<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="number9" data-cid="2338419" data-time="1357630822"><p>
No way in hell the wings break the bank on him. He's a top D-man, but he's no Lidstrom or Chelios. Especially while we have Ouellet, Sproul, Marchenko, Dekeyser, Backman, McKee, Almqvist, Jensen, De Haas, Nicastro, and Nedomlel in the mix. If even a 1/4 of those guys turn out to be anything our D is golden in the next few years....on home grown contracts to boot.<br />
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For once Red Wings fans can be excited about prospects. We are used to only a few good prospects at a time... Kronwalls, Filppulas, Hudlers... but now we have a lot of good prospects in the works (And we are still a playoff contender) (Yeah the Wings are awesome)<br />
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So glad our down year means we are only a "bubble team". For most other teams that means missed playoffs, but not us. With the shortened season we could easily sneak into the cup. And if we don't take the cup we still have so many players to look forward too.</p></blockquote>
Very optimistic. I like it.
I seriously hope you know something we don't about Danny because this would be a Heaven sent gift if he signed with Detroit! I would love it!
I touched on this in another, there aren't that many high end UFA defenders out there this summer so I am really hoping Holland trades up to a top 15 (if they don't land there all by themselves) and gets a kid that is ready to step in within a year or so. Although Seth Jones is the best defender available, I don't see the Wings getting a sniff at him, even trough a trade up, but he wouyld be the ideal kid to bring in to help redifine this defense. But if Holland manufactures a trade that would get him a #15 or higher into the top 10, he would be able to snag up Ryan Pulock or Robert Hagg which either would be wonderful.
I do like our prospects on D, and of those you listed, the most I am excited to see is Oullet, Sproul and McKee. If Dekeyser is added to that list of prospects, I think if Holland can land a Pulock or Hagg, this D's future will be set for a long time! Especially if you have a top 3 in Detroit of Kronwall, Smith and Ericsson come 2-3 years down the road...In two years when E and Quincey's contract are up, it's going to be one or the other, I cannot see them re-signing both and stunting the growth of a few of these kids that will be ready to come up by then. One of them could always be used to trade up in the draft as well...As a whole though, I think our D future is very bright, depsite losing out on Suter and Schultz last summer.
That being said, Holland can then concentrate on the O side of the puck this off season, he will have to re-sign Filppula ($4.5M or more) and he may have to reward Brunner with a $3Mish contract as well...not to mention getting Smith under contract long term and Howard. Sheesh, with only $19M available next season there may be no money left to add to the O...