Should we risk our future for an elite defenseman?

[Guest Heaten]

Here's the 2012 UFA defensemen

http://capgeek.com/free_agents.php?Year=2012&Team=All&Position=D&FAType=2

[ben_usmc 253]

This may sound wierd but I hope Lidstrom doesn't retire until his abilities start to degenerate probably like 3 years, then we are begging for him to retire. The reason for this is because by then the team will slowly have learned to compencate for losing his talent.... I hope that makes sense

Edited November 10, 2010 by ben_usmc

[Guest Crymson]

DOUGHTY...OFFER SHEET...7 MILL...BOOM...

I'm pretty sure they'd match that.

[robb himself 143]

I'm pretty sure they'd match that.

...then 8 mill....BOOM

[EastonWings 2]

wings will be ok. when nick retires other guys will step in. kronvall,stuart with kindl, b smith are our future. so no we shouldnt trade our youth unless its an older vet. not sure the kings would ever trade doughty tho. its not to often a franchise d man comes around. the only way we land a guy like him is thru a trade assuming he doesnt wanna re sign with the kings and the kings are left with no choice but to move him at the deadline. that wont ever happen tho. i think we will save our money thats freed up when nick retires and use it on getting a couple players here.

[Broken 16 381]

...then 8 mill....BOOM

Lol

Weber would be my top pick for sure. Be great if we can find a way to lure him over.

[Broken 16 381]

wings will be ok. when nick retires other guys will step in. kronvall,stuart with kindl, b smith are our future. so no we shouldnt trade our youth unless its an older vet. not sure the kings would ever trade doughty tho. its not to often a franchise d man comes around. the only way we land a guy like him is thru a trade assuming he doesnt wanna re sign with the kings and the kings are left with no choice but to move him at the deadline. that wont ever happen tho. i think we will save our money thats freed up when nick retires and use it on getting a couple players here.

This. I think we'll see a couple lean and scary years on D until some guys develop. It seems like management plans to lean on Jimmy for a couple seasons until our prospects catch up. I can't see Kenny going crazy trying to find a UFA replacement for Lidstrom. That's a recipe to get hosed.

Of course, with Kenny, you can never rule out the impossible.

On a sidenote... Kindl's game needs a lot of work, obviously, but based on what little I've seen at the NHL level, he has a good head and good vision. I can see him being a big part of the 'committee' to replace Lidstrom.

Edited November 10, 2010 by Broken 16

[Guest mindfly]

You know people said the same thing a couple years ago about chara. Let lidstrom walk, throw money at chara. People also said in 05 we should have signed bulin to a stupid contract out of the lockout gate. Point being,...hindsight is 20/20 But,......the past can teach us the value of not thinking like were playing an EA hockey game.

We won't replace lidstrom, even with doughty,...doughty doesn't have six norris trophys and four stanley cup rings (yet)

When lids retires, this team will have to go in an entirely different direction.

A New direction maybe, but they gotta sign another defenseman with some of that money, that's what i think

[dobbles 252]

He's no Lidstrom, but i've always liked Ian White. He is on a 1-year deal in Calgary, maybe we can scoop him up this offseason.

before the season started white's stock was pretty high, but he has been pretty brutal this year in calgary. most of calgary has looked awful, but many nights white has looked particularly bad.

[VM1138 1,921]

I don't like putting too many eggs in one basket, so I'd hate to see the Wings sell the farm for one player of any caliber.

Lidstrom will leave a huge void, but we still have one of the league's best defenses without Lidstrom. Holland will go out and sign a #2 or #3 defenseman and we'll lean on Kronwall, Stuart and Rafalski a bit but it will work out.

[DEVILSWATERBOY 10]

I do beleive that Weber is a free agent this coming off season, and if Lids retires they should be able sign a top line Dman

[titanium2 867]

I'm wondering who the hell decided to dub Kronwall as the next Lidstrom and based on what reasons? When he was in the AHL I was pretty excited but he played nothing like Lidstrom. For Kronwall I just hope he has a career as good as Rafalski has so far.

[brett 1,029]

Id s*** my pants if i ever saw weber or doughty in a wings uniform

[Guest Stolberg]

suter > weber

[MrWings787 11]

Ericsson will just step up and be an elite d man.

lol