daniel1

Anyone else impressed with Mazur so far at the Juniors? I really like his hustle and nose for the net.

Killorn is 31 and last season recorded 26/23/49 in 68 games. He's been a solid playoff performer throughout his career despite not getting top line minutes very often and his 49 points last season were a career high despite only playing in 68 games. He has 3 years left on his contract with a cap hit of 4.45mil per year. He also has a MNTC that allows him to submit a 16 team list to the Bolts --- I guess I'm seeing a little more value in Killorn here than others are. His G/A/P totals last year pro-rated to an entire season would be 31 goals, 28 assists, and 59 points. He's defensively sound with good leadership qualities (wears an "A" for TB), and can play a two-way game even killing a few penalties. He's only 31 and he's only got 3 years left on his contract which would make him 34 when it's up, it's also a very reasonable $4.4m AAV for a potential 30 goal scorer that can kill penalties and wore an "A" for a Cup championship team. I would have to believe that a team chasing the cup at the trade deadline would be interested. Especially so since we don't have anything really tied up in him in terms of investment or history and wouldn't need to ask for the moon in return. Throw in the fact that he's a proven playoff performer (51pts in 91 games with TB), and I could see him being worth a 1st rounder or at least two 2nd rounders as 30 goal scorers aren't cheap to add at the trade deadline. To give a recent similar yet lesser player comparison, last year the Canucks acquired forward Tyler Toffoli from the Los Angeles Kings for forward Tim Schaller, a second-round pick, a fourth round pick if he re-signed with Vancouver, and forward prospect Tyler Madden. That's a pretty good haul going back to LA for a guy that only scored 16, 24, and 13 goals in the preceding 3 seasons with the Kings. I would also think that Killorn would be somebody that the Krakken would be interested in as I'm sure they would like to try to duplicate the early success that Vegas had and get into the playoffs in their 1st season. Yes, I'm assuming that Killorn would have a decent season this year but his success last year is not a one-off, he's averaged 40 points per season over the last 7 years without ever being a 1st line player for any extended time with TB. Also, this season is going to be a reduced schedule so fatigue shouldn't be a factor down the stretch. He'll also get plenty of ice time and 2nd PP unit time so I think it's reasonable to assume he should come close to last year's numbers if he has a decent center... like Tyler Johnson maybe? I can't make as strong of a case for Johnson as his contract is more money and more term, but I still think he would be a heck of an upgrade over Neilson or Fillpula; both of which are likely gone next year anyways. He did score 29 goals in 2019 though and is a year younger than Killorn. I think he kinda got shoved down the depth chart in TB too when guys like Kucherov, Point, Cerelli, and Palat came along. Last year he only averaged 14min of ice time per game, which sounds a lot like 3rd line minutes. I would have to think that he would instantly become the 2nd line center on the Wings and should see a rise in his TOI and points, which would make him even more valuable to a contender at the trade deadline. Wouldn't it be fun to see what a Killorn-Johnson-Zadina line could do? Even if it was only for a few months... I guess I am a bit biased as I've always liked both players for their production and on-ice attributes and would have even done a straight up hockey deal for Killorn. Now that it looks like any potential deal would be a salary dump deal that would include one or more picks and maybe even a top-end goalie prospect like Alnefelt, per the latest rumour imaginings from the Hockey Writers link below, I'm very hopeful that this can be a short and long term deal that speeds up the rebuild. Imagine getting Killorn/Johnson/1st rd pick/prospect for next to nothing and then flipping both Johnson and Killorn for more picks at the trade deadline? With the way that GM's act like drunken sailors at the trade deadline if they have injuries or feel like they need that "one" player to push them over the top it's not a stretch to think that Killorn could fetch a 1st rounder + a prospect this year, and Johnson could net us a 2nd rounder + prospect next year when he would only have 2 more years remaining on his contract. Which could mean the Wings end up with two 1st round picks, a 2nd round pick, and at least 2 decent prospects for basically.... nothing. Or just trade Killorn and expose Johnson to the expansion draft, the Krakken will have lots of money to throw around lol. (https://thehockeywriters.com/red-wings-lightning-mock-trade/?fbclid=IwAR0vRlbfxXf-YCuJcDALxbMCPgzpwgy-ZVxdRBdwujNIUno914XHJIsUnx0

I'm under the impression that once they have served their purpose on the roster if one or both of them could not be traded or exposed/picked up in the expansion draft that they could both be sent down to GR and their salaries would not count against the cap, is that not the case? If so, then what's the risk? We get a pick and/or a prospect for what will amount to basically nothing. I don't think there's a cap limit in the AHL is there? We don't exactly have much in the way of productive veteran leadership on the team right now unless we're counting guys like Glendening and Helm. Both Killorn and Johnson have won a cup and could bring some stability to the 2nd line. Hopefully we buy out Neilson next year and Filpulla is all but guaranteed to be gone/retired next year when his contract is up. Seems like a no-lose scenario to me but maybe I'm missing something...

NHLtraderumors is reporting that the Wings and Bolts are close to a deal involving Tyler Johnson, Alex Killorn, and a 1st rounder coming our way in basically a salary dump move by the Bolts that would allow them to sign their RFA's and still be cap compliant by the start of the season (whenever that will be?). https://www.nhltraderumors.me/2020/12/rumor-detroit-and-tampa-bay-closing-in.html?fbclid=IwAe-qhX0NPFPBLvkgB8vGvTZLWqtCvSMiy4QnaSilUR4tQn4Rh8v2wkhY Johnson is 30 years old and is coming off a 14/17/31 in 65 games season. He has hit 29 goals twice in his career and had a career high 72pts in 2015. He has 4 years left on his deal with a $5mil cap hit each year. He has a MNTC that allows him to submit a 20 team trade list to the Bolts this year according to Capfriendly.com Killorn is 31 and last season recorded 26/23/49 in 68 games. He's been a solid playoff performer throughout his career despite not getting top line minutes very often and his 49 points last season were a career high despite only playing in 68 games. He has 3 years left on his contract with a cap hit of 4.45mil per year. He also has a MNTC that allows him to submit a 16 team list to the Bolts If the Bolts throw in a 1st rounder to make the deal happen I would like to see it happen as I think both Johnson and Killorn could be flipped at the trade deadline either this year or next and would provide an instant respectable 2nd line in the meantime. Even if their contracts had to buried in the minors at some point to free up roster spots that wouldn't be the worst situation in the world if it means getting a 1st rounder in the deal. As they're both still 30/31 yrs old their decline shouldn't be too significant for at least another 2 or 3 years. If they were to get regular 2nd line minutes and 2nd unit PP time I could see them averaging around 40-50 points per season. If Killorn stays healthy and has a decent regular season his value at the trade deadline could be significant given his playoff success. From the players perspective, I'm a bit dubious that Detroit would be on either players allowed trade lists, but maybe they've worked out a deal with management to get traded together if they add the Wings to their lists? What are your thoughts about acquiring these two players and a possible draft pick from Stevie's former team?

Yup, sometimes deterimination and some good old fashioned toughness to stand in front of the net and take a pounding can make up for below-average skating. Homer was never pretty when he went into the corners or endured a dozen cross-checks while screening the goalie but he always seemed to do a damn fine job. I'd like to see Tangradi get a shot at least, would be a shame to see him go elsewhere and have success when he was right under our nose this year and we're in need of that type of player again. I don't seen too many Holmstrom type players coming up... even if we do have an Axel Holmstrom in the system lol.

Excellent! Thank you very much for the update, I wish I could get down to GR to see some games too. Curious though as to why there seems to be very little belief within the organization that Tangradi can't have some offensive success at the NHL level? He's not that old (26), and seems to have the size and hands for it. Is his skating sub-par? He was a reasonably high draft pick (2nd rnd, 42nd overall), at one time so scouts must have thought fairly highly of him back then. Maybe he's just a late bloomer? Franzen didn't start putting up any sort of decent goal totals until he was about 28yrs old; till then he was a 4th line, 10 goal/year guy. If Tangradi scores +30 for the Grifs this year and then signs with a different NHL club and puts up 20 next year in the NHL while providing a physical and net-front presence we're all going to be wondering why we didn't at least give him a chance to prove that he could do it with the Wings...

Anybody know where Athanasiou has been lately? Injured, how bad, when he's due back? I was hoping he would get another call up pretty soon and bump Helm-hands-of-stone back down to the 4th line and pk. Would be nice to see Tangradi come up again and actually get in few games this time too. Seems he scores every game for GR, and the Wings could sure use his size up front. Good to see Mantha playing better down there this year. What are the odds he gets a call up this year? Robbie Russo - can anyone who's seen him play comment on what kind of game he plays? Seems to be putting up the points in GR. Is he ahead of X and Sproul now in terms of making the jump to Det.?

Aaaaaaaaand that's why we should keep Petr and trade Jimmy for... whatever. Swear to god I could score on Jimmy in a shootout.

Thanx for that.

Tangradi - Datsyuk - AA... ? Might be a nice change from Hands Of Hardwood Helm...

Great game! Larkin continues to impress and get better each game I see him play. His confidence with the puck on his stick is unbelievable for a rookie, can't imagine what the next few years will look like as he grows into his prime physically. As much as I have ripped Smith for his bonehead plays and horrible pass-attempts over the last few years this was the best game I've seen him play. He was creative offensively and didn't make any glaring defensive mistakes, maybe he's turning the corner and starting to live up to some of that potential we've heard about. Now, it may have gone unoticed what with the Wings amazing comeback tonight, but Tangradi just scored a hat trick for the Griffs. It was his 8th, 9th and 10th goal of the year, which leads the team. As much as we've heard the hype about AA, Mantha, and Bertuzzi, I think this would be a great time to call up a 6'4" 233lb left wing power forward with a good scoring touch to replace Pulkinnen in the lineup. Call up Tangradi and AA to replace Pulks and Miller. That would give us some more size and speed up front and AA has been scoring lately in GR too. Tangradi could turn out to be a nice Franzen replacement with his size and scoring touch.

If Kindl is going in, then it should be Smith who sits; Marchenko was real good the last two games, especially against Boston. Pulks has a half dozen goals and needs to build some confidence as he can be a sniper in the future for us if we allow him to develop instead of jerking him around in/out/in/out of the lineup. That's something Torts would do, and he's an ass. If anyone needs to sit it's Richards; he's done nothing this year and has trouble keeping up with the play. He's not physical, doesn't backcheck, and so far has been inefective on the PP too. Jurco could be a real good player for us for years to come and Richards... well he should just retire.

Kindl Andersson Ferraro Marchenko Jurco should get some games in too, give Miller a few nights off.

It's no better watching it from my couch... This might be the laziest I've seen the Wings play in many years, and not just this one game this season either. No forecheck at all this season, the defense looks so disorganized and Kindl... is just awful... he's been awful for many years yet we can't seem to get rid of him. It's like were waiting for him to become good, but I doubt he ever will. If Blash can't motivate these guys to play any harder than this he should go back to Grand Rapids. It's looks like they're not even trying on some shifts, it's pretty sad.

Not only should it have been no goal, there should have been a penalty on Gallagher for goalie interference. Maybe it's time Abby takes out Price feet/blades first and we'll see what happens.