Dabura

Anton Stralman's a possession monster. Just saying.

That piece I linked to also mentions Tatar, and that he's a possession monster. That's what makes him so valuable - the kid lives to own the puck and drive the attack and make stuff happen. Granted, he faced relatively weak competition and sheltered usage for a high-end forward (and probably for good reason, i.e. his shortcomings on the D side of the puck), but, if we're going to be the kind of team I think we want to be, one that owns the puck and is always on the attack, then Tatar's golden. I don't believe he's going to be a prissy, entitled holdout, but even if negotations go that way, he's worth slightly overpaying. If we weren't struggling to attract top-end talent, it might be a different story.

That's a little harsh. Stuart was good for us, but he played for some powerhouse versions of our roster that would've made almost anyone in the 4D spot look good. He was a heavy hitter, but he definitely had his faults and limitations in terms of his all-around ability. DeKeyser's still very young for a top-four defenseman, and he spent most of last season paired with Quincey. He hasn't proven a ton, and yet, he has. Pretty good puck mover, good frame, good mobility, good head for the game, reads plays exceptionally well, has a slightly Lidstrom-esque sense of how to use his body efficiently and effectively - he's a top-four defenseman who plays smart, steady, elegant hockey, and he's only going to get better. We're very lucky (or, if you prefer, fortunate) to have landed him. The biggest knock on DeKeyser is, I suppose, his possession numbers. This piece gives our D corp's Corsi numbers, which reveal that Brendan Smith is actually a pretty strong possession player. Of course, DeKeyser was always facing pretty tough matchups, pretty tough usage, and, again, he was stuck with Quincey. I think if DeKeyser can get a better partner and Smith can get some power play time and the confidence boost that'd come with the point production, that alone would do wonders for our blue line.

This actually kinda worries me.

Wait, what are you implying?

They'll both be re-signed, each to a reasonable deal. DeKeyser wants to be a Red Wing, didn't take the team to arbitration. Tatar is, I think, a better team guy than we give him credit for being. He doesn't seem to be the second coming of Fedorov in the ego department.

Worth a read.

DAN CLEARY

Kronwall's better than Niskanen. I agree with your main point, though.

Dany Heatley (Danny Cleary's younger, hipper brother) signed for a million dollars. I used to care, but now I take a pill for that.

Except, Groundhog Day is funny, entertaining, enjoyable. Our team's GM revealing that he's a high-functioning addict? Not so much.

THIS PLACE IS DEATH

There's really nothing to defend here. It's not the end of the world, true, but Cleary doesn't need defending or "Can you really blame him for ___"ing, and certainly Holland doesn't need any more people slobbering over his inflated legacy and ego. The guy didn't build the '97 team (wasn't even GM), didn't build the '98 team, bought the '02 team (though, credit where it's due), and miiiiiight have been the chief architect of the '08 team (but Bowman and Nill were still around and pieces from previous teams - e.g. '97 - were still on the roster). Holland's really done nothing recently to prove that he's a top GM. We could praise the fact that he doesn't make moves for the sake of making moves, but, actually, he does. We could say some quality kids were drafted by his regime, but I give the bulk of the credit to the scouting and development people. Ken Holland is a myth. I don't want that to be true. I want to believe he's a genius and that he's 300 steps ahead of everyone. But, really, he just re-signs guys he knows and keeps the kids down as long as possible, hoping it all adds up to another postseason appearance. That's The Ken Holland Plan.

That's already a game. I invented it. I almost regret doing so, because it could end up killing someone this season.

Because he wasn't really healthy. Not trying to give you a hard time. Just saying. The whole thing smells. I think it's safe to say we're past "Well, Dan will have to prove he's unequivocally better than any and every other option," if we were ever there in the first place.

The only way he doesn't play is if he gets hurt and can't play. That's how it worked this past season with him and Samuelsson. There's no "hard line" with him. It's a lie.

When I think of superstars, I tend to think of the guys the average fan would list straight off the top of his or her head. I don't know that Z is on that list, if we're being absolutely honest. Even if he is, that gives us two superstars. My original point was that we're not loaded with superstars, and the - let's say two - we have are the undisputed veteran leaders. So, ultimate point being, we don't have much to brag about, in terms of "Ha! The Blackhaws can't manage their team of stars - but we can!" The Blackhawks are arguably the best team in the league, full of premier talents.

We don't have superstars, though. I mean, aside from Datsyuk.

Good piece by J.J. @ WIIM: Mike Green is an Attractive, Expensive Risk

(Not saying we don't need a solid 2C. We just need, and have needed, That Top-Four Defenseman who shoots right, who can move the puck, who can drive our attack, who can generate offense, who can run an effective power play.)

I've been over this. We need a Mike Green, period. It's not a flavor of the month situation. It's not a grass is greener situation. Our blue line is broken and that's why we've been stumbling for the past several years. We fix our blue line, we score more. We get a forward with size and tenacity, we stil have a fundamental, systemic problem that's going to hold us back against the better teams in the league. We're missing Lidstrom and Rafalski far more than we're missing Franzen in his prime and Hossa.

I want another Cup with Z and D. Jurco's, what, 21? It'll probably be a couple years before he breaks out, and that's if he breaks out at all. We'd all like to see him become the next Hossa or Lucic, but that's probably not happening any time soon if at all. Not that I'd necessarily move him for Green. But, Nyquist is arguably a 30-goal scorer right now, and Tatar is arguably right there with him. Jurco's less of a "sure thing." It's certainty we're after. Green is a known. He's proven. We need someone like him, this season.

Mantha will spend time as a Wing this season. I think that's an inevitability. It's just a question of when and for how long. I expect Pulkkinen to get the *short* end of the stick because he's small and his skating isn't great, and because, frankly, he's a key weapon for the Griffins. Mantha's size should help his cause with Babcock.

If Dan Daniel Danny Cleary returns and Anthony Mantha starts the season in GR, the whole world can go get bent.