ReallyHuh

The problem with your theory is while Holland could have made trades, it would plug a hole while creating two new holes. Detroit doesn't have lots of assets unless you trade players you don't want to trade. Of course Holland could have probably traded Filppula, Kronwall, Helm, or Smith, but outside of that who? Trading any of those players, you just created new (bigger) holes.

Smith is our future, so why trade him? He's going to be a core player in a couple years.

Helm is a unique type player and a fireball, he's the type of player you need to win championships.

Kronwall's contract is arguably one of the best contract (cap hits) in the entire league. His cap hit is only $3 million, Holland can't replace him for under $6 million per year. So why trade him?

Filppula is a great player, but overpaid. He's not even a 20 goal guy. He's a good two-way guy, and a borderline 2nd liner. He doesn't really have lots of 'trade value' unless you package him up with a Darren Helm or a Brendan Smith. Then after you trade him, a new hole just opened up. He's an integral piece to Detroit's 2008 cup win, and was just as important in the 2009 run. He's a solid depth guy that helps Red Wings win championships.

I guess Franzen could be trade bait, but to be honest, I don't think he has much value. He's a playoff beast when healthy, but that's the problem, the guy is made of glass and has what... 9 years left on his contract? So perhaps Holland could offer him for an overpaid fringe 2nd liner that disappears in the playoffs, but what's the point? Aren't the Detroit Red Wings playing for the playoffs? Why trade the 2nd best playoff performer on the team for a fringe 2nd liner who will probably disappear?

I think people over-value the assets on this team. Detroit is a good team because the way it's built and the core (Lids, Dats, Zetterberg) with good supporting cast that compliment each other. Detroit doesn't have any real assets unless you want to package up some type of crazy deal just to trade (i.e. Helm, Kronwall, Smith).

There's no point in trading unless Holland can get a steal... but, unfortunately, that only happens on NHL11 or HFboards "trade proposal" message boards..

I understand that and wasn't saying he should have made a trade persay,  rather illustrating that there were other routes a GM could take to  bring a guy in opposed to free agency.

I also agree with you about our traceable assets, or the lack thereof.

All  that said, I gave him a C because we didn't get Amy better as a team --  which in my opinion would warrant an A or B.  On the flipside, I don't  think we got worse as a team or let anyone "get away" -- if that was the  case I would have given him a D or an F.

He did an average job, which is a C. Nothing horrible, nothing great, but average.

While the free agency pool was not nearly as deep this year as it has been in years past, people need to remember that GM's can also make player trades.  It's not as if the free agent market is the only way of obtaining new blood.

This again is why I am giving Holland a solid C. He did nothing to make the team better. Lidstrom, Eaves, and Miller all wanted to come back (Lidstrom's decision was his own, not Hollands), and their signings in no way were "hard work" for Holland.  Commie, White and Conner were decent signings (the best in terms of likely output being White), but other then that he really didn't do much at all.

He definitely didn't do a bad job, but I do not see how he could be given an A for what he did.  An A would mean he excelled this offseason, which really insn't the case. He kept the ship together and added a couple cogs to our back end - again, not a bad job, but far from "excellent".

I have a weird feeling though there is still a trade coming - one to bring in another top 6 forward. I could and probably am living in the smoke of a pipe dream, I just have a feeling Holland is not done. And if that is the case, I will of course have to re grade.

I am beyond dismayed with this signing. I am not going to throw out insults towards Kenny Holland, other to say that what he did here is beyond awful.  I know and love what Kenny has done for this team in the past, but I cannot help think that some of his shine is gone.  

Now I want to be clear that I am not taking away any of the amazing things he has done in the past, he helped shaped championship teams, and I will forever as a fan be thankful for that. That said, he has not done much recently, not much at all.

How many times did we hear "Player X was out deadline deal", or signing "Player Y" was out free agency move. And ya know what, I was fine with it. But then the time comes where he has a boatload of money, clear necessities, and what does he do? Pay a 27 year old, third pairing defensemen for close to 10 million dollars over three years.

I am not so sure how the team will be next year. I know some folks refuse to believe Holland can do wrong, however I am not one of them. We have not improved a lick, in fact, as of right now we have regressed in overall, top to bottom skill. Now unless Kenny pulls an absolute blockbuster tomorrow, and we are talking something huge, then it will be impossible to make a valid argument that he did anything other then sit on the sidelines during the first free agency the Wings had ample amounts of money to play around with.

One other thing -- I am so sick and tired of hearing "we are not overpaying" from the Wings brass. As a general rule, yes, it is good to not overpay, but with the cap increase and the pieces needed, a GM should pay what he has to (within reason) to get the best talent into the organization, not waste it on a turnover machine, who is 27, and average at best.

Below is my wish list - it is my little hope of turning an absolute calamity (the past couple of weeks, players we wanted signing elsewhere, sitting on the sidelines, etc.) into something that can make us better:

• Zenon Konopka
• James Wisniewski
• Sean Bergenheim
• Andy Greene
• Patrick Eaves
• Trade Hudler for best draft picks we can get

I know all of these won't happen (even though I believe Eaves has resigned - not sure though), but I think these are guys we should and I am sure are targeting. I just really, really, hope we sign Wiz.