Things you would like to see for 2015-16 Season

[GoWings! 179]

Thornton + Pulkkinen = twine rips!

Cheechoo got 54 goals on a line with Thornton. Imagine what a pure shooter could do with Jumbo Joe.

I hear ya about Joe but I feel like we have an endless amount of playmakers.

[kipwinger 8,522]

I don't want Joe Thorton or Dion Phaneuf. The name of the game in the NHL these days is speed and tenacity. Not big hulking slow pokes. Remember Tyler Johnson blowing by our defensemen and scoring goals? Now imagine if it were Dion instead of Ericsson (the much better skater of the two).

I don't mind getting bigger and tougher if we don't sacrifice speed. That's why I like Drew Stafford actually. But neither Dion, nor Jumbo Joe, can skate worth a damn.

[krsmith17 7,191]

One player I would love to have on this team is Travis Hamonic. I realize that the chances of us trading for him are slim to none and I have no idea what it would cost to get him here, but I think he'd be a great add... Kindl + Marchenko, and/or Ouellet, and/or Nastasiuk, and/or draft pick(s)...

I don't see any huge changes. The biggest may be the man behind the bench...

Subtractions:

RFA's - Andersson
UFA's - Cleary, Cole, Zidlicky, Gustavsson, Porter
LTIR - Franzen
Trades: Weiss (take on an equally bad contract that will at least get a chance to play (assuming Babcock returns...) OR buyout),
Kindl (draft pick or even future considerations)

Additions / Extensions:

RFA's - Nyquist, Jurco, Pulkkinen, Smith, Ferraro, Callahan, Aubry, Jensen, Coreau
UFA's - Miele, McCollum
Trades - Travis Hamonic

Roster

Tatar - Datsyuk - Helm
Nyquist - Zetterberg - Abdelkader
Jurco - Sheahan - Pulkkinen
Miller - Glendening - Ferraro
Callahan

Kronwall - Ericsson
DeKeyser - Quincey
Smith - Hamonic
Lashoff

Howard
Mrazek

[nyqvististhefuture 1,002]

I read an article that ottawa will look to get rid of some guys cause there a budget team and wanna sign up stone and other kids

Now I know some of you hate chris neil and he's gonna be 36 in June but I've loved his game for along time and detroit needs to be higher and more physical and neil brings that and is locked up to 1.5 for just one year left

If you ask me he'd fit in nicely on the 4th with glendening Ferraro ... Time to get rid of miller and get some change

Neil glendening Ferraro

Sounds nice to me

Edited May 8, 2015 by nyqvististhefuture

[Buppy 1,720]

I read an article that ottawa will look to get rid of some guys cause there a budget team and wanna sign up stone and other kids

Now I know some of you hate chris neil and he's gonna be 36 in June but I've loved his game for along time and detroit needs to be higher and more physical and neil brings that and is locked up to 1.5 for just one year left

If you ask me he'd fit in nicely on the 4th with glendening Ferraro ... Time to get rid of miller and get some change

Neil glendening Ferraro

Sounds nice to me

I was thinking that with the emergence of Hoffman and Stone, they might be willing to part with the somewhat underperforming Ryan.

Of course, if they did they probably wouldn't want him going to us. Also, they'd probably be looking for some good veteran leadership, probably at center, and Pav and Hank are about all we have that fits. Maybe Helm, but we'd have to add a lot. Pipe dream anyway.

Not interested in Neil.

[PavelValerievichDatsyuk 1,935]

I read an article that ottawa will look to get rid of some guys cause there a budget team and wanna sign up stone and other kids

Now I know some of you hate chris neil and he's gonna be 36 in June but I've loved his game for along time and detroit needs to be higher and more physical and neil brings that and is locked up to 1.5 for just one year left

If you ask me he'd fit in nicely on the 4th with glendening Ferraro ... Time to get rid of miller and get some change

Neil glendening Ferraro

Sounds nice to me

Will he fly in with his cape on?

[wings_fanatic 677]

One player I would love to have on this team is Travis Hamonic. I realize that the chances of us trading for him are slim to none and I have no idea what it would cost to get him here, but I think he'd be a great add... Kindl + Marchenko, and/or Ouellet, and/or Nastasiuk, and/or draft pick(s)...

I don't see any huge changes. The biggest may be the man behind the bench...

Subtractions:

RFA's - Andersson

UFA's - Cleary, Cole, Zidlicky, Gustavsson, Porter

LTIR - Franzen

Trades: Weiss (take on an equally bad contract that will at least get a chance to play (assuming Babcock returns...) OR buyout),

Kindl (draft pick or even future considerations)

Additions / Extensions:

RFA's - Nyquist, Jurco, Pulkkinen, Smith, Ferraro, Callahan, Aubry, Jensen, Coreau

UFA's - Miele, McCollum

Trades - Travis Hamonic

Roster

Tatar - Datsyuk - Helm

Nyquist - Zetterberg - Abdelkader

Jurco - Sheahan - Pulkkinen

Miller - Glendening - Ferraro

Callahan

Kronwall - Ericsson

DeKeyser - Quincey

Smith - Hamonic

Lashoff

Howard

Mrazek

There will be changes for sure and another thing mrazek will be the starter not Jimmy. If mrazek gets it done all year then I'd like to see Jimmy moved at the deadline for a good package deal.

[rick zombo 3,739]

I hope Holland trolls Babcock and finally makes a trade for legit top pairing D man......after Mike signs with another team.

[DickieDunn 2,571]

I read an article that ottawa will look to get rid of some guys cause there a budget team and wanna sign up stone and other kids

Now I know some of you hate chris neil and he's gonna be 36 in June but I've loved his game for along time and detroit needs to be higher and more physical and neil brings that and is locked up to 1.5 for just one year left

If you ask me he'd fit in nicely on the 4th with glendening Ferraro ... Time to get rid of miller and get some change

Neil glendening Ferraro

Sounds nice to me

I'd live Neil a few years ago. Now he's over the hill.

[nyqvististhefuture 1,002]

I'd live Neil a few years ago. Now he's over the hill.

Not the same guy no doubt but still threw like 200+hits ... Think he'd be great on the 4th for one year

Kind of had enough with miller , not that he's awful but I'd like to see a bigger body who can play and take care of buisness

I hope Holland trolls Babcock and finally makes a trade for legit top pairing D man......after Mike signs with another team.

Hahaha

We blackmail arizona and get ekman larsson and then somehow get toews

Tsn reports Babcock leaps off building and last words were ... I made a mistake Kenny's my boss not my wife lmao

[joshy207 156]

- I would like to see all of our RFA's re-signed with maybe the exception of Andersson.

- Cleary to retire (though I think he has one year left on that hand shake deal with Holland a couple years ago).

- Franzen to retire (again, not because its better for us, but because I want the guy to be able to enjoy the rest of his life)

- Cole/Zidlicky gone

- A top 2 D-man to push E down to the 3rd pairing

- Weiss traded

- Kindl traded

- Smith........traded if it means a good return, but I wouldnt get rid of him for the sake of getting rid of him

- Holland/Bacbcock still with the team

- Not sure what I want to do in goal. Mrazek as the guy for the entire season scares me, but Jimmy has too big of a cap hit to be the backup. I guess I would only get rid of Jimmy if it got us a return in a guy like Thornton.

- An elite #2 centre as long as it doesnt cost us our future

- NOT to stray from the re-build, please do not trade any of Mantha, Larkin, Nyquist, Tatar, Sheahan, AA, or Sproul......Marchenko, Oulette, or Jurco ONLY if it brought a big piece back that would be here for a long time, but I would still rather keep them.

I pretty much agree with this.

I'm on the fence with Andersson... I don't mind him in a 4th line role, if he stays on cheap and doesn't keep Ferraro off the roster, I'm fine with him coming back.

Franzen shouldn't play again, for his future's sake. If he won't go on LTIR or insists on trying to play, Holland should buy him out and let him take his chances elsewhere. It is not worth the risk.

Kronwall struggled a lot this year, in part because he really isn't a #1 D, and if he's going to be a #2, he needs to play with a superstar, but also in part because of Ericsson. He's just one of the bad contracts on the books. (I think there are 6 or 7.)

If Weiss and Kindl can't be traded, buy them out. (2 more bad contracts.)

Right there with you on Smith. Too soon to just give up on him unless he's traded for a valuable piece.

Same for the prospects. In fact, I'd like to see them get more NHL looks during the regular season.

In goal, Mrazek is obviously the future, but is the has the future already started? I don't know. Howard was trying to return from a groin injury, which is not easy. I fully expect him to be better next fall. If Howard isn't moved, I expect a real battle between those two.

Unless Datsyuk and Zetterberg are on separate lines, this team hasn't had a real #2 center since Robert Lang. Weiss has failed, Filppula failed... Sheahan has been the best option, but he's still a year or two away from being able to handle that role regularly. A good #2 center from outside the organization will be very costly.

Babcock can stay or go, there are positives and negatives to both. One thing that has surprised me over the last couple years are the team's tendencies to start slow, fall apart late in games, and simply disappear for games at a time. Babcock preaches preparation and attention to detail, but those are the 2 big problems when the team struggles. Is that the players or the coach?

As for Holland, I wouldn't lose sleep if he were to no longer be the Wings' GM. I think he still gets a lot of credit for things that were in place when he took over the GM job and for his successes in the pre-Cap era and in the few years of adjustment under the Cap. Over the last 5-6 years, we've seen Holland make a number of bad signings, fail to improve the team at the trade deadline, and generally seem to lack direction in running the team. He sounds lost in interviews, likes to make excuses, and has been out of touch with the "it's a man's league" and "kids aren't the answer" comments. Also, he doesn't run the draft, his scouting director does. I will say this though, something I think Holland does very well is hire good people, delegate authority to them, and trust their opinions. He lets them do their jobs, which is a very good thing for a manager to do.

My bottom line, though, is that this team hasn't been to the conference final in 6 years. 6. That's the longest stretch since 1989-94. I honestly don't see that being any different next year unless some changes are made, whether on the ice or behind the bench. For an organization that prides itself on contending for the Stanley Cup every year, that shouldn't be acceptable. Nor should it be to a fanbase that has come to expect the same. "The Streak" shouldn't matter one single bit.

[jimmyemeryhunter 2,747]

I pretty much agree with this.

I'm on the fence with Andersson... I don't mind him in a 4th line role, if he stays on cheap and doesn't keep Ferraro off the roster, I'm fine with him coming back.

Franzen shouldn't play again, for his future's sake. If he won't go on LTIR or insists on trying to play, Holland should buy him out and let him take his chances elsewhere. It is not worth the risk.

Kronwall struggled a lot this year, in part because he really isn't a #1 D, and if he's going to be a #2, he needs to play with a superstar, but also in part because of Ericsson. He's just one of the bad contracts on the books. (I think there are 6 or 7.)

If Weiss and Kindl can't be traded, buy them out. (2 more bad contracts.)

Right there with you on Smith. Too soon to just give up on him unless he's traded for a valuable piece.

Same for the prospects. In fact, I'd like to see them get more NHL looks during the regular season.

In goal, Mrazek is obviously the future, but is the has the future already started? I don't know. Howard was trying to return from a groin injury, which is not easy. I fully expect him to be better next fall. If Howard isn't moved, I expect a real battle between those two.

Unless Datsyuk and Zetterberg are on separate lines, this team hasn't had a real #2 center since Robert Lang. Weiss has failed, Filppula failed... Sheahan has been the best option, but he's still a year or two away from being able to handle that role regularly. A good #2 center from outside the organization will be very costly.

Babcock can stay or go, there are positives and negatives to both. One thing that has surprised me over the last couple years are the team's tendencies to start slow, fall apart late in games, and simply disappear for games at a time. Babcock preaches preparation and attention to detail, but those are the 2 big problems when the team struggles. Is that the players or the coach?

As for Holland, I wouldn't lose sleep if he were to no longer be the Wings' GM. I think he still gets a lot of credit for things that were in place when he took over the GM job and for his successes in the pre-Cap era and in the few years of adjustment under the Cap. Over the last 5-6 years, we've seen Holland make a number of bad signings, fail to improve the team at the trade deadline, and generally seem to lack direction in running the team. He sounds lost in interviews, likes to make excuses, and has been out of touch with the "it's a man's league" and "kids aren't the answer" comments. Also, he doesn't run the draft, his scouting director does. I will say this though, something I think Holland does very well is hire good people, delegate authority to them, and trust their opinions. He lets them do their jobs, which is a very good thing for a manager to do.

My bottom line, though, is that this team hasn't been to the conference final in 6 years. 6. That's the longest stretch since 1989-94. I honestly don't see that being any different next year unless some changes are made, whether on the ice or behind the bench. For an organization that prides itself on contending for the Stanley Cup every year, that shouldn't be acceptable. Nor should it be to a fanbase that has come to expect the same. "The Streak" shouldn't matter one single bit.

I got deja vu while reading this, like someone posted the exact same thing before.

And Ericsson isn't overpaid, he's paid like a top four dman, which is what he is.

He's not a #2, but he's not a bad contract.

[DickieDunn 2,571]

I would like to see ice girls with huge natural Hooters, Holland to get every player he wants at a discount, and Dave Tippet as coach. I'd be h

OK with not spending a dime on free agents and trading young assets for a guy who can help now and down the road.

[nyqvististhefuture 1,002]

Umm doubt it even though Nashville would still have weber jones ellis eckholm on d

Any chance preds would consider trading roman josi for nyquist?? They've always lacked scoring last few yrs and having forsberg neal nyquist upfront might look good to them?

He'd be perfect in detroit

[nyqvististhefuture 1,002]

Think most of us expected Phaneuf to be a redwing this off season and weiss going back in a package deal ... Now that babcocks in toronto that looks scrapped

Weiss will likely get bought out and I'm convinced Phaneuf will stay a leaf

So question is ... What defensemen can we realistically target through trades now?

The ducks are stacked at d and got some good young ones in the lineup now ... Sure some of you will say the wiz and we need veteran d but any way we can land a shea Theodore?

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=137663

Edited May 20, 2015 by nyqvististhefuture

[joshy207 156]

I got deja vu while reading this, like someone posted the exact same thing before.

And Ericsson isn't overpaid, he's paid like a top four dman, which is what he is.

He's not a #2, but he's not a bad contract.

You? Sorry, I skipped over a few pages!

My problem with his contract isn't the cap hit, it's the length.

[number9 3,297]

And in this corner... skating out of Canton Michigan... former captain of the once Plymouth Whalers... JAMES "THE WIZ" "WHITE LIGHTNING" WISSSSSSSSSSNIEWWWWWWWWWSKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

[amato 3,210]

And in this corner... skating out of Canton Michigan... former captain of the once Plymouth Whalers... JAMES "THE WIZ" "WHITE LIGHTNING" WISSSSSSSSSSNIEWWWWWWWWWSKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Wonder what it would take to get him.. I'd be all for it and the ducks clearly don't need him.

[kipwinger 8,522]

And in this corner... skating out of Canton Michigan... former captain of the once Plymouth Whalers... JAMES "THE WIZ" "WHITE LIGHTNING" WISSSSSSSSSSNIEWWWWWWWWWSKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

It's destined to happen. It's got to happen. Bring Jimmy Home BABY!

[kipwinger 8,522]

You honestly feel Ericsson is a better skater than Phaneuf?

IMHO - Phaneuf is not only a superior skater, but a more complete player than Ericsson could ever hope to be.....Just that Dion gets nuttier than squirrel poop out on the ice at times, and pinches in, or tries to make the big hit thus taking himself outta the play.....It's his mental gaffes that drop his value, but maybe a guy like Babs, or a new locker room might improve that...Maybe.

Yes. Ericsson is a significantly better skater. He's actually one of the better skating of the large, stay at home, defensemen in the league. He's not Keith Yandle, but if you compare him to similar type guys, he's a great skater.

Dion Phaneuf, however, is a terrible skater.

That said, I agree that Dion is the better defenseman, 100%. But he's not a better skater. But he is a better passer, shooter, hitter, and decision maker.

[nyqvististhefuture 1,002]

Can't see us getting dion with Babs there now and what was needed to happen is us sending weiss back and since he was a healthy scratch most of the time no way they'd accept him , unless they ship him to the ahl for 3 yrs

Not a fan of the wiz so I'm hoping we stay away

Don't really know of anyone we can target through trade that might be available

[number9 3,297]

It's destined to happen. It's got to happen. Bring Jimmy Home BABY!

We've missed the wiz train so many times now I'm starting to think it'll never happen. Seems like he's perpetually available though, at no fault of his own. Not counting this Duck stint.

[Internet.Unknown 422]

We've missed the wiz train so many times now I'm starting to think it'll never happen. Seems like he's perpetually available though, at no fault of his own. Not counting this Duck stint.

Hasn't the Wiz criticized the Wings for lowballing players? I thought he and Kessler were two Michigan players who don't want to play for the home team.

[number9 3,297]

Hasn't the Wiz criticized the Wings for lowballing players? I thought he and Kessler were two Michigan players who don't want to play for the home team.

His rights were owned by CBJ. The news around the league was the Wings were gonna make him offers if he tested FA. Instead he took CBJs big money offer, saying Columbus was close enough to home for him and he didn't expect the wings to make a better offer than what he got.

[loutswings 47]

No thanks on Wiz. Overpaid and takes places off. That was one of the biggest complaints from Jackets fans down here in Columbus.