Trade deadline fast approaching - who should we target?

[Jesusberg 1,256]

The more I see the young talent on this team play, the more willing I am to justify parting with some of them for a proven guy or two. I think the team's got some solid forward depth now, and even more depth on the way. I think the glaring hole is someone who can move the puck and walk the line on the PP. It might not be a popular choice, but someone like a Mike Green, Dustin Byfuglien or Marek Zidlicky come to mind for me.

None of those guys are going to be great defensively, but I feel like that's one of the team's biggest issues. Moving some young players who are going to face a logjam in 2-3 years might be a good option.

[DickieDunn 2,571]

Gaborik strikes me as high-risk; he seems to be made of glass, and he has a bit of a reputation for being somewhat "difficult." 7-8M is a lot of money for someone who's probably going to be injured half the time and clash with Babs.

I know he's got a broken collar bone now, but the last few years he's been pretty healthy. He's played 47, 82, 62, and 76 games the last few years.

[SerenityNow 4]

I've always thought it would be awesome to have Patrick Sharp.. Would Chicago trade with us at all? Not even for Sharp but for anyone? Lol Sharp would be amazing.

[DickieDunn 2,571]

The more I see the young talent on this team play, the more willing I am to justify parting with some of them for a proven guy or two. I think the team's got some solid forward depth now, and even more depth on the way. I think the glaring hole is someone who can move the puck and walk the line on the PP. It might not be a popular choice, but someone like a Mike Green, Dustin Byfuglien or Marek Zidlicky come to mind for me.

None of those guys are going to be great defensively, but I feel like that's one of the team's biggest issues. Moving some young players who are going to face a logjam in 2-3 years might be a good option.

I'd rather just play Smith more than get one of those guys. At least he might get better defensively, the guys you named are forever horrible.

[Dabura 12,206]

Maybe we're going about this all wrong. Maybe we should make a list of the worst GMs in the leage and go from there.

Here, I'll get the ball rolling:

[Dabura 12,206]

I know he's got a broken collar bone now, but the last few years he's been pretty healthy. He's played 47, 82, 62, and 76 games the last few years.

Fair enough. For some reason my impression is that when he gets hurt, he gets hurt bad. That may just be his poor luck this season tainting my opinion.

[SerenityNow 4]

Honestly I don't see holland doing anything as per usual. But if he did I'd have to imagine it being with a bottom feeder from the west.

[joesuffP 1,746]

With us being up against the cap and seemingly weak in every position I don't see how we could possibly make a move that makes us better at the deadline. I think it's finally time to start a real rebuild. Everybody but Zetterberg is on the table

[joesuffP 1,746]

Does Kronwall+Abby and a 1st get you Eberle?

[SerenityNow 4]

Why trade Kronwall? We need all the defense we can get right now. I know he hasn't been the greatest the last few games but I think he and Dekeyser should be the only ones not on the market as far as defense goes..

[joesuffP 1,746]

It benefits both teams. We need top end talent on offense. Our Defense is already a train wreck but our D prospects are solid. Sign a vet d man or two

We need to rebuild or we are never going to acquire any elite players

[MileHighWingsGuy 178]

I think we should target a GM that can actually make a trade.

[Richdg 267]

Some have mentioned the amount of cap space we have this off season. yes that is true. But what good is it? None in UFA-there are only a couple of UFA's worth anything and the chances they all come here is slim. In other words, plenty of cash and no place to spend it. baring trades. Which we seem unable to do lately.

[joesuffP 1,746]

Yes. Getting any new exciting players that will help to make us a better team isn't going to happen unless we slowly draft and develop them, or if we decide to rebuild. After how these seasons have gone the past 5 years I would personally like to rebuild.

[SerenityNow 4]

It benefits both teams. We need top end talent on offense. Our Defense is already a train wreck but our D prospects are solid. Sign a vet d man or two

We need to rebuild or we are never going to acquire any elite players

I'd say train wreck is a bit of an overstatement.. I think all we need is a couple solid defensemen and a high level scorer for immediate results. Our future in offense is our strength imo. We have enough secondary scoring in Nyquist, Tatar, Helm, Sheahan and Jurco (if he is as special as everyone says, he will be a top scorer.) even Abdelkader. couple that with Z, D and Franzen(hopefully), to hold us over until Mantha is ready and Jurco has reached full potential. Plus the role guys. We're only a few good players away from being a really solid team. I think anyway.

[Richdg 267]

We have secondary scoring, just very little primary scoring. In fact will we have any when the next batch is ready? mantha may be ready for next season, but more likely in will be 2015/16. at that point we are down to datsyuk's final 2 years. franzen could be bought out this summer-I hope and pray, and we don't know about Z's back. We need new and more primary scorers. That will cost 2-3 secondary scorers.

[Internet.Unknown 422]

Some have mentioned the amount of cap space we have this off season. yes that is true. But what good is it? None in UFA-there are only a couple of UFA's worth anything and the chances they all come here is slim. In other words, plenty of cash and no place to spend it. baring trades. Which we seem unable to do lately.

Wings had a lot of cap space the year Suter and Parise were available too. That was supposed to be reload-never-rebuild summer.

Edited January 31, 2014 by Internet.Unknown

[kipwinger 8,492]

The Fourth Period is rumoring that the Wings are now interested in Brad Boyes AND Tom Gilbert of the Panthers. Boyes has 14 goals and Gilbert 24 pts. this season.

There's one way to get Weiss' offense going...bring his entire team up from Florida. Unfortunately, while Weiss' game will pick up, our team will only be as good as the Florida panthers.

[frankgrimes 1,836]

Wings had a lot of cap space the year Suter and Parise were available too. That was supposed to be reload-never-rebuild summer.

Cap space does two things for you, 1 gives you flexibility and 2 let's you bid high on top UFAS. As for dreaming about Faulk why should the Hurricanes trade him ? That would not only be stupid but absolutely idiotic. Yes, the rebuild should have started with Suter and Parise but they've decided to go home so nothing you can do about it, the only problem has been that Holland didn't have a plan B. I mean, the Flyers had a plan B but even that failed, because their offer sheet wasn't good enough.

The defense obviously needs a shutdown guy and someone, who can run the PP. Byuglien is a fat coachkiller, who can't play defense so no thanks, Mike Green always plays as a nother forward instead of defender he's basically a less talented Karlson.

If the Rangers don't re-sign Callahan and Girardi they would be stupid, their depth isn't great but without these two and nothing available Sather would be looking at a line one pairing team *lol*

[nawein 324]

The Fourth Period is rumoring that the Wings are now interested in Brad Boyes AND Tom Gilbert of the Panthers. Boyes has 14 goals and Gilbert 24 pts. this season.

There's one way to get Weiss' offense going...bring his entire team up from Florida. Unfortunately, while Weiss' game will pick up, our team will only be as good as the Florida panthers.

Actually, both Boyes and Gilbert were fa signings by florida this summer, so Weiss never has played with either. Boyes can score and if we can flip Quincey or Kindl for Gilbert it's an upgrade. I'd actually be pretty for this.

[Ray Sheppard 1]

I'm surprised the name Ryan Ellis hasn't come up. Would be a great fit.

[kipwinger 8,492]

Actually, both Boyes and Gilbert were fa signings by florida this summer, so Weiss never has played with either. Boyes can score and if we can flip Quincey or Kindl for Gilbert it's an upgrade. I'd actually be pretty for this.

I honestly have never really seen Gilbert play too much. I looked at his stat line, which was impressive, and his salary (which seems high at 5 mil) but I'll gladly defer to someone who's seen more of him than I have. I also noticed he doesn't score on the PP alot, which either means he doesn't play on it...or shouldn't play on it. In an ideal situation I'd prefer a puck mover who can play the point on the PP and let Alfie do what he ought to be doing (halfboards).

As for Boyes, he's scored a ton of goals in his career but I don't really see how he fits. We've already got third line wingers and I don't see him in our top six. Also, while being a quality goal scorer, he's incredibly week on the puck and I'd prefer someone who's hard to play against. Then again, it's a ton of production for almost no money so I can see the allure.

[nawein 324]

I honestly have never really seen Gilbert play too much. I looked at his stat line, which was impressive, and his salary (which seems high at 5 mil) but I'll gladly defer to someone who's seen more of him than I have. I also noticed he doesn't score on the PP alot, which either means he doesn't play on it...or shouldn't play on it. In an ideal situation I'd prefer a puck mover who can play the point on the PP and let Alfie do what he ought to be doing (halfboards).

As for Boyes, he's scored a ton of goals in his career but I don't really see how he fits. We've already got third line wingers and I don't see him in our top six. Also, while being a quality goal scorer, he's incredibly week on the puck and I'd prefer someone who's hard to play against. Then again, it's a ton of production for almost no money so I can see the allure.

Good points, as an already soft team depending on who we'd move for him he could make us softer. I haven't really watched him play a whole lot lately and I just know he scores a lot of goals, which we lack. Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought Gilbert's salary was somewhere around 1 million this year and he has an expiring contract? I'm at work and Capgeek is blocked on my computer (too much armchair gm) so I can't look. If it is 5 mil though I take back wanting him.

[kipwinger 8,492]

Good points, as an already soft team depending on who we'd move for him he could make us softer. I haven't really watched him play a whole lot lately and I just know he scores a lot of goals, which we lack. Correct me if I'm wrong but I thought Gilbert's salary was somewhere around 1 million this year and he has an expiring contract? I'm at work and Capgeek is blocked on my computer (too much armchair gm) so I can't look. If it is 5 mil though I take back wanting him.

You're not wrong, I was. I was reading bad info. He was bought out, so his big salary is gone. He's 900,000. Both he and Boyes are making about a million a piece and are producing well. Which will only increase their value on the trade market considering how tight to the cap everyone is.

[GoWings! 179]

This team has a problem scoring. We need a nice puck moving defenseman who can actually unload a shot that has a good chance of hitting the opposing goalie. If this was 2002 we would be able to pick up two 30 goal scoring veterans with some grit and take the workload off of Datsyuk and Z. They are not young enough to be durable for an entire season + playoffs anymore and the team is weak without them and there is no one else who knows how to score consistently. There really aren't any great players available. Just some solid players that desperate teams with cap space are willing to shell monumental amounts of money at. Weiss has been a huge bust and Franzen is our best goal scorer and he never plays. Stay young and try to unload all that dead weight. Dats and Z will be gone in a few years and maybe their leadership can run off on our potential future stars. I'm definitely accepting that we are not a Cup contender when we are healthy because I believe we cannot win with the defense and starting goaltending we are rolling with now. We had Rafalski, Lids and Stuart in front of Howard from 2010-2013 and we still didn't get past the 2nd round. Now we have Quincey and Smith brainfarting back on defense and pretty bad goaltending this year. Even with a healthy lineup, I think the Cup is very far from our grasp.

Edited January 31, 2014 by GoWings!