or meaning behind the song? Get Low.