In five years

[Guest blueadams]

There's no need to remind me of how pointless this is. Free agents are going to be signed. Trades are going to be made. New prospects are going to be drafted. Top prospects are going to bust (it'd be surprising if even half the prospects I'm listing ever become regulars). Sleeper prospects are going to emerge. Star players might decline (or get hurt). Role players might breakout. Etc...etc...etc.

I know it's pointless. I don't care that it's pointless. I still have fun thinking about stuff like this. There are others on the board that do as well. If you don't, fine. Let us have our fun.

FORWARDS:

V. Filppula(33)---P. Datsyuk(38)---J. Franzen(37)

G. Nyquist(27)---H. Zetterberg(36)---T. Jurco(24)

T. Tatar(26)---C. Jarnkrok(25)---T. Pulkkinen(25)

R. Sheahan(25)---D. Helm(30)---J. Abdelkader(30)

C. Emmerton(28)

J. Andersson(28)

T. Holmstrom(44), T. Bertuzzi(42), D. Cleary(38), J. Hudler(33), D. Miller(33), P. Eaves(33), J. Mursak(29)

...If all these supposed "high-end talent level" prospects we've got pan out, it's going to be hard to not roll three scoring lines in the near future. Holmstrom's no longer going to be around. Bertuzzi's no longer going to be around. I'd be surprised if Hudler was resigned this off-season. Cleary's not aging well, I'd be surprised if he was still around. Miller, Eaves and Mursak could all stick, but there will be no shortage of competition. It's scary seeing Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Franzen at 38, 37 and 36 years of age. It's scary seeing all that talent on the same roster. It's scary seeing such a physically unintimidating team.

DEFENSEMEN:

N. Kronwall(36)---I. White(32)

B. Smith(28)---K. Quincey(31)

J. Kindl(30)---J. Ericsson(33)

X. Oullet(23)

N. Lidstrom(47), B. Stuart(37), R. Sproul(24)

...Lidstrom 'should' be gone (lol?). Stuart's gone. I think it'd be surprising if Holland let White walk (without a fight) next off-season, so I've got him listed. I think it'd be surprising if Holland let Quincey walk (after giving up a 1st) this off-season, so I've got him listed. I think it'd be surprising if Kindl was still on the team, but I've still got him listed due to the lack of prospects (it'll be interesting to see if sleepers emerge here?). In general, this is a group that could use some outside additions.

GOALIES:

J. Howard(33)

P. Mrazek(25)

T. Conklin(41), J. MacDonald(37), T. McCollum(27)

...Not much to talk about here. Conklin's gone. MacDonald's probably gone. McCollum has some serious ground to make up on Mrazek. Excited about possibly having two plus goalies on the same team though.

SIGNIFICANCE?

...Well, in the next five years:

-1) Proven, reliable, elite talent is going to need to either emerge from within or be acquired from outside. Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Franzen being in their late 30's in five years scares the hell out of me.

-2) Some depth is probably going to need to be added to the blue line.

-3) The goalie situation looks great, as things currently stand.

-4) Size and strength (at all positions) is going to need to be acquired from outside, as none of it appears to be on the way.

Edited May 30, 2012 by blueadams

[Wings_Toledo 233]

In five years I imagine Smith will be in the Top 4, if not the top pairing on D. Otherwise, that roster seems accurate if based solely on prospects and current roster players.

[Guest blueadams]

In five years I imagine Smith will be in the Top 4, if not the top pairing on D. Otherwise, that roster seems accurate if based solely on prospects and current roster players.

agreed. fixed.

[pucktividi 472]

in 5 years you'll still make the line threads

j/k

[Guest irishock]

5 years ago I think we could've predicted the roster of today. Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Lidstrom would be the core guys with Hudler, Franzen, Filpulla, Kronwall as the secondary guys.

5 years from now is a real head scratcher.

[Guest blueadams]

5 years ago I think we could've predicted the roster of today. Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Lidstrom would be the core guys with Hudler, Franzen, Filpulla, Kronwall as the secondary guys.

5 years from now is a real head scratcher.

definitely more uncertainty with all the guys on the way still being prospects

[Sycsa 43]

D. Hasek(52)

[Shaman 713]

D. Hasek(52)

C. Chelios (55)

[achildr1 255]

in 5 years you'll still make the line threads

j/k

Hahaha. Nice.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

I hope our roster isn't that soft in 5 years.

Too much marshmallow and not enough jam in that lineup (whatever that means)

Edited May 30, 2012 by GMRwings1983

[InKennyWeTrust 126]

I'll be happy just so long they don't look anything like this.

[Red Wings Addict 787]

I just hope Datsyuk is still on the team in five years.

Zetterberg-(Datsyuk)-Franzen (I really, really hope Pav re-signs)

(*Landeskog*)-Jarnkrok-Nyquist (*or a quality power forward from somewhere*)

Tatar-Sheahan-Jurco

Aubry/Abdelkader-Helm-Mursak

Suter-Sproul

Kronwall-Quincey/Ericsson

Smith-Ouellet

Don't sleep too much on Jensen, Backman and Marchenko. Like Ouellet, all three have a similar projection of a Marc-Edouard Vlasic type of game or in other words, a dman who always seems to move the puck safely or simply make plays in that prevent danger for a team. Jensen and Marchenko also shoot right-handed.

So all in all without any annoying annotations...

Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Franzen

Landeskog-Jarnkrok-Nyquist

Tatar-Sheahan-Jurco

Abdelkader-Helm-Mursak

Kronwall-Ericsson

Suter-Sproul

Smith-Ouellet

Looks good to me now but in five years who knows what kind of steroids or anti-steroids the league will be on then.

[Guest blueadams]

I hope our roster isn't that soft in 5 years.

Too much marshmallow and not enough jam in that lineup (whatever that means)

one of the very first things i noticed after putting this together. went back and looked through the prospect pool to find some bigger guys and ended up with joakim andersson's inclusion (yikes)

[Guest blueadams]

I just hope Datsyuk is still on the team in five years.

Zetterberg-(Datsyuk)-Franzen (I really, really hope Pav re-signs)

(*Landeskog*)-Jarnkrok-Nyquist (*or a quality power forward from somewhere*)

Tatar-Sheahan-Jurco

Aubry/Abdelkader-Helm-Mursak

Suter-Sproul

Kronwall-Quincey/Ericsson

Smith-Ouellet

Don't sleep too much on Jensen, Backman and Marchenko. Like Ouellet, all three have a similar projection of a Marc-Edouard Vlasic type of game or in other words, a dman who always seems to move the puck safely or simply make plays in that prevent danger for a team. Jensen and Marchenko also shoot right-handed.

So all in all without any annoying annotations...

Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Franzen

Landeskog-Jarnkrok-Nyquist

Tatar-Sheahan-Jurco

Abdelkader-Helm-Mursak

Kronwall-Ericsson

Suter-Sproul

Smith-Ouellet

Looks good to me now but in five years who knows what kind of steroids or anti-steroids the league will be on then.

tell me about suter's new partner? lol (i know who he is obviously...but why so high?)

[joshy207 156]

I honestly don't expect Datsyuk to be here in 5 years. To me, he doesn't seem like the kind of guy who wants to play forever. (I could be totally wrong on this though.) I wouldn't be surprised to see him go back to Russia after his contract is up, either to play in the KHL or to retire.

Franzen and Zetterberg... they have contracts until the end of time, but again, who knows how long they'll actually play. I think, health willing, Zetterberg will be here in 5 years, 36 isn't that old. But his back issues (and any other, future injury) could prevent that. Franzen, IMO, is less likely to still be playing then. If he's as disinterested in the regular season as he's reportedly said, or as his play sometimes indicates, he may not want to go through the daily grind in his mid- to late-30s. Especially if he rediscovers the physical side of the game.

One positive to either Franzen or Zetterberg retiring early... their contracts were signed (way) before the age of 35, so their cap hit disappears if they hang 'em up.

[ltgator333 3]

I just hope Datsyuk is still on the team in five years.

Zetterberg-(Datsyuk)-Franzen (I really, really hope Pav re-signs)

(*Landeskog*)-Jarnkrok-Nyquist (*or a quality power forward from somewhere*)

Tatar-Sheahan-Jurco

Aubry/Abdelkader-Helm-Mursak

Suter-Sproul

Kronwall-Quincey/Ericsson

Smith-Ouellet

Don't sleep too much on Jensen, Backman and Marchenko. Like Ouellet, all three have a similar projection of a Marc-Edouard Vlasic type of game or in other words, a dman who always seems to move the puck safely or simply make plays in that prevent danger for a team. Jensen and Marchenko also shoot right-handed.

So all in all without any annoying annotations...

Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Franzen

Landeskog-Jarnkrok-Nyquist

Tatar-Sheahan-Jurco

Abdelkader-Helm-Mursak

Kronwall-Ericsson

Suter-Sproul

Smith-Ouellet

Looks good to me now but in five years who knows what kind of steroids or anti-steroids the league will be on then.

I just want to know who is Laneskog ,I've never heard of him.And what about Marek Tvrdon? I believe he's a sleeper at 6'2" 215.

[Kerjuxaxaxa 6]

I honestly don't expect Datsyuk to be here in 5 years. To me, he doesn't seem like the kind of guy who wants to play forever. (I could be totally wrong on this though.) I wouldn't be surprised to see him go back to Russia after his contract is up, either to play in the KHL or to retire.

Franzen and Zetterberg... they have contracts until the end of time, but again, who knows how long they'll actually play. I think, health willing, Zetterberg will be here in 5 years, 36 isn't that old. But his back issues (and any other, future injury) could prevent that. Franzen, IMO, is less likely to still be playing then. If he's as disinterested in the regular season as he's reportedly said, or as his play sometimes indicates, he may not want to go through the daily grind in his mid- to late-30s. Especially if he rediscovers the physical side of the game.

One positive to either Franzen or Zetterberg retiring early... their contracts were signed (way) before the age of 35, so their cap hit disappears if they hang 'em up.

One of his interview to Russian press few years ago he said he wants to retire as Red Wing.

[Guest blueadams]

I honestly don't expect Datsyuk to be here in 5 years. To me, he doesn't seem like the kind of guy who wants to play forever. (I could be totally wrong on this though.) I wouldn't be surprised to see him go back to Russia after his contract is up, either to play in the KHL or to retire.

Franzen and Zetterberg... they have contracts until the end of time, but again, who knows how long they'll actually play. I think, health willing, Zetterberg will be here in 5 years, 36 isn't that old. But his back issues (and any other, future injury) could prevent that. Franzen, IMO, is less likely to still be playing then. If he's as disinterested in the regular season as he's reportedly said, or as his play sometimes indicates, he may not want to go through the daily grind in his mid- to late-30s. Especially if he rediscovers the physical side of the game.

One positive to either Franzen or Zetterberg retiring early... their contracts were signed (way) before the age of 35, so their cap hit disappears if they hang 'em up.

valid points on hank and mule, but i disagree about pav. i think he's going to play until he can't, like stevie-y, larionov, lidstrom, etc. i think he's got that fire. and i think people have a hard time seeing it because he's so bad in interviews, and because he's so light-hearted in the media.

I just want to know who is Laneskog ,I've never heard of him.And what about Marek Tvrdon? I believe he's a sleeper at 6'2" 215.

gabriel landeskog is the #2 overall pick from the 2011 draft. i don't know why said poster thinks we can get him, but sure, it'd be great to (lol?).

[sputman 1,268]

T. Tatar(26)---C. Jarnkrok(25)---T. Pulkkinen(25)

will these three be stacked on top of one another?

[Guest Hatethedrake!]

In 5 years Hasek will still be playing and wanting to return to the NHL.