Trade deadline fast approaching - who should we target?

[number9 3,297]

Knowing Holland he might trade a prospect or draft pick but no way is he trading a roster player.

Agreed. He's going to build his depth not subtract or maintain it. Ideally you have to think he wants to move lower end picks and prospects like Jensen, Paterson, 2nd round picks, etc.

[nyqvististhefuture 1,002]

That's a fair POV I just think at the end of the day trading Helm is beyond unwing like.

Agreed ...all this helm trade talk is crazy I can see him here for along time unless he gets crazy with salary demands

Agreed. He's going to build his depth not subtract or maintain it. Ideally you have to think he wants to move lower end picks and prospects like Jensen, Paterson, 2nd round picks, etc.

I think depending on the return athanasiou can be a really nice trade bait with his 45 goals and we can afford to lose him with pulkkinen jarnkrok jurco sheahan mantha in our depth chart

Paterson could also have value .... Like holland said it would have to be a hockey trade were not good enough to risk these guys for ufa's especially with hank and pavelski being a ?

Edited March 4, 2014 by nyqvististhefuture

[Richdg 267]

Not sure why so many wouldn't want kesler. I mean he only has more goals than anyone on our roster-injured or healthy. Is every bit as good as Helm defensively. So yes, If I can move helm as part of a package for kesler I would do it. That would be an upgrade of our team. Let's compare the 2 for a second. Helm is 27, doesn't score, makes 2.2 million for 2 more years, plays great D, but because of his style of play-he does get hurt a good amount. In 2009/10 Helm played 75 games. In 10/11 he played 82. Not bad. But since then he has played 68 in 11/12, 1 in 12/13 and this year he has played in 28. At his size can he ever be a guy that is counted on to play more than 70 games per year? Kesler on the other hand turns 30 this summer and is signed for 2 more year at 5 million per. His average season is about 2.5 times as many goals as Helm. Over the past few years he has played: 82, 82, 77, 17, and 62 games. They were both hurt last year for a lot of games.

Now go forward a couple of years. What will it cost to keep these guys? I firmly believe that Helm will be in the 3.5-4 million per range in his next contract. Kesler will be around 6 million. At that point in time, which makes more sense?

Now I have no idea what Holland's thoughts are on all of this. But these are the long term things that have to be thought about. Is a 3C really worth 4 million per? Is that money better spent and produce a better team than a 6 million per year 2C?

The other part of course is, what goes with helm? of the younger guys that have made it up, Tatar is the best more IMHO. yes he scores goals. Should be good for 20-25 every year. But that is all he does. he is poor defensively, not very big or physical even though he plays with an edge, and is a LHed RW. I would keep Jurco, Nyquist, and Sheahan all ahead of him. Pulk should be able to come up and provide what tatar does, while being a RHed RW.

So what to offer, ok simple: Helm, Tatar, Kindl, and a 2014 2nd round pick for Kesler. By moving Helm and Kindl we also free up about 4 million in cap space and then add a guy that should score 25-30 goals per year as a 2C.

[Dabura 12,206]

Detroit Red Wings Trade Rumors: Dustin Byfuglien [WIIM]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: we should be in on Byfuglien. We need more right-handed players - he's right-handed. We need a top-four offensive defenseman who can be lethal on the PP - that's him. We need a top-six power forward who can park his ass in front of the net - also him. We need to get bigger, tougher, more physical - him. We need a guy who isn't a rental - him again. We need at least one of the Jets' 9,000 players who could potentially do wonders for us - him.

There are some concerns about him, but that's the whole reason why he'd be traded - and possibly for a reasonable price - in the first place. We're not getting Duncan Keith or Alex Ovechkin. And, again, standing pat is not a recipe for significant improvement and winning one more Cup with Datsyuk and Zetterberg. It's praying that some rookies can be the difference between a second-round exit and the Stanley Cup, all while our core gets older every day.

On that note: I'm very happy that we're in on Erhoff.

Kesler's price is about what I'd expected. That's Helm/Sheahan, Sproul/Ouellet, and a 1st. If any one of Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Weiss were healthy, I'd say it's absolutely, positively not happening. But, fact is, we could really use a top-six center. (And if we get healthy down the middle, Kesler's able and willing to play RW.)

[Dabura 12,206]

Tonight we're gonna be without Datsyuk, Zetterberg, and Weiss. Against a team that's hot on our heels. At some point, this all-our-key-forwards-are-injured s*** is going to cost us a postseason berth, if it hasn't already. If we can move Helm, Sproul/Ouellet, and a 1st for Kesler, that's worth serious consideration.

I'm sorry, but the state of our team is ticking me off, as is the notion that if we just keep waiting for the absolute perfect trade to come along - say, Cleary for Chara - we'll be doing the best we can do. Or if we just keep waiting for the perfect UFA - say, Vanek at $5M over three years. Because it goes without saying that we'd be the only ones in on that, right? Welcome to Motown, Thomas!

We need to add a high-end piece! If it can be done without losing one of our untouchables, it should be done! And even some of our untouchables shouldn't be wholly untouchable.

Ehrhoff, Kesler, Byfuglien, someone good. Do it. Just do it.

(I kinda feel like Dunbar in Catch-22 when he finally snaps. THERE'S NO ONE IN THERE!)

Edited March 4, 2014 by Dabura

[pucktividi 472]

Other people see big offensive numbers and think he's a good defenseman. He's over matched in his own end in the AHL, he'd be a huge liability in the NHL.

I've heard a year ago how Tatar gets pushed easily,Jurco's one way player and Sheahan would be the 4th liner at best.

[Dabura 12,206]

Joakim Andersson is our first-line center! Kyle Quincey is a key part of our blue line! When is Brett Lebda due back???

[Dabura 12,206]

Dickie, not that I'm especially keen on Almqvist, but you're basically just saying what everyone says about smallish offensive defensemen. And yet, there are guys who were hit with the same criticisms earlier in their careers who've gone on to become good defensemen at the NHL level.

[brooklynsour 31]

Damn these injuries are surely gonna catch up and with a few of our top guys out, we need jimmy to stand on his head, I certainly don't believe any trade would help us if dats injury is more serious than stated

[Dabura 12,206]

I certainly don't believe any trade would help us if dats injury is more serious than stated

Why not? If Dats's injury is more serious than stated (and we all know it is), that means we could be fighting tooth & nail for a playoff spot without our two best players. I've already pointed it out twice in like the past eight minutes, but it can't be overstated: Joakim Andersson is our first-line center. With Weiss not even ready to play in a game yet, we have to consider trading for a top-six centerman.

Edited March 4, 2014 by Dabura

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

Joakim Andersson is our first-line center! Kyle Quincey is a key part of our blue line! When is Brett Lebda due back???

Quincey goes through brutal stretches, but I still wouldn't put him in the same ranks as Lebda. Andersson as our first line center though. Wow injuries have decimated this team.

[Dabura 12,206]

I guess what I'm saying is, this news about Weiss and Datsyuk takes us from "If we make a trade, great. If we don't, we're still fine" territory and places us in "s***. We might actually have to make a big trade" territory. A Ryan Kesler might now be something of a necessity.

[brooklynsour 31]

Well you basically make my point the odds of us winning in the playoffs with Hank coming off back surgery and dats knee, who knows what'll be of it, hopefully it can heal with rest. Are slim... I don't think and not saying we should throw the season, I'm saying trading away some our prospects for a 2nd line center/wing (i.e kesler) would be a waste for the future, they wouldnt be able to carry our team to the playoffs with all the lack of chemistry and so little time (I think like 20 games)

I don't see what ya see in kesler

[Dabura 12,206]

Quincey goes through brutal stretches, but I still wouldn't put him in the same ranks as Lebda.

You're right. We won a Cup with Lebda. What has Quincey done for us lately?

(I kid. Quincey has grown on me. But try saying, "We can win a Cup with Kyle Quincey playing huge minutes" with a straight face.)

[Dabura 12,206]

Well you basically make my point the odds of us winning in the playoffs with Hank coming off back surgery and dats knee, who knows what'll be of it, hopefully it can heal with rest. Are slim... I don't think and not saying we should throw the season, I'm saying trading away some our prospects for a 2nd line center/wing (i.e kesler) would be a waste for the future, they wouldnt be able to carry our team to the playoffs with all the lack of chemistry and so little time (I think like 20 games)

I don't see what ya see in kesler

I'm not big on Kesler. But we're talking about maybe a first-round pick, a prospect, and a 3C for a very good 2C who could hold his own as a 1C or be one of our better RWers. Given our situation, I think that makes a lot of sense. The argument could be made that even with a fully healthy lineup we should be thinking about adding a top-six centerman sometime soon. Datsyuk and Zetterberg are getting old and breaking down. It's sad but it's true. Weiss is a huge question mark, short-term and long-term. Helm, Sheahan, Andersson, Glendening are bottom-sixers. Franzen doesn't like playing center. Jarnkrok is the only Griffin who projects as a top-six center in the NHL, and he's still got a long way to go.

[brooklynsour 31]

I guess that's a good point too, I suppose it would really depend on what we ship out... I don't know enough about kesler to say anything about his character but I seen some comments on his divaness, we certainly don't need any cancer in the locker room

[Dabura 12,206]

Cammalleri is another option, but he is friggin' tiny.

[number9 3,297]

Scherzer for Kesler straight up

[frankgrimes 1,836]

The thing with Kesler is, does he even waive for the Wings ? Yeah, he is a Michigan boy but other than that the Wings situation is not that much different from the one he currently is in. The guy wants to win a cup neither Detroit nor Vancouver are going to be cup contenders in this or next year. Another thing to consider is again the asking price, with Pittsburgh offering Pouiliot, Bennet, Sutter + 1 let them get him and mortage their future...

Jurco, Helm, Kindl + first won't get the job done and Tatar, Nyquist, Sheahan and Dekeyser should be non starters, period.

Heck even Holmgren was rumored to be shocked by the asking price one of Couture, B. Schenn, Laughton + 1 so go along Shero add another piece for your insane top 6 instead of fixing your D

As for Vanek if the Wings want him, make him an offer come July 1 the guy has said over and over again, he will test free agency.

[Cloune 270]

nothing ofcourse

[Dabura 12,206]

I guess that's a good point too, I suppose it would really depend on what we ship out... I don't know enough about kesler to say anything about his character but I seen some comments on his divaness, we certainly don't need any cancer in the locker room

No offense to you, but I grow really weary of the questions about [insert player who isn't a Red Wing]'s character. Some people here were s***ting all over Tatar when he kinda sorta maybe threatened to bolt to the KHL because Cleary took his spot at the last minute. Now he's Untouchable, a Phenomenal Team Guy, etc. Fedorov wasn't exactly the greatest Team Guy in history, and was most definitely a Diva. Kronwall's widely regarded as one of the dirtiest, most gutless players in the league. (Actually, there's some history between Kronwall and Kesler.) Bertuzzi almost murdered a guy in cold blood.

We could use a really good center. Kesler is a really good center who we might have a shot at getting. He might be the difference between the playoffs and early tee times. I don't really care if he's a prick. Maybe he becomes a better Team Guy as a Red Wing. (Wouldn't be the first time that's happened with a player.)

[DannyD 79]

The thing with Kesler is, does he even waive for the Wings ? Yeah, he is a Michigan boy but other than that the Wings situation is not that much different from the one he currently is in. The guy wants to win a cup neither Detroit nor Vancouver are going to be cup contenders in this or next year. Another thing to consider is again the asking price, with Pittsburgh offering Pouiliot, Bennet, Sutter + 1 let them get him and mortage their future...

Jurco, Helm, Kindl + first won't get the job done and Tatar, Nyquist, Sheahan and Dekeyser should be non starters, period.

Heck even Holmgren was rumored to be shocked by the asking price one of Couture, B. Schenn, Laughton + 1 so go along Shero add another piece for your insane top 6 instead of fixing your D

As for Vanek if the Wings want him, make him an offer come July 1 the guy has said over and over again, he will test free agency.

Kesler, who has a no-trade clause, is willing to accept a trade to the Flyers, as well as the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings, both of whom have also inquired about his availability.

The Chicago Blackhawks and Los Angeles Kings also expressed interest in Kesler, but the Canucks will not deal him to either team, while the Toronto Maple Leafs and Columbus Blue Jackets have been told Kesler will not waive his no-trade clause to go there.

Via thefourthperiod.com

[DickieDunn 2,571]

I've heard a year ago how Tatar gets pushed easily,Jurco's one way player and Sheahan would be the 4th liner at best.

Tatar is small and gets knocked off the puck easier than a bigger guy would, but he's also a forward and a better skater than Almquist.

Jurco still needs to work on his defense, but you don't have to be good as a winger, just ok.

Most people who actually pay attention and know a bit about hockey figured Sheahan still had 3rd line upside pretty easily.

Almquist is small, which is a big issue for a d-man. If you can skate at a high level, it's possible to overcome that. Almquist can't. Too many forwards are going to have both a size and speed advantage over him for him to ever be an NHL player, I don't care how much he scores in the AHL. Lots of guys play great in the minors but get destroyed in the NHL.

Dickie, not that I'm especially keen on Almqvist, but you're basically just saying what everyone says about smallish offensive defensemen. And yet, there are guys who were hit with the same criticisms earlier in their careers who've gone on to become good defensemen at the NHL level.

All of the decent ones could skate better than Almquist can.

[amato 3,210]

Kesler's price is about what I'd expected. That's Helm/Sheahan, Sproul/Ouellet, and a 1st. If any one of Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Weiss were healthy, I'd say it's absolutely, positively not happening. But, fact is, we could really use a top-six center. (And if we get healthy down the middle, Kesler's able and willing to play RW.)

if Sheahan, sproul/ouellet, & this years first were to get the deal done, I think I'd take it.

I see them wanting something more like helm, mantha, 2015 1st though.

[rick zombo 3,739]

Shero is a crazed lunatic. The Penguins time is now (now being the next few years).

No way Kenny outbids him.

Edit: If Holland were smart though, he'd keep negotiating for Kesler just to drive up Gillis' asking price with Shero. Bleed that friggin' Pens organization as much as possible.

Edited March 4, 2014 by rick zombo