Official 2016 Detroit Red Wings Offseason Thread

[VM1138 1,921]

Nielsen is healthy, though, isn't he? Weiss would have been great if not for that. Nielsen does need someone better than him to play with. Not sure we have that. It's an upgrade, just not a game changer that we need.

[Hockeymom1960 5,107]

Nielsen is healthy, though, isn't he? Weiss would have been great if not for that. Nielsen does need someone better than him to play with. Not sure we have that. It's an upgrade, just not a game changer that we need.

I bet he'll be a bust too like everyone else that Holland's got the last few years.

[Dominator2005 558]

Staal might sign a shorter 'prove-yourself' type deal reporters are saying but as of now I've never heard that they were planning on meeting him so there's that. Looks like we're signing Nielson. This guy reminds me a lot of Stephen Weiss it makes me sick but we are in dire need of a center men

No to Nielsen, he's 32 and looking for long-term +$6M contract. He will be Andrew MacDonald 2.0...

I would rather have Backes if we needs to add "older" center. Stop mentioning Weiss, he's center and Kenny could sign him to the 2nd tour...

Edited June 29, 2016 by Dominator2005

[kipwinger 8,521]

Nielsen is healthy, though, isn't he? Weiss would have been great if not for that. Nielsen does need someone better than him to play with. Not sure we have that. It's an upgrade, just not a game changer that we need.

Neilsens most common winger last year was okposo. We can easily get both AND still have money for more. If Holland lands those two, plus trades for a defenseman you've got to consider that an off season win. This Stamkos thing is a blessing in disguise. Watch.

[joesuffP 1,746]

The only problem I have with any of those three is term. 2 years max and pay them whatever. I doubt we'll be able to spend to the cap now anyways

I'll be very disappointed if we don't get a good winger though. Okoposo preferably. Helps with problems we've had since forever and will help with us being weak at center for a while

Larkin has to take steps towards being center this year for sure but I think Z may surprise some people at least to start the year off

All these old center men can kick rocks if they want 4+ years I'd rather the team miss the playoffs

[marcaractac 3,962]

The only problem I have with any of those three is term. 2 years max and pay them whatever. I doubt we'll be able to spend to the cap now anyways

I'll be very disappointed if we don't get a good winger though. Okoposo preferably. Helps with problems we've had since forever and will help with us being weak at center for a while

Larkin has to take steps towards being center this year for sure but I think Z may surprise some people at least to start the year off

All these old center men can kick rocks if they want 4+ years I'd rather the team miss the playoffs

A lottery year could be a blessing in disguise at this point. Lots of good talent in the system, just lacking that high end player. Would be a huge boost to the rebuild on the fly.

[marcaractac 3,962]

According to lebrun the wings never even got the chance to pitch to Stamkos. So much for that "being so close" tweet.

[robb himself 143]

Wouldnt mind landing both Nielsen and Okposo from the Islanders.

Zetterberg - Larkin - Abdelkader

Tatar- Nielsen - Okposo

Nyquist - Athanasiou - Mantha

Jurco- Sheahan - Glendenning

Pulkkinen

Miller

[nyqvististhefuture 1,002]

Add a lucid/Brouwer

Maybe trade for 2 of fowler/trouba/brodin if we're lucky

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Nielsen for 5/6 mil over 4/5 years is crazy. At this point, Okposo is the only big name guy I'd give money too. Honestly I'd take a flyer on Eric Staal for cheap on a 2 year deal to fill our void at center and provide some insurance as Larkin moves to C full time in the NHL. If anything Kenny should be hard after a defenceman now via trade.

[amato 3,210]

Wings never got a chance? So basically it was see how close the hometown team is to competing, then decide I guess?

On the lighter side of things, this got me good haha

https://twitter.com/nhlonnbcsports/status/748245726128373762

[brandon27 111]

Yup.

At this point I'd just assume play our young guys, and screw ufa.

Is it me, or do we hear about the 'quality' of guys that are in our system...Well - lets throw'em into the deep end of the pool to see how they do...We're so far off from any chance of the Cup - now is the perfect time.

Agreed. Nevermind the streak. Nobody cares about it, or at least they shouldnt. Making the playoffs is important, yes, but if you're only ever good enough to squeak in, and be bounced in the first round, there's not much point. No sense in throwing big money at band-aids. Stamkos would have at least given us the opportunity to move a piece and get a D-man here probably, then you're talking a different scenario. As it stands now though, I'd rather roll with what we have. If we succeed, great, if we don't, then maybe we get a chance to have that rebuild that we need. Going to be pretty weird though moving into that new building with no real star power. Sure, Z will probably still be here, and Larkin is in the spotlight, but after that, you're still desperate for a star, and top talent not only to market the team, but to enhance the level of play.

[BadgerBob 297]

Add a lucid/Brouwer

Maybe trade for 2 of fowler/trouba/brodin if we're lucky

So add a forward that struggles to put up points, and trade forwards that put up the few points the team gets (assuming to land two of those would take Tatar and Nyquist). I feel like doing this would make the team worse. Unless you're suggesting we tank?

[nyqvististhefuture 1,002]

A forward that goes around knocking people ... We have too many of the same type of players as it is

And we clearly need help on the back end , if we got a few of those you'd have to think we'd look better

[kickazz 5,459]

I'm just shocked Seguin 2.0

Really you don't approve? And here I thought you were talking about just how "good" Edmonton will be and how they're progressing well.

[DatsyukianDekes 2,428]

Lucic is going to Edmonton. Give up on that loser already.

[DatsyukianDekes 2,428]

All Edmonton has to do now is trade with Nashville for Subban and give up RNH and a draft pick. They immediately fix there defense, without really hurting there roster. They have Draisitil to replace RNH and Pulujarvi to replace Hall.

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

I really hope the cap drops next year, by 3-5 million. We have something now that a lot don't, young players on ELC's mixed with 24-30 yr olds on affordable deals. If we can get rid of Howard and Ericsson next summer by either the expansion draft or trade, we will have so much more flexibility for trades or hopefully FA's forced to market by a lower cap. Well, hopefully anyway.

[hillbillywingsfan 792]

Wings never got a chance? So basically it was see how close the hometown team is to competing, then decide I guess?

On the lighter side of things, this got me good haha

https://twitter.com/nhlonnbcsports/status/748245726128373762

hahaha love that link thanks amato

[nyqvististhefuture 1,002]

Lucic is going to Edmonton. Give up on that loser already.

I do think it's a sure thing he's going to edmtonton ... Just think we need to add a physical presence on this team

[sjr2012 439]

for one Illich does not want this team to tank his already got the tigers who have a huge payroll prob missing out on the playoffs again and if he lets the wings go in to full blown tank mode it wont do good for selling seats at the new arena.the true fans will stick by this team no matter what and most of us here our true fans but there will be ppl calling us the dead wings again and i really dont want to live in that era im thankful i was blessed with being born in the early 80s and watching when i was 3 of 4 when things started getting better but after all these years id still like to think we can avoid a full nose dive to the bottom of the standings if we make the right moves and sign short term vets to play with the young talent and try to remove the bad contracts all with still being bound to the playoffs.

[VM1138 1,921]

Tanking is stupid. I wish we didn't even discuss that on here. It's embarrassing for the team and it doesn't guarantee anything except YEARS of misery.

If we had landed Stamkos, another forward and a defensemen this team could have been a contender. Now we won't be contenders but there are a few moves to be made that can still upgrade various departments and make the team more dynamic. But yeah, let's tank instead and be crap for 5 or 6 years. Grab a couple lottery picks and hope we have enough talent to do something at some point within a decade.

[Internet.Unknown 422]

Agreed. Nevermind the streak. Nobody cares about it, or at least they shouldnt. Making the playoffs is important, yes, but if you're only ever good enough to squeak in, and be bounced in the first round, there's not much point. No sense in throwing big money at band-aids. Stamkos would have at least given us the opportunity to move a piece and get a D-man here probably, then you're talking a different scenario. As it stands now though, I'd rather roll with what we have. If we succeed, great, if we don't, then maybe we get a chance to have that rebuild that we need. Going to be pretty weird though moving into that new building with no real star power. Sure, Z will probably still be here, and Larkin is in the spotlight, but after that, you're still desperate for a star, and top talent not only to market the team, but to enhance the level of play.

Nobody cares about it except ownership and management.

[Dominator2005 558]

The Red Wings could offer more money than Steve Yzerman did, in Tampa. But they could not match Yzermans roster.

The situation is a reminder of what Mike Babcock said early in his last season in Detroit, after a previous offseason of bad luck with free agents. Around July 5 when not much happened, I was disappointed, Babcock said. A few of my veteran players who called me were disappointed, too.

That timing is coincident with Pavel Datsyuks dissatisfaction with the team, and a meeting when he said he told Holland he wanted to go home.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/columnists/gregg-krupa/2016/06/29/krupa-wings-left-slim-pickings-minus-stamkos/86534594/

[joesuffP 1,746]

Ya I think the roster is what really made datsyuk's decision to leave. If we had a great team I guarantee he will finish out his contract