wings4thecup06

Bah. I think Tatar has probably the most upside, purely because of his tenacity, desire for the puck, and his hunger to be good. You can see it on every shift. Yes he's been quiet lately, but no player is ever on all of the time. I reckon that they'll both stay, because right now they're both our main scoring threats, and I doubt KH would want to let go of them. Nyquist is good, and will be good too, but I have a feeling that he's come back down to earth slightly after his amazing run last year. He could still end up around a 30 goal scorer per year though. The good news is, I don't see KH getting rid of either of these guys, and we've all seen how essential secondary scoring is in this league. They'll both be here for a while is my prediction

Dude relax. Things will be fine. Yes Howie is having a rough stretch since he returned. But it's gonna be fine. We're the ones in a position of strength here. We've got games in hand on Boston. And points (granted the gap has closed) in hand on both the B's and Ottawa. I'd much rather be where we are now with a team that has shown it can burn anyone when firing on all cylinders than last year, when we were scratching and clawing our way just to get in to the playoffs. If it were me though, I would have gone with Mrazek tonight. But that's just me. I hear you on Howie LeftWinger, but I believe he'll be fine. He just needs to figure it out, and yes it's come at a really bad time, but we all couldn't have expected this season just to have gone plain sailing, so adversity right before the playoffs is good if you ask me. Look back 7-8 months ago, when half of this forum probably was calling for the wings to tank, and believed that this team had no shot at even making the playoffs. Yet here we are, with 10 games left, in a good position. Let's just think about that for a second. It's not good for us fans, because most of us are now s******* a brick, but I believe we'll make it. Just gotta take 2 of the next 3, and take it game by game. Both Boston and Ottawa are in tough tonight (Bruins/Ducks, Sens/Rangers), so it's a huge night of hockey. LGRW!!!

Seeing as he retired, wouldn't he have to be re-instated by the league, not just get the approval of the 29 other teams?

Nah I disagree. The culture of that entire organisation is wrong. When Brian Burke came in it was heralded as the big thing the Leafs needed and there was going to be a rebuild. But he didn't tear the entire thing do and do it slowly. Instead, he tried to rush things, probably because he was told to do so from some rather impatient people above him, and look where the Leafs are now. They've made the playoffs just once the past 10 years. This team deserves a proper rebuild. Right from the ground up because they've been trying quick fixes and patches here and there for the last decade and it just doesn't work.

I'm not about to go and make out the KH is a God or anything, and yes there have been moves I've disagreed with, but I think you have to give him a ton of credit for changing his philosophy. Let's face it. The odds of winning the Cup are pretty slim. It's the reason why it's the hardest trophy (IMO) to obtain. How many teams have we seen in the Cap era who have traded away their future in the aim of building their team up only to falter and then slip into oblivion for a few years? The Wings have at least, been consistently competitive since the lockout. Maybe not where everyone wants, but the fact still remains that you make the playoffs = you have a shot. Thus, it seems to me that KH and co realised that the way to maintain longterm security and a great team was to go this route we are currently seeing coming to fruition now. Build up and grow your prospects well enough, don't make trades or FA signings that will handcuff you, and add the right pieces only when the time is right.

And you'd have to think that the price would be higher for the Wings, being an inter division trade, and just the fact that its the wings and the leafs....

Couldn't agree more. I think the California road trip this month will really test what this team is made of. If the wings play anywhere near as good as last months 6 game road trip then I know for sure we're in good hands.

This is exactly how I feel after watching Ouellet, and the few games I've seen out of Marchenko. There's an air of maturity in XO's game, he doesn't make many mistakes, and when he does, he seem to instantly be able to rectify them.

Why? This isn't the wings of the last few seasons, with lacklustre D leaving the goalies hanging out to dry. Even so, McCollum has looked incredibly solid in his two appearances in this call up. I've been very impressed.

I know this is the 'TANK IT' thread, but could we refrain from turning this thread into a 'bashing ritual of franzen and other softies'? The Wings are, after all, one of the better teams in the league this season, much to our chagrin.....

Well at least Florida lost. Right now I don't care about anything else other than the Wings winning games, and the number 9 and 10 spots losing so the gap keeps getting bigger.

Not all the time though. Only the last few weeks before the ASG was Ouellet in because Kindl was out with elbow problems. Before that, Kindl had been a healthy scratch a few times in favour of Ouellet. I just think he's way ahead of him now, and he's proven that he's clearly capable of being the #6 on the backend. About time they turned the job over to him and let him develop further in the NHL

To be honest, I don't see how they don't give Ouellet a spot on the backend next year. There's no way they can't, not given how he's played. Kindl has to be gone, or at least waived, because Babs is using XO over him at every opportunity. If you ask me, they only way X isn't on the roster next year is because he gets traded. Personally, I'd prefer KH to stand pat at the deadline right now, promote Ouellet full time, and probably do just that in the offseason in the backend. If 1 or 2 kids are actually ready right now, I don't see why we don't just put them in full time on the backend, save our selves some cap space, and allow further development from DeKeyser and Smith to bolster our D from within. Now go ahead and shoot me for being too conservative

Hmm. Personally, Ovechkin, when he gives his all, is the most exciting player in the game. Hands down. He hits. He scores. He's got incredible wheels. I have watched a lot of Caps games purely just so I could watch Ovie, and this year I've definitely noticed a change in his game. There is a commitment to actually back checking and playing D that just wasn't really consistently part of his game before now. Too many times the Caps lost the puck and Ovie would skate nonchalantly back into his own zone, waiting for someone else to take the puck away so he could rush it back the other way. I lost a little respect for him a few years ago when I started to properly analyse his game. I thought and knew, with a little more effort and willingness, he could turn himself into such complete player that would garner the respect of everyone in ways he hasn't had before. I'm seeing that now. The dogged effort to get the puck back is coming from him now. He's skating hard, even in just a checking role. And it's so good to see. I agree to an extent with korrowan. Playing at both ends of the ice is the only way to play. But there are guys that are such special talents, that the defensive aspect of the game goes over their heads. My respect and admiration for Ovie has gone up a notch watching him play this year.

With how the regular season has gone, and the promise this team has gone, I'd be happy if they can win a playoff round. After that, really, anything else is a bonus. I thought that they would make the postseason before the year began, but I didn't expect this team to have performed this well.

Hmm. I thought Marchenko was solid, but personally, I think Ouellet has looked better and has more upside. I just didn't see anything at all in Alexei's game. He made some decent plays and didn't look out of place, and maybe it's cause it was his first NHL game in a year, but I just thought that Ouellet looks better and more promising. Might be just me though. Sure as hell glad that their giving the guys a try out though.

Prospects was the wrong word, you're right. I guess, 'good young defensemen at the NHL level with upside', would have been better.....

yea I know. He's not exactly been standing on his head the last 4. That 5+ GAA will tell you that. I know that. I was just referencing the game that had just happened that's all. but he's still young.

Mantha's game is evolving. We haven't had a prospect with that kind of size or scoring touch in heaven knows how long. Until I see what he's got at the NHL level, I'm not trading him. And I don;t care if he's more Franzen than Shanahan. Size is still size, and we all know that when Franzen was at his best, he was pretty hard to stop. And I don't see why we would trade Tatar tbh. The kid is at the heart of our youth movement, and night in night out, shows the most consistent effort, isn't afraid to go to the tough areas, and loves to score. The guy is virtually a top 6 forward right now, and if he keeps going the way he is, may end up as a top line player one day. And if we're trying to build our D up, why would we then trade away two of our better D prospects in DK and Smith? You would obviously do that deal, and that's fine. I'm just saying I wouldn't want to throw that away, at least not at this stage.

I get what you're saying, but I think some of us wouldn't deem it the right time to make a deal right now when doing so would probably hinder the team a few years down the line because some depth has been lost to acquire a player that right now, won't put the things thoroughly over the top. Whereas, if we wait another year for growth and development to occur, that trade might actually put us over the top and give us a better chance to sustain a decent run. Obviously, I'm not opposed to the right deal. But it has to be that, and it can't be a 'let's throw all the logs on the fire now' approach because I don't believe that this team right now, with say a Yandle added to the backend, for what we'd have to give up, would be close enough to a cup to warrant such a deal.

This is precisely what I think he's doing. Potential is great and all. But actually assessing hands on what players can do at the NHL level is the thing that matters in terms of real evaluation. Wouldn't surprise me one bit if Marchenko stays for 2-3 games and then Sproul is recalled. He's showcasing the players not only to see if they're ready, but also to potentially enhance their value in when the deadline comes round. It's smart. KH is putting himself in the strongest possible position by evaluating what he has at the right time.

Exactly. and he's given his career to that organisation, and the city of Phoenix and the community. If anyone's earned the right to stay around, it's him.

Personally, if I'm KH, I probably sit tight right now at the deadline if the asking prices are crazy. Because this team isn't one piece (I.e a top 3 d man) away from challenging from the cup, and there's no point subtracting pieces from the roster or farm who could actually make this team better at the expense of one player. One guy doesn't make a team, especially when Datsyuk and Z are winding down, we need to hold on to some of our high end prospects. Now, don't get me wrong, they could go deep in the playoffs (theoretically, any team could, and the Wings have shown flashes of being pretty good at times) but on paper right now this isn't a cup contender this season I don't think. But I wouldn't be surprised to see them go to the ECF. I really wouldn't. Having said all that, I just think this team needs another year of growth and experience. And then a deadline deal or something in the off season to shore up the D properly. Think about it. Another year of growth from Tatar, Nyquist and Sheahan, and you've got two really really strong scoring lines that are defensively responsible. Miller and Glendening making up a really solid 4th line (along with say Callahan, or Andersson, or Ferraro, or a plug) and a 3rd of Jurco, Weiss, possibly Pulkkinen (who will only get better and adjust to playing in the NHL). Personally, I think the Wings will be fine up front. And when we can add Mantha and AA in the mix in a year or two, it's gonna get really interesting. I have a feeling that Weiss will be expendable in a year or two. Really, until Sproul/Marchenko/possibly Jensen are ready to play, the stop gaps are really Quincey (which is why I think he got a 2 year deal not one) and Ericsson. Kindl, if he doesn't get traded, may end up as #7 (and there could be a lot worse 7th D men than that) and next year he'll have 2 years left I think the future of this D lies around DeKeyser, Ouellet and Smith. Take those 3, add Kronwall and if guys play to their potential, that's a decent top 4. not world beating, but solid. Which is why we need to add in the next 2 years with a top 3 guy to solidify things. I see it happening at some point, and I don't think they necessarily have to be right handed. Not if Marchenko shows some really good things this week, and if Sproul gets a look too and they like what they see.

And the shocking thing about that is that they might not even land the #1 pick. I would be surprised if they dropped out of either 1 or 2 due to the lottery, but it's possible now with the rule changes. But yea, no question they'll finish last in the league.

I would not do that trade any day of the week. Let's look at this in terms of potential. If all the guys above pan out, then you could be trading a top line power forward (Mantha), and top 6 forward (at least) who plays with more heart, energy and desire for the puck than anyone else I know (Tatar), and a top-4 D man in Ouellet. All for a top pairing D man? I know you have to give to get, and that's fine. But I wouldn't do that IMO.