The 2012 Off-Season

[Guest blueadams]

There's going to be 24.6 mil available in cap space next season. There's going to be 22.2 mil available in cap space after we add the minor league contracts of Nyquist, Smith and MacDonald (or another cheap backup goalie). The top two UFA's on the market next season are going to be Ryan Suter and Zach Parise. They are best friends. They want to play together. We are one of the few teams that will be able to sign both. We are also the Detroit F*#$ing Red Wings. Both are complete studs. Both are young. Both have been healthy their entire careers. Both are most definitely 'Red Wing-type players.' With 22.2 mil available in cap space - and no other roster spots to address - we could easily sign both. We would probably even have enough leftover to match Nick Lidstrom's current contract, should he choose to return (...and if he doesn't, maybe enough to lure UFA Shane Doan into a 'last championship run-contract').

It almost makes too much sense to be coincidence. Has this been the plan all along? Imagine this squad...

Forwards:

Filppula-Datsyuk-*Parise

Nyquist-Zetterberg-Franzen

Cleary-Helm-Abdelkader

Miller-Emmerton-Eaves

Mursak

Defensemen:

Lidstrom-*Suter

Kronwall-White

Smith-Ericsson

Kindl

Goalies:

Howard

MacDonald

Edited November 14, 2011 by blueadams

[LeftWinger 4,959]

Nice! But I dont think they have too much confidence in MacDonald. The rest is awesome!

[VM1138 1,921]

If MacDonald was going to be our backup, he would've been this year. Also, I don't see Nyquist being given a top 6 spot when he's hardly played at all in the NHL. Not gonna happen. I think people are just hoping he suddenly becomes like a Stamkos or something. Only the best of the best jump right in. Even Datsyuk was a third liner first.

I love the idea of these two players, though. But because it seems so obvious I doubt it'll happen.

Emmerton is also a question mark. They might try to move him in a trade deadline deal this year. It is early, but I just don't see anything out of him that we don't already have in abundance.

Edited November 14, 2011 by VM1138

[WorkingOvertime 536]

If MacDonald was going to be our backup, he would've been this year. Also, I don't see Nyquist being given a top 6 spot when he's hardly played at all in the NHL. Not gonna happen. I think people are just hoping he suddenly becomes like a Stamkos or something. Only the best of the best jump right in. Even Datsyuk was a third liner first.

I love the idea of these two players, though. But because it seems so obvious I doubt it'll happen.

Emmerton is also a question mark. They might try to move him in a trade deadline deal this year. It is early, but I just don't see anything out of him that we don't already have in abundance.

Joey Mac is on a one-way contract next season. This doesn't ensure he will be the Wings backup, but he will be making 550k in the AHL if he is not.

If the Wings get Parise and Suter, we will all be elated. That's a big if, since Parise is captain for NJ, and (almost) every other team would shed a defenseman and/or cap-space for Suter.

The forwards will be interesting next year. Tatar and Nyquist are competing for the same spot, and one or both will be on the roster next season.

[Buppy 1,720]

...Emmerton is also a question mark. They might try to move him in a trade deadline deal this year. It is early, but I just don't see anything out of him that we don't already have in abundance.

Babs seems commited to playing both Flip and Abby on the wing, so that leaves Emmy as our only other center. Not that it guarantees him a spot, but I think he'd actually have to play poorly to be moved. (Though if we did land Parise it might push Flip to the 3rd line center...)

...The forwards will be interesting next year. Tatar and Nyquist are competing for the same spot, and one or both will be on the roster next season.

Both Tatar and Nyquist will still be waiver exempt next year (as will Smith). Not sure any of them will be on the roster next year.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Hudler - Datsyuk - Iginla

Franzen - Zetterberg - Brunnstrom

Abdelkader - Helm - Cleary

Mursak - Nyqist - Brashear

Lidstrom - Suter

Kronwall - White

Erskine - Kindl

[ZigZagYourTorso 8]

This is the best I could come up with.....

Tatar, Nyquist, Emmerton, Mursak, Miller, and Eaves are all interchangeable on a plethora of spots in our lineup. I also wouldn't mind trading away some depth/picks to get a big power forward esque player for our top six. That would also allow us to move Cleary onto the third line. I realize snatching up the two biggest UFA's and adding Gleason is very unlikely...But, definitely possible.

FORWARDS

Zach Parise ($6.750m) / Pavel Datsyuk ($6.700m) / Johan Franzen ($3.954m)

Valtteri Filppula ($3.000m) / Henrik Zetterberg ($6.083m) / Daniel Cleary ($2.800m)

Justin Abdelkader ($1.200m) / Darren Helm ($2.250m) / Patrick Eaves ($1.200m)

Tomas Tatar ($0.840m) / Drew Miller ($0.837m) / Jan Mursak ($0.550m)

/ Gustav Nyquist ($0.875m) / Cory Emmerton ($0.533m)

DEFENSEMEN

Niklas Kronwall ($4.750m) / Ryan Suter ($6.000m)

Ian White ($2.875m) / Tim Gleason ($4.000m)

Jonathan Ericsson ($3.250m) / Brendan Smith ($0.875m)

Jakub Kindl ($0.883m)

GOALTENDERS

Jimmy Howard ($2.250m) / Antero Niittymaki ($1.500m)

SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $63,957,044; BONUSES: $247,500

CAP SPACE (23-man roster): $342,956

[Guest blueadams]

Nice! But I dont think they have too much confidence in MacDonald. The rest is awesome!

well...macdonald, mccollum, conklin, etc...they're all going to cost roughly the same.

[Guest Crymson]

MacDonald is not an NHL-caliber goalie.

[Guest blueadams]

If MacDonald was going to be our backup, he would've been this year. Also, I don't see Nyquist being given a top 6 spot when he's hardly played at all in the NHL. Not gonna happen. I think people are just hoping he suddenly becomes like a Stamkos or something. Only the best of the best jump right in. Even Datsyuk was a third liner first.

I love the idea of these two players, though. But because it seems so obvious I doubt it'll happen.

Emmerton is also a question mark. They might try to move him in a trade deadline deal this year. It is early, but I just don't see anything out of him that we don't already have in abundance.

maybe you missed the game, but when nyquist was called up a week or so ago, he was plugged right into the top six.

i think emmerton is an excellent shut-down line center/PK specialist. if you want him to be more, he isn't. but we don't need him to be more.

Joey Mac is on a one-way contract next season. This doesn't ensure he will be the Wings backup, but he will be making 550k in the AHL if he is not.

If the Wings get Parise and Suter, we will all be elated. That's a big if, since Parise is captain for NJ, and (almost) every other team would shed a defenseman and/or cap-space for Suter.

The forwards will be interesting next year. Tatar and Nyquist are competing for the same spot, and one or both will be on the roster next season.

The advantage we'll have over other teams involved will be the ability to sign both parise and suter, and of course our winning tradition.

And NJ has really been dwindling as a program since the kovalchuck bs.

And Nash probably won't have the money to keep Suter after giving Weber 8 mil a year.

Edited November 14, 2011 by blueadams

[dirtydangles 1,328]

We're for sure going to hae to give up a lot to get those two guys. They arent going to come as ufas for free. Look at what happened with ehrhoff and wiz. Its gonna take guys like franzen and cleary or some young guys as well as a our first rounder to make that happen.

[Guest blueadams]

Babs seems commited to playing both Flip and Abby on the wing, so that leaves Emmy as our only other center. Not that it guarantees him a spot, but I think he'd actually have to play poorly to be moved. (Though if we did land Parise it might push Flip to the 3rd line center...)

Both Tatar and Nyquist will still be waiver exempt next year (as will Smith). Not sure any of them will be on the roster next year.

i think it's safe to say that it'd be very surprising if smith and nyquist weren't on the team at the start of next season. anything can happen of course, but it would be surprising if they started off in gr again.

Hudler - Datsyuk - Iginla

Franzen - Zetterberg - Brunnstrom

Abdelkader - Helm - Cleary

Mursak - Nyqist - Brashear

Lidstrom - Suter

Kronwall - White

Erskine - Kindl

you'd rather have iginla than parise??? parise's like 10 years younger, and probably at the same level talent-wise.

MacDonald is not an NHL-caliber goalie.

of all the things in that post...

you chose to focus on the fill-in-the-blank cheap backup goalie that i threw out as an example.

you sir are the definition of a negative turd.

We're for sure going to hae to give up a lot to get those two guys. They arent going to come as ufas for free. Look at what happened with ehrhoff and wiz. Its gonna take guys like franzen and cleary or some young guys as well as a our first rounder to make that happen.

did you not read anything in the post!??

we're going to have more than enough to sign both at fair market value.

how about some reading comprehension.

[Z and D for the C 712]

They arent going to come as ufas for free.

Um, this is a joke, right? Or do you mean like Franzen and Cleary will have to be their personal slaves?

[Buppy 1,720]

We're for sure going to hae to give up a lot to get those two guys. They arent going to come as ufas for free. Look at what happened with ehrhoff and wiz. Its gonna take guys like franzen and cleary or some young guys as well as a our first rounder to make that happen.

Wiz's rights went for a 7th rounder, Ehrhoff's for a 4th. Why would you think it would take a 1st plus players? Or do you mean as a deadline deal?

i think it's safe to say that it'd be very surprising if smith and nyquist weren't on the team at the start of next season. anything can happen of course, but it would be surprising if they started off in gr again.

...

They are still exempt and we'll have the cap space to add alternatives. Wouldn't surprise me at all if they both end up staying another year. If they play like stars the whole year in GR and/or they get called up here and make an impact it'd be a different story, but I'll wait until after that happens before I pencil them in to next year's roster.

[Probie 7]

There's going to be 24.6 mil available in cap space next season. There's going to be 22.2 mil available in cap space after we add the minor league contracts of Nyquist, Smith and MacDonald (or another cheap backup goalie). The top two UFA's on the market next season are going to be Ryan Suter and Zach Parise. They are best friends. They want to play together. We are one of the few teams that will be able to sign both. We are also the Detroit F*#$ing Red Wings. Both are complete studs. Both are young. Both have been healthy their entire careers. Both are most definitely 'Red Wing-type players.' With 22.2 mil available in cap space - and no other roster spots to address - we could easily sign both. We would probably even have enough leftover to match Nick Lidstrom's current contract, should he choose to return (...and if he doesn't, maybe enough to lure UFA Shane Doan into a 'last championship run-contract').

It almost makes too much sense to be coincidence. Has this been the plan all along? Imagine this squad...

Forwards:

Filppula-Datsyuk-*Parise

Nyquist-Zetterberg-Franzen

Cleary-Helm-Abdelkader

Miller-Emmerton-Eaves

Mursak

Defensemen:

Lidstrom-*Suter

Kronwall-White

Smith-Ericsson

Kindl

Goalies:

Howard

MacDonald

I didnt know they were best friends and they wanted to play together. If I were holland I would trade for Parise before the deadline, and then Suter would be able to be picked up as a ufa since he would want to play with his buddy. For the price of one you get two. It would make sense for Holland to over compensate a bit to get parise since he could get the other for free. I hope he makes that move Parise with his skill type would be perfect for our smart puck possession team, Pavs or even Hank could feed him all day....

[VM1138 1,921]

We might have to overpay for these guys, but them's the breaks sometimes. I think both of them would be worth whatever we send. Worst case scenario the team stays the same talent wise, but it's most likely that whoever we trade (unless the obvious Dats, Zetterberg, Kronwall, Franzen) it'll be an upgrade.

[newfy 695]

This is going to be the offseason that has the potential to make the wings contenders for the next 10 years again, if Holland can get it done.

Holland has 24 million in cap space with 15 players already signed. Everyone with more cap space either have a few more players to sign, are internal cap teams or both. Holland has the most cap space to play around with out of all the teams who are legit free agent destinations. This imo will be the make or break offseason for Holland to make this team contenders again for many years.

Parise is a 26 year old 40 goal scorer, possibly the best scoring winger in the game right now and does it with no help. Lets give him 7.5 as an overpayment just for the hell of it.

Than Suter, probaly the best defensive defenseman in the game now right there with Lidstrom and Chara. Lets give him 7 for s***s and giggles which I doubt he actually gets.

14.5 to those guys leaves 9 million

5 to lidstrom leaves 4.5

Smith, Tatar, Nike = 2.5 left

1 millin for abdelkader

1.5 for helm

Its definitely doable to have a line up with all those guys, and adding those 2 would make them instant cup favourites.

If I'm Holland I make a trade for Parise at the deadline if possible, give up a 1st, Kindl, and Tatar or something for him.

Than use Parise as leverage to lure Suter to the D.

Its actually extremely possible for this to all happen and I would bet Hollands thinking about something like this. Our number 1 Dman and all star forward for the next 10 years would be locked up

[DyingAlive 27]

I'd rather the Wings poach and go for Weber, as he is an RFA. Haha, but I'd take Suter as consolation.

I honestly think either Parise or Suter is a must for this offseason. The Wings are in a great position to get 1 of 2, and need to get it done!

[Bring Back The Bruise Bros 1,029]

Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Franzen

Cleary-Filppula-Nyquist

Abdelkader-Helm-Eaves

Glass-Mursak-Miller

Emmerton

Suter-Kronwall

Gleason-White

Ericsson-Kindl

S.Brookbank

Edited November 15, 2011 by Bring Back The Bruise Bros

[IllinoisRedWingsFan 49]

We are assuming that Lids is coming back. But overall I like this idea.

[Aussie_Wing 354]

I doubt it'll happen, but yes, how insanely awesome would it be to get both Parise and Suter? Mind exploded.

[Guest blueadams]

trading for parise or suter at the deadline to give us some leverage in signing the other is a solid idea, as long as we don't give up too much.

parise is NJ's captain, so it'll probably tough to get him without giving up a big name (strictly for PR purposes).

suter's price-tag would probably be considerably lower, as the writing is kind of on the wall there (they won't be able to keep him and weber). but they're more likely to be playoff contenders, so they might be less willing to deal.

on another note, weber will probably be next to impossible to get as an RFA. suter really isn't much less of a player, just less bold (and not a righty, which sucks). and his friendship with his young american teammate parise might actually make him more valuable anyways.

if lids retires, that's just another 6 mil to play with. sign doan? resign stuart? sign someone else? sign a couple of guys? who knows. it's not really an enormous deal in the grand scheme of things.

[Bring Back The Bruise Bros 1,029]

if lids retires, that's just another 6 mil to play with. sign doan? resign stuart? sign someone else? sign a couple of guys? who knows. it's not really an enormous deal in the grand scheme of things.

I'd like to see us get younger. How about Curtis Glencross, instead of Doan? Tim Gleason instead of Stuart?

[T-Ruff 47]

This would be absolutely unreal lol, so much that it seems foolish to even entertain the notion. Get it done!

Anyone else been thinking about Alfredsson at the trade deadline this year or next? He has one year left after this one, the Sens won't be contenders anytime soon, there is the Swedish factor of the Wings that he will like and his two-way play and scoring winger capability is something Kenny will like... I'd love to see it happen.

Imagine sign Parise and Suter in the offseason and acquire Alfredsson at the deadline haha

[Guest blueadams]

I'd like to see us get younger. How about Curtis Glencross, instead of Doan? Tim Gleason instead of Stuart?

I'm biased(/mal-informed). I haven't seen much of Glencross. I haven't seen much of Gleason (aside from the olympics). But I have seen a lot of Doan in the playoffs the last two seasons. IMO, if he was wearing the red and white in one of the last two post-seasons...man, I think he might've been enough. If it wasn't for young super-studs like Parise and Suter being available this coming off-season, I'd be all over Doan as our #1 target.

This would be absolutely unreal lol, so much that it seems foolish to even entertain the notion. Get it done!

Anyone else been thinking about Alfredsson at the trade deadline this year or next? He has one year left after this one, the Sens won't be contenders anytime soon, there is the Swedish factor of the Wings that he will like and his two-way play and scoring winger capability is something Kenny will like... I'd love to see it happen.

Imagine sign Parise and Suter in the offseason and acquire Alfredsson at the deadline haha

i can't imagine there'd be a way to squeeze all three on the roster next season. but yeah, he'd be a great deadline acquisition at the right price.