Official 2016 Detroit Red Wings Offseason Thread

[LeftWinger 4,958]

Trade for his rights, offer him 11x8. Done and done.

$88M over 8 years or $84M over 7 years, not too much of a difference. Not enough to knock his socks off anyway.

[LeftWinger 4,958]

Just some food for thought, what do you think about siging UFA's Frans Nielsen and Kyle Okposo?

Nielsen played 81 games and had 20 goals among 52 points. He's a center and would certainly cost way less than Stamkos. We know we'd all like Okposo.

Does anyone know if those two spent much time together on a line in NYI?

If the price goes too high for Stamkos or he decides elsewhere, I think Nielsen could be a viable option to come in.

[VM1138 1,921]

Both are complementary players. I'd like to see either one, but not instead of Stamkos. Along with.

[xtrememachine1 795]

So if Buffalo does in fact offer Stamkos $12x7 as they are rumored to, should Detroit match the offer? Or stick to $10x7 as Detroit is rumored to probably offer.

$10 mil per year would be my max offer. If Buffalo wants to offer that much, fine, but I think that's ludicrous. We need to keep in mind that there is a salary cap and putting $12 mil into one player is insane. You could get a couple of good defensemen for that price. $10 mil isn't so bad especially considering $7.5 of it was going to be counted towards Datsyuk. You could think of it as giving younger Datsyuk a slight raise. BTW, I know Datsyuk and Stamkos are completely different types of players, I'm basically just saying, we're trading one star for another.

[LeftWinger 4,958]

Both are complementary players. I'd like to see either one, but not instead of Stamkos. Along with.

Wow, that would be nice to get all three, but not sure if we would have the cap.

I think I'd go $11m as a highest offer for Stamkos. Maybe bonuses for goals and points, playoffs, Cup.

Edited June 27, 2016 by LeftWinger

[e_prime 1,936]

Can you actually trade for Stammer's rights? He had a NMC for 15/16. Wouldn't that be in effect until July 1?

...and why would he waive that NMC? Why weaken a team you might end up or intend to sign with, especially now that players and teams can talk to one another before July 1.

Edited June 27, 2016 by e_prime

[Dabura 12,207]

I would do $12M, yes. Why? Simple: our need is that great. Buffalo's need isn't nearly as great as ours, which is why I'm not convinced that they're prepared to go two or three million higher than the consensus market value. They don't need a Steven Stamkos. We absolutely do. (Unless, perhaps, we can acquire a guy like Martin Hanzal. But even then, there's a big talent gap between Hanzal and Stamkos.)

[kickazz 5,459]

After thinking about it, I don't think I would mind about $12 million being tied up. He's a superstar and the first one to hit UFA in what? A decade?

We have a lot of contracts coming off the books in the next few years. We can definitely afford it and more.

Edited June 27, 2016 by kickazz

[TheXym 2,606]

I've been torn on it, but I think getting Stamkos would be a good thing, even at the high salary. Kickazz makes some good points about contracts coming off the books. If Kenny can resign the RFA's for decent money and term that works (either they are RFA again at contract's end or term ends when other contracts come off the books that won't be re-signed (Ericsson, I hope, to name one)). Plus, Stamkos is young enough that he will be able to be a leader to transition some of the young guys in as well. He'd be the first real sniper the Wings have had since Shanahan (maybe Hossa, but he was only there for a season).

[NerveDamage 4,176]

Mckenzie evaluates Stamkos sweepstakes article.

"...the real focus seems to be on what I’ll call the triangle. The three points of that triangle would be Stamkos’ hometown of Toronto, the Detroit Red Wings just down the 401, and then back across Ohio and Western Pennsylvania into Buffalo and Western New York."

http://www.todaysslapshot.com/from-the-ice/mckenzie-evaluates-suitors-stamkos-sweepstakes/

Edited June 27, 2016 by NerveDamage

[Rivalred 630]

Mckenzie evaluates Stamkos sweepstakes article.

"...the real focus seems to be on what Ill call the triangle. The three points of that triangle would be Stamkos hometown of Toronto, the Detroit Red Wings just down the 401, and then back across Ohio and Western Pennsylvania into Buffalo and Western New York."

http://www.todaysslapshot.com/from-the-ice/mckenzie-evaluates-suitors-stamkos-sweepstakes/

Buffalo has a lot of talent on that team, they are up and coming. He may want to go play for them.

[frankgrimes 1,836]

Buffalo has a lot of talent on that team, they are up and coming. He may want to go play for them.

It would just make too much sense all things considered. He gets to play with a team which will soon be a force in the league, an owner who is loaded, without the pressure of being the guy ( that's Eichel) and no media scrutiny at all. It's sad for us but it seems like a nobrainer.

[amato 3,210]

Dreger: RedWings keenly interested in Stamkos. If they don't land, probably look at Eriksson, or Boedker, or Okposo, or maybe Backes.

[Echolalia 2,961]

It would just make too much sense all things considered. He gets to play with a team which will soon be a force in the league, an owner who is loaded, without the pressure of being the guy ( that's Eichel) and no media scrutiny at all. It's sad for us but it seems like a nobrainer.

I thought Stamkos wanted to be the main guy?

Anyway, I can for sure see the appeal of playing in Buffalo or Toronto, but at the same time we are talking about what was the last place and 23rd place teams in the league as of a couple months ago. Up-and-coming is never a guarantee, and there's definitely a level of risk associated with signing the rest of your career away to one of those two teams. The Wings haven't been all that exciting the past few seasons, but at the very least we've been a consistent playoff team. For similar money, it might be more appealing to come to Detroit because we have a better track record of playing games that matter in April.

[Rivalred 630]

I thought Stamkos wanted to be the main guy?

Anyway, I can for sure see the appeal of playing in Buffalo or Toronto, but at the same time we are talking about what was the last place and 23rd place teams in the league as of a couple months ago. Up-and-coming is never a guarantee, and there's definitely a level of risk associated with signing the rest of your career away to one of those two teams. The Wings haven't been all that exciting the past few seasons, but at the very least we've been a consistent playoff team. For similar money, it might be more appealing to come to Detroit because we have a better track record of playing games that matter in April.

Buffalo and Toronto lit a fire and rolled dumpster down the hill for a reason,

The issue with Detroit is holes needing to be filled, players not being used correctly, and inconsistency

[puckbags 863]

I thought Stamkos wanted to be the main guy?

Anyway, I can for sure see the appeal of playing in Buffalo or Toronto, but at the same time we are talking about what was the last place and 23rd place teams in the league as of a couple months ago. Up-and-coming is never a guarantee, and there's definitely a level of risk associated with signing the rest of your career away to one of those two teams. The Wings haven't been all that exciting the past few seasons, but at the very least we've been a consistent playoff team. For similar money, it might be more appealing to come to Detroit because we have a better track record of playing games that matter in April.

I think it's all about that right there. He's been close in T Bay and I really find it hard to believe that he will want to go way backwards to teams that have no chance of contending. I hope that he will see with the Wings that with him and a couple of other moves we have a chance to contend. Larkin and Stamkos going forward makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

[Dabura 12,207]

I thought Stamkos wanted to be the main guy?

Anyway, I can for sure see the appeal of playing in Buffalo or Toronto, but at the same time we are talking about what was the last place and 23rd place teams in the league as of a couple months ago. Up-and-coming is never a guarantee, and there's definitely a level of risk associated with signing the rest of your career away to one of those two teams. The Wings haven't been all that exciting the past few seasons, but at the very least we've been a consistent playoff team. For similar money, it might be more appealing to come to Detroit because we have a better track record of playing games that matter in April.

There are a couple of factors that might favor the Wings, or at least work against the top competition.

One, and you've touched on this here, is that the Sabres and especially the Leafs are probably two or three years away from being truly competitive. At that point, Stamkos will be right around 30 years old and may be in the early stages of decline. (Truth be told, he may already be in decline.) Is he willing to wait two or three years for the team to become competitive? Would he be ok with being eaten alive by the Toronto media at the first sign of trouble? Is he willing to joing an organization that has no recent history of success, one that may not become a perennial powerhouse? (Does he want to play on a bad team coached by Mike Babcock, who will inevitably put him on the wing and coach him to play "heavier" and "more defensively"?) These teams, by their own admission, have to "learn how to win." That's not necessarily as true of the Wings.

A second, related issue is the fact that all of the Sabres' and Leafs' top young talent will need substantial pay raises, which means they might find themselves where the Lightning now find themselves -- full of young talent, but lacking the cap space it'll take to keep all of those top players. Does Stamkos want to be the twelve-million-dollar reason why the Sabres can't keep Sam Reinhart or the Leafs can't keep William Nylander? Does he want to be counting for that much against a young team's cap when other players on the team are matching or exceeding his production and doing so for a fraction of his pay? Would that cause problems in the locker room? Would it lead to the younger talent demanding bigger money than they might otherwise demand, because "Well, Stamkos is getting paid this much to put up 65 points and I'm putting up 80+ points. And that's f***ed."

Did I mention Toronto eats its young?

Dreger: RedWings keenly interested in Stamkos. If they don't land, probably look at Eriksson, or Boedker, or Okposo, or maybe Backes.

Please no Boedker. He's not the player people think he is. We're talking substantially less competent than Tatar or Nyquist.

[NerveDamage 4,176]

Drew Miller Fan Club Represent! Red Wings sign Miller to a one-year extension

[nyqvististhefuture 1,002]

Ya I just saw , not surprised .... Kenny holland never fails

An abundance of young kids looking for shots to crack the lineup and he keeps recycling the same old

Guess it's pretty much goodbye to jurco pulkkinen and frk now especially if we shop on ufa day , I just hope we don't lose these players for nothing on waivers yet again

[kipwinger 8,522]

Anybody who thinks Buffalo is some desire able landing place for Stamkos has obviously never spent much time in Buffalo. Yikes.

[amato 3,210]

Agree on Boedker.. Eriksson and Backes interest me on the right deal. I have a bad feeling whoever signs Okposo will be disappointed.. A lot of his success may be due to Tavares. But maybe I'm wrong; I haven't watched a lot of the isles

[Datsyukian-Deke 722]

Anybody who thinks Buffalo is some desire able landing place for Stamkos has obviously never spent much time in Buffalo. Yikes.

But, but Buffalo has that one thi.....you can also go to......yea yea you're right.

[GoalieManPat 1,007]

Anybody who thinks Buffalo is some desire able landing place for Stamkos has obviously never spent much time in Buffalo. Yikes.

The same argument could be applied to Detroit. Lets hope he doesn't value the city to highly as Toronto would win in a landslide compared to the other two.

[xtrememachine1 795]

Buffalo has a lot of talent on that team, they are up and coming. He may want to go play for them.

The same exact thing was being said 4 years ago except people were saying Minnesota instead of Buffalo. We all know how well that worked out for those two.

[PavelValerievichDatsyuk 1,935]

Yeah, I was surprised on the inclusion of Boedker on that list. He's never even scored 20 so I'd rather have Tatar and Nyquist playing in the top 6 or give Mantha a shot.

I think Ladd, Eriksson, or Backes are my list other than Stamkos. Not sold on Okposo, but some of that is that I haven't seen him play very often. I was at a Islanders/Wings game were Tavaras was out and Okposo scored 2 or 3.