This... At some point in the cap world, you have to get significant contributions from young players either still on their entry level or second contract. The Wings have been able to hold off for nearly a decade on that front for the most part, but going into this next season (whenever it starts) it's pretty clear some of the youngsters are going to have to step up.
Given this, why would it be a bad thing moving Franzen or Filppula (plus, of course, a young gun or two and a high pick) for a top-flight defenseman? We have a surplus of forwards, a couple young guys in the mix (Nyquist, Abdelkader), and a whole lot of young talent coming down the pipeline (Tatar, Sheahan, Jurco et al.) It's a different situation on the back end; the womb is barren.
















