Next Seasons Needs/Team Future

[Rivalred 630]

Ekbald's fav player "perfect human"

[Richdg 267]

Is Smith a top 4 damn? No. Is he one of our 4 best? yes. He is supposed to be an offensive defensemen, but that would mean he scores more than 19 points in a season. he has the talent to be a guy that puts up 40-50 points a year, but it hasn't clicked yet. Just as Dekeyser should become a 30-40 point per year guy.

[Datsyukian-Deke 722]

Is Smith a top 4 damn? No. Is he one of our 4 best? yes. He is supposed to be an offensive defensemen, but that would mean he scores more than 19 points in a season. he has the talent to be a guy that puts up 40-50 points a year, but it hasn't clicked yet. Just as Dekeyser should become a 30-40 point per year guy.

I think Smith will have a similar path that Ericsson had. Early in Ericsson's career he had flashes of brilliance laced with terrible defensive mistakes. He eventually learned the game and is now a solid defenseman. I think Smith has a bigger learning curve then we would like but I think the talent and potential is there. Give him one more full season and I don't think we will be discussing trading him.

[Richdg 267]

DD I agree. As has been talked about many times, for whatever reasons Dmen take longer to develop. late 20's seems to be the common age of when most get it. That is part of the question surrounding all the young Dmen prospects. It will be 5+ years before most truly make it, if they ever do. We need help now.

[Echolalia 2,961]

I think Smith will have a similar path that Ericsson had. Early in Ericsson's career he had flashes of brilliance laced with terrible defensive mistakes. He eventually learned the game and is now a solid defenseman. I think Smith has a bigger learning curve then we would like but I think the talent and potential is there. Give him one more full season and I don't think we will be discussing trading him.

I agree, but given the second half of last season and playoffs especially (as well as the bursts of talent that we occasionally see), I'm hoping and expecting Smith to develop at a faster rate than Ericsson did. Who knows whether he has the same plans, though.

[frankgrimes 1,836]

Is Smith a top 4 damn? No. Is he one of our 4 best? yes. He is supposed to be an offensive defensemen, but that would mean he scores more than 19 points in a season. he has the talent to be a guy that puts up 40-50 points a year, but it hasn't clicked yet. Just as Dekeyser should become a 30-40 point per year guy.

The job of a defender is to prevent others from scoring goals first you have to learn that, before you can become more offensive. Granted there are exceptions from this rule like Pietrangelo, Doughty and Weber, Keith but these guys are elite so you can't compare Smith with them.

[Dabura 12,207]

Sometimes the easiest way to improve is to let your young players get better. Smith is ready to be a top 4 guy. Dekeyser is improving his puck movement. I don't want them to get someone who isn't head and shoulders better than those 2 kids. No Boyle. No Orpik. No Markov.

Kronwall Smith

DeKeyser Boyle/Markov

Ericsson [Kid]

What's wrong with that?

[Guest DeGraa55]

Kronwall Smith

DeKeyser Boyle/Markov

Ericsson [Kid]

What's wrong with that?

Problem is 4m E shouldn't be in bottom 2. Also I wouldn't want Boyle in top 4....and I like Markov(the good one!!!) but he is lefty

[e_prime 1,936]

Kronwall Smith

DeKeyser Boyle/Markov

Ericsson [Kid]

What's wrong with that?

I'd still want Ehrhoff/Yandle over Boyle/Markov which means we'd give up Smith and Kindl plus pieces to Buffalo. (Abdelkader? Andersson?, Almquist's rights?, Monster's rights? forward prospect? a pick or picks?)

A package of Smith + Tatar + pieces to Phoenix.

(probably viewed as overpayment by most of you, but you all know how that goes.)

Then KH would have to sign a 3rd pairing guy (Green/Mitchell/Tallinder) as well.

Kronwall Ericsson

DeKeyser Ehrhoff/Yandle

Vet* + [kid]

Lashoff

Edited June 10, 2014 by e_prime

[krsmith17 7,191]

That would be an absolute STEAL... for Phoenix or Buffalo...

Neither Yandle or Ehrhoff are worth that package. I wouldn't involve Smith in any package deal unless it is for an elite right handed defenseman and I wouldn't consider either Yandle or Ehrhoff elite and they're also left handed shots. To add in Tatar plus other picks and prospects is huge over payment for either of those guys in my opinion.

[e_prime 1,936]

That would be an absolute STEAL... for Phoenix or Buffalo...

Neither Yandle or Ehrhoff are worth that package. I wouldn't involve Smith in any package deal unless it is for an elite right handed defenseman and I wouldn't consider either Yandle or Ehrhoff elite and they're also left handed shots. To add in Tatar plus other picks and prospects is huge over payment for either of those guys in my opinion.

...and would immediately bolster our top 4 D-core.

Lets be honest: You have to overpay to make a trade these days. Especially intra-conference (Ehrhoff/Buffalo) or for top flight (maybe not elite - Yandle) players. It's not overpayment, it's the market.

Could you trade Tatar + Kindl+ pieces for Yandle and keep Smith? I dunno?

I'm not a GM, really just spit-balling here.

Also, Smith is a lefty. So you're really just trading a lefty with potential for a lefty that's further along in his development.

Edited June 10, 2014 by e_prime

[krsmith17 7,191]

Well, let's agree to disagree on this one, I just don't like the trade. But I'm sure Kip and a few other would agree with you

I would just be really reluctant to give up Smith and Tatar, plus other assets, when I believe Smith will be much better than Ehrhoff and on par with Yandle in just a few years. I would prefer to sign a decent UFA this season, and wait for Smith and DeKeyser to reach their potential and then add in Sproul and maybe one other of Ouellet, Backman, Marchenko and Jensen.

[e_prime 1,936]

Agree to disagree. That's cool.

Understand about the wait and see approach, but I'm thinking that KH has gotta move on either some prospects or Kindl/Smith/Lashoff this offseason.

Who's on your decent UFA list?

[krsmith17 7,191]

I would be more willing to move promising prospect Xavier Ouellet then Smith. I know that Smith would be more enticing to other teams but I would dangle Ouellet and Tatar plus picks for a decent trade.

Players / Prospects that I would be offering in potential trades.

Tatar, Andersson, Kindl, Ouellet, and of course the fillers with little to no value right now, Ferraro, Almquist, plus picks

Defensemen that I would be targeting as UFA signings in order.

Matt Niskanen, Tom Gilbert, Dan Boyle, Anton Stralman, Derek Morris.

[LeftWinger 4,959]

I can see Holland standing pat. He will keep the 1st rounder, keep all his players, wait and see who wins the roster spot, then either lose guys to waivers or trade them for future considerations because at that point he has no leverage to try to get a better deal. The kids that have exemptions will start in GR because they can and we will be stuck with Andersson and Kindl.

[krsmith17 7,191]

I think Holland will make at least one decent UFA acquisition this offseason, maybe two, and I'm ok with that. I can also see him trading back in the first round to get the second rounder back that he lost in the Legwand trade. I would love to see Callahan win a spot on the forth line but I just don't see it happening, we have too many bottom 6 players as it is. I agree that the players that are waiver exempt will be sent down and I'm also quite ok with that. I don't think it will hurt Jurco, Pulkkinen, Ouellet, Sproul, Mrazek to get another full year in Grand Rapids, with a few injury call ups of course. I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Kindl start the season on our roster. I don't think he has any place here anymore, but I will be pissed if Andersson is still on the roster this season. He needs to be traded before the draft for a later round pick.

[LeftWinger 4,959]

In all of this uncertainty, just like last year we have a very crowded bottom 6....but unlike last year, the crowd this year is young better players and prospects...no Sammy, no Eaves, No Bertuzzi, no Cleary, no Tootoo ( I still wish we had room for him) no Emmerton. So right there its already a better feeling to the season than it was last year...

I see Paul Stastny is still UFA. I thought for sure Colorado would've wrapped him up already. He'd be a bit pricey, but I'd rather see him here than Alfredsson. Although, not sure if he would play wing. Did someone mention pages ago that Bobby Ryan was being shopped? Or were they referring to Ryan Kesler by his first name? I know they also mention Spezza, so I thought they were talking about Bobby Ryan. I would love to have Ryan here, wonder if the asking prices would be similar for him and Kesler...which one would you chose?

also, I am not giving Mantha up for anyone, so any trade involving him is a no go. I mean, if someone dangled Weber out there, we could talk, but I am not giving up Mantha for anything less that a top 1% player in the league.

Edited June 10, 2014 by LeftWinger

[Guest DeGraa55]

In all of this uncertainty, just like last year we have a very crowded bottom 6....but unlike last year, the crowd this year is young better players and prospects...no Sammy, no Eaves, No Bertuzzi, no Cleary, no Tootoo ( I still wish we had room for him) no Emmerton. So right there its already a better feeling to the season than it was last year...

I see Paul Stastny is still UFA. I thought for sure Colorado would've wrapped him up already. He'd be a bit pricey, but I'd rather see him here than Alfredsson. Although, not sure if he would play wing. Did someone mention pages ago that Bobby Ryan was being shopped? Or were they referring to Ryan Kesler by his first name? I know they also mention Spezza, so I thought they were talking about Bobby Ryan. I would love to have Ryan here, wonder if the asking prices would be similar for him and Kesler...which one would you chose?

That was me hoping for Ryan. Spezza is being shopped and Ryan supposedly they wanna resign(only 1 year left) but can't until July 31st.

So my personal hope is get both... But I don't think Ottawa will move him. Unless he has no interest to resign there.

[Son of a Wing 1,644]

Sure he wasn't asking for 2.7 million rubles? That's only about $42.50 in American dollars. Totally worth the risk!

But joking aside. Where did you see that he wanted 2.7 million dollars? Because the maximum entry level contract in the NHL is 1,350,000 dollars. So if he was asking for 2.7 he clearly didn't want to play over here at all.

am I the only one who can't read Russian? To whom are we referring to who wanted $2.7M?

Fedor Malykhin.

Leonid Weisfeld, the general manager of Avtomobilist, said the club did all it could to retain the player, who called for a salary of $2.7 million per year.

LINK

I don't think he ever had any interest in playing in the NHL or leaving Russia.

[wings4thecup06 504]

I'm torn about all of this but one thing is definitely for sure. It's going to be a really really interesting offeseason. For as long as I can remember, the Wings are kind of at a crossroads of sorts. They've got to improve and have some really good young kids to do that, along with a good core. But while the free agent market is pretty S***, we've got some pieces to deal with that we can actually offer at the table to get a decent return and we've got a ton of cap space.

Whatever happens, I think we'll end up with a veteran D man from free agency, and possibly a blockbuster trade although I don't think it'll be that big. But a few guys will be shipped out.

My 2 cents:

Bring Mrazek up to backup Howie. I think Jimmy needs a bigger push and Mrazek is more than ready.

If we sign Boyle I would have no issues (as long as it's 2 years or less)

Andersson and Kindle should definitely be part of a trade if KH can make it happen. Neither have a place here IMO

I'd welcome back Alfie with open arms. Played great for most of the season.

[DickieDunn 2,571]

In all of this uncertainty, just like last year we have a very crowded bottom 6....but unlike last year, the crowd this year is young better players and prospects...no Sammy, no Eaves, No Bertuzzi, no Cleary, no Tootoo ( I still wish we had room for him) no Emmerton. So right there its already a better feeling to the season than it was last year...

I see Paul Stastny is still UFA. I thought for sure Colorado would've wrapped him up already. He'd be a bit pricey, but I'd rather see him here than Alfredsson. Although, not sure if he would play wing. Did someone mention pages ago that Bobby Ryan was being shopped? Or were they referring to Ryan Kesler by his first name? I know they also mention Spezza, so I thought they were talking about Bobby Ryan. I would love to have Ryan here, wonder if the asking prices would be similar for him and Kesler...which one would you chose?

also, I am not giving Mantha up for anyone, so any trade involving him is a no go. I mean, if someone dangled Weber out there, we could talk, but I am not giving up Mantha for anything less that a top 1% player in the league.

So if the Stars called and said the Benn brothers demanded a trade and they want to come to Detroit, and the price was Mantha, Smith, Sproul, Pulkinen and a first, you'd say no?

[wings4thecup06 504]

So if the Stars called and said the Benn brothers demanded a trade and they want to come to Detroit, and the price was Mantha, Smith, Sproul, Pulkinen and a first, you'd say no?

I would definitely say no on that one.

[Andy Pred 48 337]

it ain't me...i like smith, but would trade him for Kesler in a heartbeat... Must be kip. But just because we put him in a trade scenario doesn't mean we do think he isn't top 4. I think he can be, especially here if we don't add any better d.

btw, I still would like to know who the kid is that was talked about in Russian...

Fyodor Malykhin

[Andy Pred 48 337]

Kenny's got a couple of gem's up his sleeve, all will be revealed on draft day.

[Dabura 12,207]

Basically because you're putting on your eggs in the kid basket(stole the line from someone else). What happens if none of them pan out? Were f***ED then. And if some do pan out(which I personally believe they will) were still several years away from them being dominate.

So I ask are we in win now mode? If so we need a defenseman(stats show bottom 2 is what's needed) and a top six forward or two. We need a number two center. Will that be Weiss? I would prefer to trade for spezza personally. We also need a big winger to play with the euro twins something we don't have and need to acquire via trade or FA. Meaning I have nyquist on the second line with whoever as third and Franzen on third(or second I guess...).

You have no idea what you're talking about. I don't mean that in a mean way. Actually, yes, I do. Kinda.

We could use some help up front. Every team could. (See: LA acquiring Richards, Carter, Gaborik.) But these days it's about being able to roll four solid lines. (Ask the Penguins.) It's also about having an elite, cornerstone defenseman, or at least a really solid top-four. I think this is fine:

Zetterberg Datsyuk Jurco

Franzen Weiss/Sheahan Nyquist

Or this:

Jurco Datsyuk Alfredsson

Franzen Zetterberg Nyquist

Or whatever. And Mantha's in there somewhere.

Versus this:

Kronwall Ericsson

DeKeyser Smith

Kindl Marchenko

Which makes me want to cry.