barabbas16

And if he wasn't lazy and didn't suck.

Okay, first of all, mate, thanks for sharing your unique perspective on things.  Again.  But just for now, why don't you try on some positivity, eh?  A little positivity might go with that vest.

That actually sounds quite painful.

In his defense, everything else he's tried has also not worked.

Disagree.  Nyquist needs to have a solid year so the Wings can get an asset for him at the deadline.  Zadina can come up then, if he's ready... or earlier if the forwards get hit by injuries like the D has, but not instead of a healthy Nyquist.

Yeah.... ooh, but he's played more games so not a fair comparison!

If they'd just kept Quincey instead of Derek (f-ing) Meech like they should have back in 2008 or whenever that was, that crap trade never happens.  Mistake upon mistake.  Say what you will about KFQ, but he's better than DFM.

If they'd just kept Quincey instead of Derek (f-ing) Meech like they should have back in 2008 or whenever that was, that crap trade never happens.  Mistake upon mistake.  Say what you will about KFQ, but he's better than DFM.

1.  Calling the Rangers a better team to support your argument is pretty weak.  They finished a whole 1 spot above Detroit in the east and also missed the playoffs easily.  Detroit was 2-0-1 against the Rangers this season.  The Rangers were 3-11-2 in games that Ryan Sproul played.
Also, your statement that Sproul beat Daley in every statistical category per game is inaccurate.  1 goal in 16 games is not better than 9 in 77.
2.  This statement is completely unsubstantiated.  The team's performance for an entire season can't be blamed on one player (unless it's the goaltender, in some cases).
4.  We already know what we have/had in XO, Sproul, and Jensen.  XO is passably responsible, but has little offensive upside and is always the slowest skater on the ice....I'd just assume play Lashoff at this point - I think they have the same ceiling.  Sproul is the defenseman equivalent of Tomas Jurco (a LGW super-hyped prospect that turned out to be a fringe-NHL player).  The fact that he couldn't stick around here over XO speaks volumes about his time in the organization.  Jensen I actually like, but I like him only if he is a bottom pairing or #7 defenseman on the team and continues to get paid essentially the league minimum...again, though, he's already shown what he is.  I agree that it would've been nice to see more of Hicketts at the NHL level this season (since he's the only one of those you listed for which the team would need to figure out "what they have"), but for me that's as simple as waiving XO.
 

So, I guess Zetterberg will finish above them on the all-time Swedish scoring list.

Lol, starting Coreau in this game feels a bit tankish...

Someone posted the other day about the #of posts in the GDT being a new low and suggested we go without one... I just assumed that was happening.

I don't think it makes you a bad fan.  It's just a bad system, in my opinion.  It's set up to encourage losing for the bottom third (or so) of the league.  I disagree with it ("YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME! HELLO!?"), but it's how it is and we certainly have no effect on that.

Dahlin isn't "slipping away". Why would we get the 10th overall pick? We're currently sitting in 8th (from the bottom), so that would mean you fully expect 2 teams ahead of us in the standings to pick 1,2 or 3 in the draft... You think a team with worse odds than us can win the lottery, but we can't? Pretty pessimistic mind set isn't it?
It's not going to take "incredible luck". Literally every year a team jumps ahead of a team with better odds. Whoever finished last place in the standings, there's actually a higher probability that they don't win the draft lottery than they do. They only have an 18% chance to pick first overall. That means there's an 82% chance that they don't. We currently have a 5.8% chance to land Dahlin. No, they're not great odds, but give me those odds in the Power Ball or Mega Millions and I'd like my chances. We also have an 18.3% chance of getting a top 3 pick. Slightly better odds than the worst team in the league has at Dahlin... We dropped back two spots last year. The chance of that happening again are likely slim. I like our chances of moving up this year. Maybe we luck out and get Dahlin, or maybe we get number 2 or 3. Either way, I think we're going to get a very good player in this year's draft.
You also have to consider the fact that we're going to (hopefully) sell off some pieces by tomorrow. That could potentially drop us down another couple spots in the standings, which would *ever so slightly* improve our lottery odds.
We also have a very difficult schedule down the stretch, which could bode well for us dropping a few extra points. We have NYR, STL, WPG, MIN, BOS, VGK, CBJ, SJS, LAK, ANA, COL, PHI, WSH, TOR, MTL, PIT, BUF, OTT, CBJ, MTL, NYI. Of those 21 games, we have 3 back-to-backs, 7 at home, 14 on the road, and only 5 of them are against teams with no chance of the playoffs (possibly 7, if CBJ and NYI are out by April).
I've disagreed with a lot of Holland's moves over the years. Mainly free agent signings and trades, and a couple draft picks along the way, but one thing I do agree with him on, is keeping the winning culture. I'm glad we're not a team that is going full tank mode. I like that we're still remaining somewhat competitive on a nightly basis. I don't want us to tear it all down and trade everyone. I do hope he trades a few players by tomorrow though. When you're in our position, UFA's must go, and if teams are calling on players under contract, you still have to listen to every offer out there...
Best case (somewhat likely) scenario, we trade 2-3 players by tomorrow's deadline, fall another spot or two in the standings and win the lottery with a top three (hopefully number one) spot in the draft.

4th round selection = nothing
5th round selection = less than nothing
Mrazek = 5th round selection
4th round selection > Mrazek

4th round selection = nothing
5th round selection = less than nothing
Mrazek = 5th round selection
4th round selection > Mrazek

What do YOU mean by "you people"?

Yeah, it just sounds a bit Brian Fantana-ish...60% of the time it works every time.

My favorite part was "definite possible" NHL starter

My favorite part was "definite possible" NHL starter

I'm sure population comes into play to an extent, but isn't the pull/influence for U.S. kids to play other sports (vs. hockey being #1 in Canada) the main factor?

And they'll get Nosek back too after Vegas waives him.

And they'll get Nosek back too after Vegas waives him.

I wasn't missing your point.  We were just (kind of) trying to have two different conversations.  I was trying to get bogged down in whether Filppula or Hudler coming or going was a mistake or not.  I understand where you're going with your point....I just don't think that's where Holland is going. 
People can dream all they want about getting Stamkos or Tavares... via trade or free agency.  I just don't believe that's ever going to happen.  If this team is getting another Fedorov level player, in my opinion, it'll be through the draft.  But, I think Holland will try to remain competitive and will not tank.  So, I think it's likely that Holland will just try to replace Tatar with a similar player if he 'lets him walk.'  And, as a result, I see the past mistake with Filppula as potentially relevant in the current situation with Tatar.

Letting Filppula walk was a mistake, though.