Learn2LuvIt

AA - Purely because his Shot% is higher by like 4%. Dylan is a 50/50 pass vs. shoot player this year. AA is most always thinking shoot (which is not necessarily a bad thing).

No worries, I'm very used to is. People (girls in particular) never call me back. I've devised ways around this though. I just need to find out where Coach Q lives so I can continue to try and make this a reality.

I sat next to Coach Q on a flight out to San Fran a month ago. Our connection from DTW was in Chicago, and that's when we ended up on the flight together. No sh--. He was flying into the area for the All Star game and had his wife and kids with him. (i can provide a picture of evidence if actually needed to support the following.). Not posting this to play any type of big-shot or "name dropper" (I got bumped to first class and was originally had a ticket in coach), just thought the below was funny. Long story, long flight, but i basically told coach Q the following scenario that I'd love to see play out: I prefaced this with saying this could be next year or the year after: Jimmy D retires or at least gives up his official role as SVP of the Wings, Kenny moves into the SVP position, and Stevie takes the reins as GM. Stevie hires Coach Q to be our coach. We potentially have Jack Hughes and a stable of younger talent with growing cap room and expiring contracts to improve the team considerably and fairly quickly. Coach Q can keep his family in Chicago if he wants (he said his family loves the Chi area) and be a 40 minute flight to jump to-and-from home when wanted/needed. I also pitched him in relocating his family to the Detroit area as the lifestyle/community is somewhat similar (midwest values, etc.) to that of Chicago. He said he loved the Detroit area and had spent a lot of time here over the years (he named a few areas, restaurants, and golf courses that he really likes). He also gushed about the Wings organization. The deep history, the way they run the organization and what a marvel they've been for so long, original 6, etc.. He commented that "you have this all thought out don't you!" I think he actually liked my plan (hopeful but I doubt it). I told him to call my cell if he wanted me to "set the wheels in motion" lol. I have not heard from him though (yet..lol).

I agree. I've been hearing the same thing...Nyquist's future here in Detroit was all but sealed and he wasn't going to be here next year as his asking price tag $ was prohibitive to keeping him. I like that Kenny is actually starting to make "rebuild" moves rather than trying to keep "above average/good" players and overpaying, giving NTC, and signing them for way too long of contracts. On top of gaining the ability to attain more players with the hopes of finding a few "diamonds", draft picks, even if they are 2nd rounders or even later rounds picks can be very useful in throwing in deal packages to get future deals done. Lastly, it's refreshing to see us cut a kid who grew up on our system loose instead of playing the loyalty card which has burned us many, many times in the past.

If that horizon is this summer when Stevie becomes our GM and we dump some of our dead weight legacy players and Friday, June 21st when we draft Hughes.

Totally agree with this. GM's have to be masters at hiding their disdain (or wanting to move) for their players to boost the optics that said player is a valuable asset. It's most evident toward the TDL when said players start getting above average ice time. Scouts in the building!

Pretty much agree with all of what you've said. I think for the total cost$/package, Kenny may have been thinking that bringing back Vanek was low price to pay to take some of the offensive pressure off of Dylan, Mantha and AA to help their development and get a player with some track record of offensive contribution. I mean...if one or a few of our young offensive studs were to take a step back this year, who else can put the puck in the net consistently? Nielsen and....?? Gus has been a pleasant surprise and I don't think we were counting on him contributing as much as he has this year. Also, yes...way too many NTC's being handed out around here.

Well, that fact that he is 34 and has been a well traveled journeyman, the NTC is probably the one of the big negotiation pieces Kenny played in us getting him back. IMO...34 years old and three kids, probably tired of moving from team-to-team and likely really not wanting to be moved to a team far out West (e.g. LA, Vancouver) and be that far away from his family (I think he lives in MN). Short term deal to provide some veteran leadership and above average contribution to a young/rebuilding team, this wasn't absurd for Kenny to do.

LOL. You're probably right. I'm getting old and cranky.

How about we not play the All Star game and forego the All Star break. It's lame in every sense. Have an All Star awards ceremony or whatever, but marching guys out to play a game of no-touch floor hockey is tired. Having them "Mic'd Up" is really earth shattering and compelling. Whoooaaaa...Ovechkin just said "let's get er' going boys!" Give me more!!

Done!

Option #2. Selfishly - Now that they are in the East, by the time I get my kids to bed most games are in the 3rd period. I kind of miss the days when we were in the West and I could settle-in at 9-10 PM and have a few beers and watch the full games in peace (no distractions from children).

He's at Dick O'Dow's in Birmingham. Funny thing is, I'd actually take that bet. A buddy of mine see's him there all. the. time. I have a pretty funny story about Murph throwing a balled up napkin at my brother (who is from Denver) and telling my brother to go stick the napkin "up Claude Lemieux's A$$!!!" It's actually pretty interesting to think that: in his last years with us, he was likely the slowest player to ever play in the NHL. It's was brutal. However, if he did suit up he'd be even slower...which would mean that he'd be so far behind the play...that he'd be a threat for stretch pass breakaways (going the other way). Hmm

Pretty disappointed we couldn't finish this one out with a win while we were ahead going into the 3rd. Especially considering Trampa Bay had played the night before. The positive take-away: they were coming off playing the night before, but two of our better forwards were out of the game (lil Bert and Mantha)...considering this both teams had an excuses to lose. However, we hung in there and gave them all they could handle. I thought our speed gave them a lot of problems last night (this may be cause they played the night before though and their legs were burnt). Their a top team in the league and I thought our guys showed a lot. I heard someone on the radio this morning state that, after watching the game last night, they can see the Wings being a playoff team that could take a team like Tampa to the brink and potentially beat them. I just don't see it. They are a way better team and IMO..if this were a playoff series, last night would have been the closest we would have gotten to a win. They'd crush us on a playoff series. Their just too dam talented, well-rounded, and deep. Good effort.

I don't know...I really don't see Kenny taking the Seattle job. Jimmy D is 75 years old and has a lot of other things to keep him busy (Tigers, Saginaw Spirit, getting out of bed safely, etc.). I see Jimmy D retiring from the Wings (or at least reducing his role in the organization) and Kenny moving into Jimmy's role. Of course, Stevie becoming the GM.