I'd like to talk about this off-season/next season

[Guest blueadams]

I think we suck this season. I thought we sucked much of last season - - and I think we would've won the Stanley Cup had DeKeyser not got hurt - - so who knows what's gonna happen. Still, I'd like to talk about this off-season and next season right now.

There's a lot of bad contracts (IMO) coming off the books this summer - - Alfredsson, Samuelsson, Bertuzzi, Cleary, Quincey, Gustavsson, (Eaves) - - there's a lot of cheap, talented prospects (IMO) ready to contribute, and there should be some big FA money available.

Rough, rough ball-park estimates here (don't kill me!). Say Tatar and DeKeyser get 1.5 mil each as RFA's. Say Ericsson gets 4 mil as a FA. Say Mrazek (0.6 mil), Mantha (0.9 mil), Jarnkrok (0.7 mil) and Sheahan (0.8 mil) get called up. That's 13 forwards, 7 defensemen and 2 goalies on the roster. And there's 9.5mil left in cap space!!

That's more than enough to sign a great top-4 D-Man (which we desperately need), and probably a good power-forward too!

Nyquist-Datsyuk-*?*FA*?*

Tatar-Zetterberg-Franzen
Jarnkrok-Weiss-Mantha
Andersson-Helm-Abdelkader
Miller, Sheahan

...perhaps Jurco makes a push?

Kronwall-Ericsson
*?*FA*?*-DeKeyser
Smith-Kindl
Lashoff

...perhaps Oullet makes a push?

Howard
Mrazek

That'd be a DAMN exciting team, wouldn't it? (don't kill me on the line combos, just slapped something presentable together without thinking too much on it)

CAPGEEK.COM ARMCHAIR GM ROSTER
CapGeek Armchair GM Roster
FORWARDS
Gustav Nyquist ($0.950m) / Pavel Datsyuk ($7.500m) / Free Agent ($4.000m)
Tomas Tatar ($1.500m) / Henrik Zetterberg ($6.083m) / Johan Franzen ($3.955m)
Calle Jarnkrok ($0.715m) / Stephen Weiss ($4.900m) / Anthony Mantha ($0.925m)
Joakim Andersson ($0.733m) / Darren Helm ($2.125m) / Justin Abdelkader ($1.800m)
Drew Miller ($1.350m) / Riley Sheahan ($0.900m) /
DEFENSEMEN
Niklas Kronwall ($4.750m) / Jonathan Ericsson ($4.000m)
Free Agent ($5.000m) / Danny DeKeyser ($1.500m)
Brendan Smith ($1.263m) / Jakub Kindl ($2.400m)
Brian Lashoff ($0.725m) /
GOALTENDERS
Jimmy Howard ($5.292m)
Petr Mrazek ($0.595m)
BUYOUTS
Carlo Colaiacovo ($0.000m)
BURIED
Jordin Tootoo ($0.975m)
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(estimations for 2014-15)
SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $63,934,545; BONUSES: $380,000
CAP SPACE (23-man roster): $365,455

Edited November 25, 2013 by blueadams

[rick zombo 3,739]

Couple thoughts.

1. Alfredsson's contract is not "bad"

2. Bert will not be coming off the books. He'll re-sign unless Holland gets visited by a poltergeist

3. "Jurco makes a push"? He'll make this team before Mantha and Jarnkrok. They'll both spend next year in GRs before making the jump IMO.

4. I'd expect DeKeyser to get 2.5 - 3M.

5. We will have enough cap space to sign a Vanek, a Marleau, or a Dan Boyle. Whether they want to come here or not is another issue.

[PumpkinEscobar 136]

Don't think Bert will be asked back. Only free agent of ours who will be back is Ericsson.

[rick zombo 3,739]

Don't think Bert will be asked back. Only free agent of ours who will be back is Ericsson.

Wanna bet?

[Guest blueadams]

CAPGEEK.COM ARMCHAIR GM ROSTER
CapGeek Armchair GM Roster
FORWARDS
Gustav Nyquist ($0.950m) / Pavel Datsyuk ($7.500m) / Free Agent ($4.000m)
Tomas Tatar ($1.500m) / Henrik Zetterberg ($6.083m) / Johan Franzen ($3.955m)
Calle Jarnkrok ($0.715m) / Stephen Weiss ($4.900m) / Anthony Mantha ($0.925m)
Joakim Andersson ($0.733m) / Darren Helm ($2.125m) / Justin Abdelkader ($1.800m)
Drew Miller ($1.350m) / Riley Sheahan ($0.900m) /
DEFENSEMEN
Niklas Kronwall ($4.750m) / Jonathan Ericsson ($4.000m)
Free Agent ($5.000m) / Danny DeKeyser ($1.500m)
Brendan Smith ($1.263m) / Jakub Kindl ($2.400m)
Brian Lashoff ($0.725m) /
GOALTENDERS
Jimmy Howard ($5.292m)
Petr Mrazek ($0.595m)
BUYOUTS
Carlo Colaiacovo ($0.000m)
BURIED
Jordin Tootoo ($0.975m)
------
CAPGEEK.COM TOTALS (follow @capgeek on Twitter)
(estimations for 2014-15)
SALARY CAP: $64,300,000; CAP PAYROLL: $63,934,545; BONUSES: $380,000
CAP SPACE (23-man roster): $365,455

[PumpkinEscobar 136]

Wanna bet?

gladly

[dat's sick 1,002]

I'll be so disappointed if Andersson is still on the team.

Jarnkrok needs to be on the team. Jurco should probably get a good long look, depending on how he does the rest of the year without Nyquist.

Almqvist, please. Even if we did sign a FA d-man, I'll take Almqvist over Kindl or Lashoff. Maybe Oullet too.

I could see Alfie re-signing. He's clearly still good enough and a good fit on the team so I see a chance.

Bert is also a possible re-sign. I hope not, but it could happen. Because he works well with Z and D Holland could deem him valuable enough.

I have a hard time seeing Mantha step right into the NHL. Maybe if he completely kills it at camp.

All in all there's potential for a very, very fun roster. We'll see what Holland does though, I mean are there really much in terms of FAs out there?

Long way to go, I still potential in this year's team to be something very good.

[DatsyukToZetterberg 128]

You're doing this assuming that we can just go out and sign whoever we want. You think Dan Boyle is going to want to come here over other, much better teams? I highly doubt that.

[Shaman 713]

I'll be so disappointed if Andersson is still on the team.

Jarnkrok needs to be on the team. Jurco should probably get a good long look, depending on how he does the rest of the year without Nyquist.

Almqvist, please. Even if we did sign a FA d-man, I'll take Almqvist over Kindl or Lashoff. Maybe Oullet too.

I could see Alfie re-signing. He's clearly still good enough and a good fit on the team so I see a chance.

Bert is also a possible re-sign. I hope not, but it could happen. Because he works well with Z and D Holland could deem him valuable enough.

I have a hard time seeing Mantha step right into the NHL. Maybe if he completely kills it at camp.

All in all there's potential for a very, very fun roster. We'll see what Holland does though, I mean are there really much in terms of FAs out there?

Long way to go, I still potential in this year's team to be something very good.

Have you seen him in GR? He needs another year at least, he's still too small for the NHL, and needs to fillout his frame or he will make Hudler look like Bertuzzi in his prime.

[Guest Playmaker]

If you take a look at the UFA defensemen available at the end of this season, well, the pickins are slim. I'm just not expecting much, to be honest. We were in this exact position 2 season ago, lots of space and we came away with a whole lot of nothing.

[Z Winged Dangler 2,082]

I'd like to see:

Z-Dats-Mantha

Tatar-Helm-Nyquist

Franzen-Weiss-Jurco

Callahan-Abdelkader-Sheahan

Ferraro

Kronwall-DeKeyser

Ericsson-Smith

Ouellet-Sproul

Kindl/Almqvist (fight for ice time and a spot)

I think Mantha is the exception. He's a giant power forward who can dangle and score. He should be on the top line with Z and Dats and eat the Calder trophy for breakfast, lunch and supper. Keep Helm on the 2nd line cause he's taking it and owning it. Weiss can be a slightly expensive shutdown guy until his scoring touch comes back, which it should with wingers like Franzen and Jurco, who I expect good things from at the NHL level. I want to see that 4th line annoy and destroy. I don't care if they get a goal all year, which I'm sure they would, but regardless I just want them to hit everything. Ouellet and Sproul should be on the team next season with Marchenko next in line from what I hear.

If no free agent that is the likes of Vanek or someone of that caliber wants to sign, that team above could compete for the Cup.

[T.Low 1,011]

I'd like to see:

Z-Dats-Mantha

Tatar-Helm-Nyquist

Franzen-Weiss-Jurco

Callahan-Abdelkader-Sheahan

Ferraro

Kronwall-DeKeyser

Ericsson-Smith

Ouellet-Sproul

Kindl/Almqvist (fight for ice time and a spot)

I think Mantha is the exception. He's a giant power forward who can dangle and score. He should be on the top line with Z and Dats and eat the Calder trophy for breakfast, lunch and supper. Keep Helm on the 2nd line cause he's taking it and owning it. Weiss can be a slightly expensive shutdown guy until his scoring touch comes back, which it should with wingers like Franzen and Jurco, who I expect good things from at the NHL level. I want to see that 4th line annoy and destroy. I don't care if they get a goal all year, which I'm sure they would, but regardless I just want them to hit everything. Ouellet and Sproul should be on the team next season with Marchenko next in line from what I hear.

If no free agent that is the likes of Vanek or someone of that caliber wants to sign, that team above could compete for the Cup.

That's a lot of rookies.

[Spongewingredpants 75]

i hate to burts the bubble but Detroit is no longer the choice of designation for highly coveted FA's. Every big contract we signed were for guys north of 38

[Guest DeGraa55]

People hoping for a top defenseman truly don't understand what this team needs.

A top four of

Kronwall Ericson

Smith dekeyser. Is pretty good

Then I expect kindl and lash off or a vet defenseman.

Sproul and oullete will spemd one more year in gr then hopefully they both be up as third pair.

Our forwards get so much with addition by subtraction method.

Alfie Bert Sammy cleary all gone helps. Which gives us money to sign a good free agent or two. Or gives us the cap to trade for a player.

I hope sheahan is up fulltime. And glendening is used a lot to fill in for injuries. But our key issue is needing a legit top 6.

[frankgrimes 1,836]

Having a ton of capspace means absolutely nothing, if you don't spend it on *quality*. I highly doubt a guy like Vanek will sign with this team, he either goes to the Blackhawks, Blues, Kings or Wild there is no way he re-signs with the Isles.

For now this team isn't a top UFA destination anymore, they are soon looking at a rebuild/tool and top UFAs want to go to annually contenders. Had we gotten Parise + Suter things might have been different, but not having a plan B for that scenario is going to hurt this teams chances of landing such guys.

I want to see McKee, Mantha and maybe even Sproul getting a good look next year (maybe even beyond the 9 games), if Kenny can't land a top UFA I hope this team gets up there in size, grit and toughness (including the draft), enough with the soft skilled smallish euros more NA style please.

would like to see 6,6+ 220 lbs guys

[Euro_Twins 4,475]

I'd like to see:

Z-Dats-Mantha

Tatar-Helm-Nyquist

Franzen-Weiss-Jurco

Callahan-Abdelkader-Sheahan

Ferraro

Kronwall-DeKeyser

Ericsson-Smith

Ouellet-Sproul

Kindl/Almqvist (fight for ice time and a spot)

I think Mantha is the exception. He's a giant power forward who can dangle and score. He should be on the top line with Z and Dats and eat the Calder trophy for breakfast, lunch and supper. Keep Helm on the 2nd line cause he's taking it and owning it. Weiss can be a slightly expensive shutdown guy until his scoring touch comes back, which it should with wingers like Franzen and Jurco, who I expect good things from at the NHL level. I want to see that 4th line annoy and destroy. I don't care if they get a goal all year, which I'm sure they would, but regardless I just want them to hit everything. Ouellet and Sproul should be on the team next season with Marchenko next in line from what I hear.

If no free agent that is the likes of Vanek or someone of that caliber wants to sign, that team above could compete for the Cup.

Maybe in 4/5 years, as of now that lineup has 8 rookies, and 4 guys with 1-1.5 years nhl experience. I know we're all high on our prospects and all, but that team would be very lucky to make the playoffs, and they sure as hell won't be winning a cup.

[PumpkinEscobar 136]

Having a ton of capspace means absolutely nothing, if you don't spend it on *quality*. I highly doubt a guy like Vanek will sign with this team, he either goes to the Blackhawks, Blues, Kings or Wild there is no way he re-signs with the Isles.

For now this team isn't a top UFA destination anymore, they are soon looking at a rebuild/tool and top UFAs want to go to annually contenders. Had we gotten Parise + Suter things might have been different, but not having a plan B for that scenario is going to hurt this teams chances of landing such guys.

I want to see McKee, Mantha and maybe even Sproul getting a good look next year (maybe even beyond the 9 games), if Kenny can't land a top UFA I hope this team gets up there in size, grit and toughness (including the draft), enough with the soft skilled smallish euros more NA style please.

would like to see 6,6+ 220 lbs guys

Mckee will still be with Western next season

[dat's sick 1,002]

Have you seen him in GR? He needs another year at least, he's still too small for the NHL, and needs to fillout his frame or he will make Hudler look like Bertuzzi in his prime.

I know he's small but he's used to playing against guys bigger and stronger than him. He's been in the SHL and also on Team Sweden. He'll probably be able to fill out a bit during this season and in the offseason, and unless we're giving up on him I say bring him in to the team, let Z mentor him and teach him how to become as strong as him.

[Dabura 12,207]

People hoping for a top defenseman truly don't understand what this team needs.

I strongly disagree. We have problems on the back end and up front, but we could potentially kill two birds with one stone by adding an elite offensive-minded puck-moving defenseman. The guys we're missing the most right now are Lidstrom and Rafalski, because, yes, they were good in their end, but also because our attack started with the blue line. And that's the way it's supposed to work. We could add a sniper, but if we don't have great puck movement and offense coming from our defense (that all-important great first pass that we had for years, etc.), we're probably not gonna score many more goals.

So, that's what we need, IMHO. But I don't think it's what we get, unless Smith and/or DeKeyser take quantum leaps in their development. Which is probably what we're gonna bank on. Maybe we get really lucky in free agency and find an elite guy (not likely), or we find someone - through free agency or trade - who's maybe not so elite by reputation but fits perfectly in our system (probably more likely). All I know, regarding the availability of elite defensemen, especially the puck-moving kind, is that the demand is through the roof and the asking price for a trade is astronomical. And, frankly, I'm not sure any guy wants to be the one who's "supposed to come in and be Nick Lidstrom."

But, ultimately, it all depends on how we finish the season, i.e. how deep we go into the playoffs. That will be the fundamental thing dictating where we are, what we can do about it, and what we might want to do about it. The way I see it is, basically, another exit in the first or second round will lead to another one of those kinds of summers we've grown so used to. Lots of cap space but very little change, because we have lots of youth and we're retooling and come on what retooling team even makes the playoffs and hey there's always the trade deadline and blah blah blah. But, if we can make it to the Conference Finals (not likely), or even the Cup finals (hahaha), I think that might sort of jolt this organization out of cruise control. It certainly coldn't hurt our image, re: free agents.

[Dabura 12,207]

I know he's small but he's used to playing against guys bigger and stronger than him. He's been in the SHL and also on Team Sweden. He'll probably be able to fill out a bit during this season and in the offseason, and unless we're giving up on him I say bring him in to the team, let Z mentor him and teach him how to become as strong as him.

So you'd have him on the fourth line? Honest question, because Ironhook is the Wings prospect I'm most excited about, and I've wondered if it wouldn't be worth bringing him up to learn from Z and the rest of our Swedish National Team. He'd sort of have to be a regular and not a bench-warmer, right? Because, ultimately, it's about his development, and if he's gonna warm the bench here then he'd probably be better off getting good minutes down below.

Edited November 29, 2013 by Dabura

[Dabura 12,207]

Also, Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Mantha? That is outrageos...ly awesome.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

I actually really like the idea of Mantha being Bertuzzi's replacement on the top line. It'll never happen, but what better way to learn then playing with Zetterberg and Datsyuk? The guy is massive, has unreal skill, and speaks like a guy who wants to buck the trend of waiting to be a Wing. Probably never going to happen, but I'd like to see it.

[Cloune 270]

Zetterberg - Datsyuk - Mantha

DeKeyser - Sproul

[Euro_Twins 4,475]

I actually really like the idea of Mantha being Bertuzzi's replacement on the top line. It'll never happen, but what better way to learn then playing with Zetterberg and Datsyuk? The guy is massive, has unreal skill, and speaks like a guy who wants to buck the trend of waiting to be a Wing. Probably never going to happen, but I'd like to see it.

He is doing everything humanly possible right now to earn a spot, at least we will soon see what he can do in the ahl.

[Dabura 12,207]

I love am thankful for the Mantha situation. The biggest knock against him is his "compete." How do you fix that? Tell him he'd get eaten alive in the NHL at this stage in his development, then watch him work his ass off to prove the doubters wrong.