Learn2LuvIt

A lot of good posts with specifics on player moves/acquisitions etc.  My list is more at a high level as an organization.
1.  Determine our goal/identity as an organization for the next three years, develop a clear plan, and stick with it no matter what.  If this is a youth movement, then so be it....the wavering mid-plan by getting distracted by early/mid season success and then thinking "we could make a playoff run", bright shiny player pick-ups, etc. is what kills.  Also, have a 5 year plan that transitions from the 3 year plan.  Be open and transparent to your fan base about the vision.  Not with every minute detail, but let them know where your heads at as an organization and don't hide behind set-backs.  Getting them a look into what your are trying to accomplish could help with getting them excited about watching the plan come together and sticking with the team.
2.  Get the best coaching and support staff that money can buy.
3.  Agree as an organization that there are very few untouchables in regards to roster moves if the moves align with our three year plan/strategy.  My short list would be Larkin, Mantha, Zadina, Veleno and....no one else.
4. Defense development as a priority.
5.  The mentality that every move counts.  EVERY DECISION CAN MAKE YOUR TEAM BETTER.  From what to serve at team breakfast, to what type of skate sharpening machine do you use, to minor, low profile development league player decisions.  Jeff Luhnow, GM of the Houston Astros, has/had this mentality when re-building the Houston Astros and his philosophy has been talked about a lot.  There is a story that one of their assistant coaches (not very high up in the coaching ranks) thought they could get better at base running by putting a trash can half way down the first base-line in practice.  This idea was simple, and sometime used in even youth baseball, but many of their players weren't running the first-base line at an angle in preparation to round first and head for second.  They started dong this.  Luhnow their GM believes this helped them gain 15+ extra bases throughout the season.  Every decision can make your team a little better.
 

Agree with these sentiments.  Plus, you have to consider the Canadian contingent that has a heavy hand in the whole HHOF process/Board of Directors/Selection Committee. More of late It's gotten more representation from people who's home country isn't Canada (e.g. Igor Larionov), but you have to be a no-brainer, LOCK, if were a player from Russia. 

Got it!  I thought they lent players to other teams in their own league...that's what threw me.  Thanks for the explanation.  Makes total sense.

Benefit of player development in better conditions. It´s very common. 

The NHL loans players too. Christopher Ehn was under contract with the Red Wings last season, but played for Frolunda. Sulak was under contract with us but was loaned to the Pelicans of Finland's SM-Liiga.
The only reason players like Cholowski and Rasmussen aren't considered loans when they go back to the WHL, is because the NHL, AHL, and CHL all have agreements between them that facilitate the process/organization of loans to the point that everything is pretty much systematic. Thus it ceases to feel like a true loan in spirit.
To answer your questions though, the team receiving the loaned player essentially gets a good player for free, and the team offering the loaned player gets to have said loaned player develop on a team more suited for them, A. because the player isn't ready  yet and needs to develop more before joining a higher league, or B. they're simply isn't enough room on the big club and it's better to have a player play somewhere than not at all. Could be a combination of both A and B. Disclaimer: I'm speaking strictly from a hockey standpoint, I do not understand the mess that is soccer.

The Oilers trade was the biggest destruction of loyalty at the time. 

Yes signing a "hometown discount" usually does mean less money than they could get on the open market. And because they're taking less money, that usually comes with some form of NTC. Notice how I keep using quotations? That's because I consider a "hometown discount" to be born and raised and / or drafted and developed. So those GR guys that you're talking about that Holland has been so loyal too, those are the home grown players I'm talking about that take a "hometown discount". This all started because you said hometown players rarely get to see their families anyway because they're always playing hockey or out partying, which simply isn't the case.
I'd take that bet any day. 
I'm not even sure what you're trying to say with the rest... What sort of trade is Holland realistically going to be offered involving Larkin that would definitively make the team better? 
Anyway, I've said all I need to say. I disagree entirely, but you're certainly entitled to your opinion. 

Personally, I'd want to play for whatever team drafted me for my entire career, for better or for worse. However, if that team traded me or something, then all bets are off and loyalty is out the window. I'd hunt the money at that point.
Playing for the Wings would be cool, but it wouldn't be my priority.

This is pretty much how I feel. 

Charlie Sheen agrees.

$2 million buys a lot of coke fueled hooker parties, but not enough coke fueled hooker parties

I am but a humble Wings fan, what is this disloyalty you speak of??
In general you should always try to make as much money as you can. Your career could be over like Franzen's at a moments notice. I just saw some former 1st rounder just retired at 26 for health reasons (can't remember the name). A lot of these guys have only hockey as a skill. Maximize what you make during your time.
But in general I like players who stick with the clubs that drafted them. Tavares can suck it.

Signing that "hometown discount" usually comes with some sort of no trade protection though, so all of that is moot. It is a business, but it's not as dark as you describe it either. Look no further than Ken Holland for proof that loyalty still exists. Larkin, Abdelkader and DeKeyser are all hometown guys that (for right or wrong)will likely play their entire careers in Detroit. You can't really say that Abby and DeKeyser took any sort of hometown discount, but Larkin is talking that way, because one, I think he wants to stay close to home, two, he knows he has the opportunity to be the guy in the next couple years, and three, he wants Holland to have the cap flexibility to surround him with good players, and hopefully contend for / win a Stanley Cup.

Don't forget Holland.  I heard he kicked 72 Michellins, 35 Hankooks, and 29 Firestones while negotiating his Tavares signing.  

...also to address the "out on the road" parting subject, ALL NHL teams while out on the road have curfews to adhere to, and I am sure if they got lit (I am sure some have) before that curfew, I am sure it shows the next day at practice and maybe even impact their playing. IMO, players, when they go out to dinner with their teammates during the season while on the road, tend to take it easy when they enjoy a barley pop with dinner. Today's NHL just does not allow that to happen. In the NHL today, if you cannot keep up, you don't have a job. Most players value their money and livelihood over getting blasted while traveling with the team the night before the games. 
Well San Jose was in on him, rumor was they had offered him more and I believe that with the addition of Tavares, they'd be closer than Toronto is with him.  I do believe Tampa was also in on him.

Sure, sometimes it works out... but I'm not sure a player or probably more specifically their agent is like "you should take less money to play at home" or "you know, you'll never get better minutes you could get elsewhere, but you'll be playing in your backyard."
Which ones?  I don't even remember which teams were really courting Tavares or which ones, besides the Isles could offer him more money or term or which ones might be considered "closer to winning"   Toronto, frightenly enough, is not that far off.
Suter and Parise took a discount.  Damn.  How's that working out for them?
Dekesyer could have gone elsewhere?  Damnit!  Kidding!  (Kinda.)

Two words:  John Tavares.
Also, I've seen Abby out twice now in Detroit.  Each time he has been with his gf/wife at a very nice restaurant and he's maybe had A glass of wine or cocktail. I'm not going to pretend that I know a bunch about the guy, but Abby seems more like the "I'm gonna settle down" definitely not a "...with the boyyyyzzzz" type guys. 
As far as him being traded, just like Helm, his NTC is modified so if he's not playing top minutes or if we don't make the playoffs.  He CAN be traded whether he'd want it or not.

No real argument from me.  I guess that IS the thing about hockey players in general, unless you know them... or you seek out the spots that they hang in... you may not really know what their habits/lifestyle is like.
 

Okay, I respect that.  Agree to disagree.  That is nostalgic.  Great to dream about.  IMO...today....It's all about the money$.  Now, I will say this....everything being equal (the money$, the playing time, the chances of being successful, etc.), sure a guy may pick his home-town.  But I just don't think this "home-town" thing factors into their ultimate decision.  These agents these days talk to these guys in terms of "you'll likely have between 5-10 years of player salary earnings (if you're lucky...how do we maximize your income in the amount of time to set you up for the next phase in your life".
On the partying.  I'm not going try and play "big shot", I'm an average guy (at best ), but I am fortunate to have a few friends that play(ed) in the NHL.  Regulars.  Please trust me when I say this; most of these guys drink more than barely.  Some party like you wouldn't imagine.  I may or may not have partied with the guy in question on this thread.  I may or may not have had many, many beer(s) with the Captain of the Blue Jackets a few weeks ago up north.  Dats partied and drinks.  Z drinks. Draps. Malts. Big E. Stevie Y.  Cheli. Luc R. Jimmy Howard.  Dom.  Larkin.  A Downey. Sid.  These guys don't "barely drink", many of these guys put them back like it's their job.  Ask a player what they do on the road after games...for most of the guys it's not Netflix back at the hotel.  Ask a bartender at a good bar downtown, or a bar in Royal Oak, or Birmingham (like Dick O'Dow's) if Wings/NHL players "barely drink".  I completely disagree with you on this point (respectfully).

And my son who is currently 5...but showing tons of promise

Which is why I didn't want to offend....

I get the sense that Mantha understands and embraces how this whole Being a Red Wing thing works. Be a good soldier, be a good teammate, be a good person, do your best, do what's asked/demanded of you, don't rock the boat (even if people in the organization call you out in the media) -- and don't go HAM when negotiating your second contract. If you can manage all of that and become anything remotely resembling a core guy, the Wings will take very good care of you.

Carpenter Bees! They may not sting, but those annoying things just keep coming back year after year after year tearing up your deck!

Those people are idiots.
There's zero chance he gets sent down to Grand Rapids. Zero.

I have the opinion that the short term deal was more a move by he and his agent to ultimately hit the free agent market quicker (2 years), with a much higher payout.  IMO-Mantha and his internal team know/believe how much of a stud he is, and his potential for the next 7-12 years.  They realize how young he still is, and that he still has some growing pains and development to fully adjust to the NHL game.  Hence the slump he fell into last year.  This slump I believe also pulled the offer $$ down on this current contract signing.  But again, they fully believe he'll be an offensive FORCE and highly coveted in the league very soon (especially considering his size).  This was a smart move by he and his agent.  Get great money (some believe he got too much $ on this deal) for a short term deal, and hit the market in two years where his value, by their hopes and speculation, will have skyrocketed.  Smart.
I'm not a big believer in pro athletes with very shrewd agents, doing things for good will and kudos.  Everything has dollar signs $$ behind it.