Echolalia

This is just more evidence that we are lacking a franchise guy at this point. There's 30 teams so you figure if you can meet the even distribution of 6-7 players in the top 200 you're in decent shape, but our handful of players are all in the bottom 75% of that list of 200. We should have at least one guy in the top 50, but we aren't represented there. Granted this is just fantasy value right (I haven't actually looked at the link) so it's not like this is irrefutable evidence, but I think it supports the context of what a lot of us have been saying- the Wings are lacking top tier talent.

I agree. It's ridiculous that there aren't more options for us and frankly with more and more folks cutting the cable cord this is a perpetually growing market the league is missing out on. Frankly I'm surprised that the league isnt pursuing it.

Theyre ok until the framerate intermittently drops, or more frustrating, until they randomly get taken down midway through the game, or just before it starts.

Sometimes I wonder if a fourth line as a designated shut down line is an antiquated aspect of hockey that's only practiced because the coaches from the last generation did it, so it must be the way to go. I would like to see four possession-based lines and see where that takes us.

Frankly Franzen is exactly what the team needs right now. We would be so lucky if Mantha pans out into at least that type of player.

You're all crazy. I'm overpaid.

I mean there are options, such as proxies and whatnot. They just aren't kosher. But more to the point, I think that here in 2016 convenient and legal options for folks to watch games regardless of whether they're in Texas, Australia, or Michigan should be available and independent of a cable or satellite subscription.

Just curious.

Still no legal options for those of us who cut the cord and are still within the FSD market

I was at the Anaheim game where Brunner put in the game winner. It was the same game "You got Kronwalled" was born as well as "Todd Bertuzzi" Easily the best game of hockey I've been to.

I guess Holland isn't the only one who signs bottom six players to long term contracts

goddam holland signing everyone to long term contracts but we like our team amirite?? jk I like it. Dekeyser's a solid player.

Man Paul Kariya was a Wing killer.

babs or

We need Helm. His contract is a bit high but let's not judge the player based on his salary cap over his on-ice contributions. Particularly if this season he's utilized on the PK and for his speed and chaos, and not as a playmaker or goal scorer.

Lol this article is meaningless. Let's ask a very small sample size some questions about every team, most of which they're inequipped to answer, and then draw conclusions from this data. How does this s*** get published? I'm done with this thread lol

Cajones are a hard thing to come by

Wait it was wings fans who made the whole list? No wonder Nill and Yzerman are ranked so highly. Not that I think they're bad, but ranked 1st and 6th place overall and 0 cups between the two of them I think speaks volumes about the bias. Edit: never mind I don't know why I thought that.

The biggest issue I think is our lack of franchise players. Datsyuk is done. Kronwall and Zetterberg are shells of their former selves and should probably be solid complimentary pieces at his stage in their careers instead of heavy lifters. We have potentially Larkin and potentially Mrazek coming in to fill big roles, but even with their early promise they're both still big "IFs" and it still puts us down one franchise defensman and one franchise forward. Those types don't make it to free agency. They're very rarely traded. And unless you have a top 3 overall pick they're tough to pluck out of the sea of mediocrity that is the draft. Statistically our best bet is unfortunately probably to hope for finding a star in the draft. Who was the last franchise guy to make it to free agency? Praise and Suter? And even when that rare moment happened you're still competing with a handful of other teams for these type of players. Trading a franchise guy has become less common since parity redistributed the odds of success in the league. Why should a bottom-feeder drop their 1st line center for prospects and picks if they're only 4 points out of a playoffs spot in February? How often does that happen these days? Subban was traded. But he was traded for Weber. I mean if I was GM I'm not sure my main strategy would be much different from Holland's. I wouldn't necessarily be locking up all this bottom-six talent, but I think my main focus for landing a franchise player would continue to be in the draft, and just keep vigilant on those rare moments if and when a big fish becomes available in the league.

I mean I agree. I'm not happy with where they're at and thing more needs to be done to bring in players we lack. But I feel like naming more than nine teams in worse shape than us isn't remotely far fetched. And I also hate the "we're happy to make the first round and call it a year" argument. Especially if it's followed by some form of "Wings just need to miss the playoffs that will fix everything", (which admittedly didn't happen in this thread, but has def been occurring more frequently than it should and I'm generally in a bad mood right now anyway so I'm going to ***** about whatever I want).

Ive never been able to understand this whole "content to make the playoffs and fold" argument. I don't think anyone is content just making the playoffs. The players have all been vocal about it, it diminishes Holland's reputation, and the Illitches get less income from postseason revenue. Everyone's best interest is going as deep in the playoffs as possible. Holland hasn't had the best success over the past decade at getting our team to take that next step, but treading water while we continue to look for the right fit is a hell of a lot better than drowning, which seems to be what at least a few folks would rather see. I don't know if there's this mindset that missing the playoffs would someone free the shackles from management's arms and allow them to improve the team, like its somehow not possible to improve while still making the playoffs, but trying to make logic of it makes my brain sad. In any event, I'm surprised the rating is that low. To say that there are only nine teams managed worse than the Wings seems like our fan base is made up of a bunch of prima donnas. Actually on second thought maybe that rating is right where I should expect it.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/news/backdraft-2002--ranking-the-forwards--defensemen---goalies-from-the-2002-nhl-draft-165859353-nhl.html They also recently did one from 2000. I wonder if some folks over at yahoo visit LGW for inspiration.

Despite all the flak he gets (and likely myself too because I'm bringing it up) but Darren Helm was that guy in the first half of his career. He would get short handed breakaways on a regular basis. Might not convert on most of them, but at the very least if you're skating the puck down into the other zone I would call that effective penalty killing. I am 100% on board with Helm getting some more PK time along with some of these younger kids who are a threat to tilt the ice in the opposite direction.

thats typically been my philosophy.

Or five for a rook? 😏