What prospects will make the Wings Next year?

[ufcredwingfan 0]

I know its far off but looking at our prospects playing this year will all 4 be ready to make the jump next year and if they are then who is the odd man/men out?

Post your line predictions.

If all four can make the Wings next year it will add of youth, speed, scoring, grit, toughness, and a fighter.

Please don't factor in UFA's that the Wings might try and get.

Williams Datsyuk Grigorenko

Shanahan Zetterberg Filppula

Hudler Lang Draper

Holmstrom/Kopecky Franzen Bootland

Lidstrom? Kronwall

Schneider Lilja?

Lebda ?

Goalies don't even want to go there!

Odd man out maybe gets traded this year. Do We try and keep 1 around as a Mowers role player?

Holmstrom Maltby Samuelsson Cleary

I know it is hard for some people to see Holmstrom, and Maltby not on the Wings next year. If these boys are ready to make the jump then I say they should be given the chance. NO ONE can replace what Holmstrom does but hey someone's gotta move on so the boys can make a name for then selves.

[EstonianWingsFan#1 0]

Grigorenko, Filppula, Hudler !!!

+ Full time Kronwall will be a success if no injuries occur.

Bootland and Kopecky possibly too, depending on injuries.

Even Quincey might have a shot on 5th or 6th defender spot, probably a depth player.

Miroslav Blatak will be in North America next year and Kolasau improves quite well considering defensive department.

Next year Red Wings want to give our top prospects regular time, so if Yzerman retires, we might see some trades for draft picks or younger players to free up space. I don't believe Draper would go, because his scoring decreased dramatically and he is more worth staying in our PK. Maltby is a question mark. Holmström, Cleary, Samuelsson, Lang, Chelios .. hell we might see some huge changes, but first we gotta get to playoffs and get some result to generate ideas. Red Wings have many 30+ players right now whos production and gameplay might fall quickly from now on, quick trades might pop up, rebuilding the team younger might be an option from next year. We have done rebuilding actually nicely, considering Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Williams, Kronwall, Grigorenko coming up, Filppula and Hulder pressing through. Half of the team will be changed already with capable players and the team has stayed still strong in NHL. Take a look at Blue Jackets or Wild or even Predators, whom it took many years to become a good club through rebuilding with higher draft picks, the first two haven't still done much improvements when looking at the standings every year, not to mention playoffs.

Anyway these are my ideas, visions what might happen..

Edited January 13, 2006 by EstonianWingsFan#1

[e_mcgrath88 0]

Grigs and Kopecky

[Barnes52 0]

No Bootland?

[gobias 0]

I don't think they're going to gut the team yet. Next year's line-up is still very competitive AND they have more salary cap to work with; not only because a lot of expensive UFA's are leaving, but the cap is also going up.

Hudler - Datsyuk - Grigorenko

Williams - Zetterberg - Kopecky

Maltby - Draper - Cleary

Holmstrom - Franzen - Samuelsson

Lidstrom - Kronwall

Schneider - Lebda

Quincey - ??

???

Howard

Comments:

Re-sign Samuelsson, Lidstrom, Williams, Lebda, Hudler, Cleary, and Franzen.

Don't re-sign Yzerman, Shanahan, Lilja, Woolley, Rivers, Chelios, and Mowers.

Bring up Hudler, Grigorenko, Kopecky, Lebda, Quincey, and Howard (Filppula needs another year in GR).

Trade Lang.

Sign a UFA Goaltender (Nabokov, Biron, Fernandez, Roloson, Toskala, Legace etc).

Sign a cheap, tough defenseman (a guy like Danny Markov would be ridiculous for this team).

Voila, a younger team that is still a contender. Being a fake GM is easy.

Edited January 14, 2006 by gobias

[Seth 0]

Kopecky finally has one good season and you all already feel he's ready to be an NHLer huh? Glad Babs is in charge and not you homegrown GMs, jesus.

[norrisnick 1]

Kopecky finally has one good season and you all already feel he's ready to be an NHLer huh? Glad Babs is in charge and not you homegrown GMs, jesus.

According to Jim Nill's comments it sounds like Kopecky is the next guy in line for a call-up. And he's more in charge of the team make up (as the assistant GM most responsible for our prospects and dealing with the Griffins) than Babcock is.

peace

[Barnes52 0]

It's a joke that Bootland won't get a look. Although I'd like to see both guys, Bootland plays a bigger physical role and can back it up. It's a shame if Bootland gets the shaft, he's a future power forward, or the closest one we have, it would say that character guys need not apply here, and that the team will only focus on stats. Very sad indeed. If Detroit doesn't win a Cup this year, they'll need to re-think their style of play and strategy, this means I wouldn't be re-signing any guys except Samuellson, Hudler is done here (not a Babcock guy) and Williams doesn't deserve the big cash he may command. This team will need tougher, griteir players, that means they'll need guys like Bootland. I will guarantee you this.....Kopecky will not be a power forward once he gets to the NHL, he has Bootland and guys like Amadio, and now Brett Angel fighting his battles. Not once have I ever seen Kopecky back up his new found "grittiness" and on a team with no toughness, he'll learn he'll have to fend for himself.

[Hatcher#2 13]

It's a joke that Bootland won't get a look. Although I'd like to see both guys, Bootland plays a bigger physical role and can back it up. It's a shame if Bootland gets the shaft, he's a future power forward, or the closest one we have, it would say that character guys need not apply here, and that the team will only focus on stats. Very sad indeed. If Detroit doesn't win a Cup this year, they'll need to re-think their style of play and strategy, this means I wouldn't be re-signing any guys except Samuellson, Hudler is done here (not a Babcock guy) and Williams doesn't deserve the big cash he may command. This team will need tougher, griteir players, that means they'll need guys like Bootland. I will guarantee you this.....Kopecky will not be a power forward once he gets to the NHL, he has Bootland and guys like Amadio, and now Brett Angel fighting his battles. Not once have I ever seen Kopecky back up his new found "grittiness" and on a team with no toughness, he'll learn he'll have to fend for himself.

Bootland will get his shot Barnes52, Nill mentioned both his and Kopeckys names as the next players to be called up depending on who is injured. The way Bootland is playing this year he is showing that he is ready for the Wings and i honestly believe he will be with the Wings next season.

[Barnes52 0]

Bootland will get his shot Barnes52, Nill mentioned both his and Kopeckys names as the next players to be called up depending on who is injured. The way Bootland is playing this year he is showing that he is ready for the Wings and i honestly believe he will be with the Wings next season.

I hope you're right Hatch. But if the Wings sign all their UFA's, sans Mowers, that's still the same team as last year, no more room for any prospects. This is why, unless they win the Cup, they have to cut ties with a lot of guys, the only one worth re-signing to me is Sammy and Shanny

[Hatcher#2 13]

I hope you're right Hatch. But if the Wings sign all their UFA's, sans Mowers, that's still the same team as last year, no more room for any prospects. This is why, unless they win the Cup, they have to cut ties with a lot of guys, the only one worth re-signing to me is Sammy and Shanny

If the Wings don't win the cup this year I dont think Holland will sign them all again, especially if Babcock has a say in it.

[norrisnick 1]

I hope you're right Hatch. But if the Wings sign all their UFA's, sans Mowers, that's still the same team as last year, no more room for any prospects. This is why, unless they win the Cup, they have to cut ties with a lot of guys, the only one worth re-signing to me is Sammy and Shanny

I think Stevie will retire. He's played well when he can get on the ice, but I don't think he wants to go through the risk of all his groin troubles again. Sammy and Shanny, IMO, are no-brainer re-signs. I'd take back Cleary as well. Kirk and Kris won't be around forever and Cleary and Franzen could very well be a reincarnation of their PK/defensive magic.

Will is the one that scares me. He had a hot start on a hot PK unit and hot line but has tailed off and the holes surfaced. That and Babcock seems to have a soft spot for him. I don't think he brings enough to the table to automatically lock up a top 6 roster spot. Mowers is only on the team because of a loophole, he won't be back. That should give us two, maybe three holes to fill. And 4 guys that could realistically make the jump.

peace

[Hatcher#2 13]

I think Stevie will retire. He's played well when he can get on the ice, but I don't think he wants to go through the risk of all his groin troubles again. Sammy and Shanny, IMO, are no-brainer re-signs. I'd take back Cleary as well. Kirk and Kris won't be around forever and Cleary and Franzen could very well be a reincarnation of their PK/defensive magic.

Will is the one that scares me. He had a hot start on a hot PK unit and hot line but has tailed off and the holes surfaced. That and Babcock seems to have a soft spot for him. I don't think he brings enough to the table to automatically lock up a top 6 roster spot. Mowers is only on the team because of a loophole, he won't be back. That should give us two, maybe three holes to fill. And 4 guys that could realistically make the jump.

peace

Who do you think the Wings will look to to fill the gaps? I have Bootland and Kopecky as strong contenders followed closely by Ellis and Flipper.

[norrisnick 1]

Who do you think the Wings will look to to fill the gaps? I have Bootland and Kopecky as strong contenders followed closely by Ellis and Flipper.

Those and Hudler (too much skill to write him off). If they start looking outside our system who knows. We have a lot of NHL, or near NHL, ready forwards that need to get utilized.

Lang being moved (this season or in the offseason) isn't out of the realm of possibility so that may be another spot. Hank needs his center spot opened up. Who knows maybe one of our youngsters will have great chemistry with Pavel so he won't need Hank on his hip anymore. Would have been nice if Babcock would have tried Jiri and Val a bit more on one of the scoring lines. I think Jiri might have had 4-5 scoring line shifts (he had a nice screen on a Lidstrom PP goal) but other than that it was the 4th and the bench for the two.

peace

[Hatcher#2 13]

Hudler is still very young so i would rather he got more time in the Ahl to develop his consistency.

[gobias 0]

Eh, I wasn't impressed with Bootland his first time up. He worked hard but didn't really seem to have any skills going for him. If he's improved like you say, then he'll probably make the team (assuming they ditch a lot of our UFA's).

Either way, it's probably too early to guess on most of the players. I'd have to say Grigs and Hudler are locks to make the team though.

[norrisnick 1]

Eh, I wasn't impressed with Bootland his first time up. He worked hard but didn't really seem to have any skills going for him. If he's improved like you say, then he'll probably make the team (assuming they ditch a lot of our UFA's).

Either way, it's probably too early to guess on most of the players. I'd have to say Grigs and Hudler are locks to make the team though.

Holy crap, I forgot all about Igor. I was locked in the prospects from GR mentality. IMO Igor makes the full jump to the big team. He's mature at 23-24, solidly built at 5'10" 215lbs, fast, and skilled.

peace

[gobias 0]

My biggest worry is where they're going to draw the line with the youth movement. Cleary and Samuelsson are still young enough to contribute for a long time, but will they be re-signed? Draper and Maltby are eventually going to run out of steam, hell, we're already seeing that this season. Will they be let go/traded when that happens? Or will Holland continue to give them checks for being there in the 90s? It's tough to gauge.

I'm not too worried about Williams. If he wants some ridiculous sum of money, I'd guess Holland would send him packing. Zetterberg signed for 2.5 mil? There's no way Williams is worth anywhere near 2 mil.

Here's a pipe dream:

Hudler - Datsyuk - Grigorenko

xxx - Zetterberg - xxx

Samuelsson - Filppula - Kopecky

Cleary - Franzen - Bootland

Lidstrom - Kronwall

Schneider - xxx

Lebda - Quincey

xxx

Howard

Powerforward x2

Defensive defenseman x1

Reliable Goalie x1

[J-Swift 0]

No Bootland?

I believe Bootland's high PIM totals might be holding him back. Granted many of those are fighting majors, but I hear he is prone to being a little undisciplined at times. He definitely deserves a shot at the fourth line next year, though, and should be given a fighting chance in TC. I was wondering if anyone knew whether Booter had made any progress with his skating this season? I know he's not exactly slow, but it is regarded as a weakness of his.

Anyways, I feel Grigs is as close as any of our prospects to being a lock for next season. He should've been here years ago (we all know what happened), and I feel he's recovered enough to still make an impact on the Wings. Filppula and Hudler should also get some consideration to make the top two lines out of TC, as they're both starting to mature, and have played as well as we could've hoped for in the AHL. I guess people are still criticizing Jiri's defensive game, though, so he'll have to work on that.

As I mentioned above, I think Bootland deserves a shot at the fourth line, with Matt Ellis getting some consideration if he has a strong camp. And though I dislike Kopecky, if he's willing to give a solid effort like he has this season in the AHL, he should probably get a shot as well.

[Mighty Wings 0]

I think grigorenko for sure will make it, I'd like to see kopecky make it as well. With the addition of these guys we'll be bigger/more physical and faster. Quincey also should make it depending on how well he plays in GR. If he is a candidate for the best def. award, he should be here, he deserves it. He has done nothing but impress everyone since being drafted.

[Barnes52 0]

I believe Bootland's high PIM totals might be holding him back. Granted many of those are fighting majors, but I hear he is prone to being a little undisciplined at times. He definitely deserves a shot at the fourth line next year, though, and should be given a fighting chance in TC. I was wondering if anyone knew whether Booter had made any progress with his skating this season? I know he's not exactly slow, but it is regarded as a weakness of his.

Anyways, I feel Grigs is as close as any of our prospects to being a lock for next season. He should've been here years ago (we all know what happened), and I feel he's recovered enough to still make an impact on the Wings. Filppula and Hudler should also get some consideration to make the top two lines out of TC, as they're both starting to mature, and have played as well as we could've hoped for in the AHL. I guess people are still criticizing Jiri's defensive game, though, so he'll have to work on that.

As I mentioned above, I think Bootland deserves a shot at the fourth line, with Matt Ellis getting some consideration if he has a strong camp. And though I dislike Kopecky, if he's willing to give a solid effort like he has this season in the AHL, he should probably get a shot as well.

He has made progress with hi skating. He came to camp in the best shape of his life, he's been playing the power play, penalty kill and seeing a ton of ice time.

[ToddDaGod 0]

Grigs will be here next year. I think Liv will try his hand at NA hockey, prolly the AHL. Hudler still needs to develope, Kopecky and Bootland would be nice to see. Wouldn't amaze me to see Quincy pop in a game or 2. I was hoping Tolsa would get his s**t togethor, but that looks doubtful.

[redwings1914 18]

This is how I see it.....

Grigs (Would have been here this season or perhaps even the lockout season if not for the crash)

Hudler (This will be his chance to finally cement a spot here)

Flippula (On just about every other team in the league he would probably be a regular this season)

Booter (He has impressed a lot in the A this year)

Lebda (Although I think he is already considered a regular now)

Kronwall (Wouldnt be on here if he didnt get injured)

Howard (Probably the backup job, however, one more season in the A wouldnt hurt him, see Nittomaki, Staal and Phaneuf....)

Kopecky and Quincey would also get some call ups...

[eva unit zero 271]

Current Wings under contract for next year:

Zetterberg

Datsyuk

Draper

Lang

Maltby

Holmstrom

Schneider

Kronwall

Likely to leave:

Yzerman

Mowers

Chelios

Woolley

Rivers

Osgood or Legace

Likely to return:

Shanahan

Williams

Franzen

Samuelsson

Cleary

Lidstrom

Lilja

Lebda

Osgood or Legace

There will be one opening in net, two on the blueline, and two up front assuming everything here is accurate.

Quincey should pick up one of the defense spots. The other will be filled by an offseason acquisition or a deadline acquisition, or perhaps even Jiri Fischer if he comes back.

At forward, Igor Grigorenko gets one of the spots. Jiri Hudler probably gets the other, with potential for Filppula or Kopecky.

Stefan Liv will be coming over, and likely ends up with the backup job due to age and the desire to see Howard get starts without having to be shuttled up and down. Let alone the fact that Liv is absolutely DOMINATING Elitserien.

[Seth 0]

mark my words after a sub-par camp and quiet 5-10 game stint Kopecky's lazy butt will be back in GR. Hudler might have a chance if he doesn't get dealt for something better. Grigs, Quincey, Kronwall, Bootland, Lebda and possibly Rivers will be in our lineup. What we need is another powerforward and goalie.

Dats - Hank - Grigs

Shanny - Williams - Sam the Swede

Holmstrom - Draper - Lang

Malts - Franzen - Bootland

Lids - Kronwall

Schnids - Quincey

Lebda - xxx

Legace - ???

overall pretty damn decent I think