2015/16 Wishlist

[aar000n]

Ericson gone Cody Franson in or just bring up the youth we have. I liked Weiss but babcock didn't so.
I think we can get something good for ericson and howard. Trade them to Edmonton or another team that needs a goalie.

 

[Gyldenlove]

I would like a plan that includes promoting Blashill to HC, trading Ericson for pick or prospect. Buying out Weiss. Resigning our RFAs, letting our UFAs go.

Blashill would get a mulligan in year 1, no requirements at all other than developing young players and determining who of our young D men can play and who can't.

Kronwall, Quincey and DDK would anchor the D along with the younger players like Smith, Ouellet, Sproul and Marchenko.

Up front, Z, Datsyuk, Gator, Tatar and Nyquist would form the base of the top 6. Jurco, Helm, Sheahan, Miller, Ferraro, Pookie, Glendening and Anderson would be the core of the forwards to distribute the playing time and roles among.

Mrazek and Howard would form a tandem in goal with the target being approx 40 starts for each.

The plan would be set up for long term planning in the 2016 offseason, with ample cap room getting the extensions with some key young players should be possible and could also set the team up for going after a big name UFA, there will be players in their prime hitting UFA in 2016 like Seabrook or possibly Kesler or Staal.

 

[Syckle78]

I'd love to see what Smith does under a different coach. Maybe he can salvage his game and add some value if he ups his offensive output. Hope he gets a chance before he's a throw in for a trade. Could gain a valuable asset.

 

[Pavels Dog]

Ericson gone Cody Franson in or just bring up the youth we have. I liked Weiss but babcock didn't so.
I think we can get something good for ericson and howard. Trade them to Edmonton or another team that needs a goalie.

I don't think a Franson for Ericsson swap makes us better. Too soon to trade Howard also, Mrazek is the goalie for the future but riding him all season long could be the way to miss the playoffs. I'd rather go into next year with one of the best tandems in the league, that's a recipe for the 25th straight year in the playoffs.

Biggest question is what happens to Babcock. The team is good I think. We will see a continued improvement from some young players, hopefully a breakout year for at least one of Mantha/Pulkks/Jurco and maybe one of the kids on defense stepping up. I'd look into a deal for Phaneuf but it's not something I'm dying to get done.

 

[Claypool]

Don't know why people are so enamored with Cody Franson.

 

[Sami]

Just upgrade this ****ing team!

 

[puttebe]

Pulkks, Weiss (1m ret), Smith, 1st 2016 = Phaneuf (1m ret)

Nyquist - Zetterberg - Akader
Helm - Datsyuk - Tatar
Andersson - Sheahan - Jurco
Miller - Glendening - Ferraro

Kronwall - Phaneuf
DeKeyser - Quincey
Ericsson - Marchenko

Mrazek
Howard

I'd be very happy with that. But if this team wants to contend it lacks a second line winger and a puck moving D. But I'm sure some adjustments could be made midseason. I don't think the problem is big enough not to let the prospects get a chance to fill the void.

As for Babcock vs Blashill, really doesn't matter to me. Babcock is a top 3 coach in the NHL but this team feels kind of stale as of late so I wouldn't mind change. If Blashill is as advertised that is.

 

[Shadywing19]

If Babcock leaves. Smith will stay. We will see him utilized properly and we'll finally see the defensemen we drafted

If Babcock stays. Smith has to go. For the sake of his own career

I'm ready for mantha. Even if he isn't ready.

Also. I want mcdavid. Figure it out, I'd trade pretty much anything for it. (I'm aware this will not happen, but this is a wish list. And that is my wish)

 

[GrosEcossais]

I really have a lot of respect for Babs as a coach and what he has done with the Wings in his earlier years. I am also not upset with how he has run the team last couple of years. That being said I feel like I am watching reruns every year. I think bringing in Blashill would bring some rejuvenation into the team and it would also allow for players who have fell out of favour with the Redwings system to get their game back. Bringing in a new coach might give the wings the change they need to get the talent they have going.

 

[Frk It]

Don't give Nyquist more than $4 million. He ain't that good. He looked even worse than guys that are paid $6 million and you want to give him $5 million? L. O. L

Mrazek is the starting goaltender.

Give Mantha a shot. The team needs someone who can score goals.

All the Nyquist's backers will come out full force.

He isn't any better than Tatar. It should be a similar deal.

No offense, but you really have no idea about how contracts are awarded. I understand that maybe you're pissed off right now though. It's not about WANTING to give Nyquist X million, it's about looking at what comparable players got. Which is what you are disregarding.

Nyquist IS NOT going to get a similar deal to Tatar, because that would make him a UFA in 2 years. They will buy some of his UFA years, and it will cost money to do so.

Also 1 goal in a 7 game play-off series does not negate a 2 regular season span where he was a top 25 goal scorer. You might wish it would. Let me tell you it doesn't.

He's going to get paid 4+ mil, so just get ready for it.

 

[Datstromberg]

Just upgrade this ****ing team!

Expected Holland response: "I thought we played well against tampa bay. We feel no need to make any significant changes. We like our team!"

 

[YostisHome]

I'm ready for mantha. Even if he isn't ready.

Steve Tambellini says.....

 

[nbwingsfan]

The D HAS to be upgraded. I don't care how and I don't care who, just get Big E off the top pairing, or better, off the team.

 

[Winger98]

My wishlist is for clearer direction. Our four highest paid forwards are over 30, and two of them weren't playing at the end of the playoffs. Franzen's a bit out of everyone's hands, but we need to make a decision on Weiss. If we don't feel he's one of our 12 best guys, we need to move him out in some way. It doesn't really matter.

On the blueline, we still have five of our top6 under contract for next year, and it's a blueline that I don't think any of us are thrilled with.

I'd love it if we could just go into free agency and grab a couple of guys and be fine, but we have such a congested lineup, and I'm not sure there's a direction to it other than cobbling together a team every year. In the past, we could always say we made a certain type of team, we pursued certain qualities...now, I don't really see it.

Expected Holland response: "I thought we played well against tampa bay. We feel no need to make any significant changes. We like our team!"

when a GM wanders off script we often get regrettable crap like Tim Murray throwing Nolan under the bus for the organization tanking and then apologizing to the fans for having to settle for the second pick in the draft. I don't really care what Holland says at this point as long as he puts a better team on the ice this fall.

 

[joe89]

Funny I know, but I think this is where Holland finally stops adding guys who are 32+ to this team. Even many our "own" guys are now in their mid-to-late 20s. Miller and Ericsson are 30. Quincey soon. At the end of the day, we had $15-$20M in dead cap space in the playoffs. This is an ongoing trend with whatever Holland adds to the team, they never ever make it as core players of the team or Babcock buries them early. The callups always come in and do similar work for peanuts. Our pro scouts are as bad as our amateur scouts are good. And Holland-Babcock have terrible chemistry when it comes to adding new playing, one part of why I think it's in our best interests to find a new coach.

You just gotta look, in the last game of the season we were missing Zidlicky, Franzen, Cole, Weiss(plus Kronwall to a suspension). On top of that Zetterberg was skating in mud the last month of the season. The guy who looked somewhat fresh of the core veterans was Datsyuk and that's because he's missed time this season. You gotta be very special to endure 82 games and a playoffs at their age, or get lucky. The smart bucks go elsewhere(outside of Z&D obviously who are indeed special).

As for this season I don't feel bad about it at all. We learned more about Tatar and Nyquist and they've established themselves now. Glendening was huge. We found out our defensive prospects are solid but might not be difference makers. We know we're in good hands with Mrazek, and have a good tandem going into next season. Pulkkinen absolutely killed the AHL, keeps doing so in the playoffs, and showed a lot promise in his callups. Dito for Larkin in college. And we still have Mantha as a wildcard. It's the veterans that let this team down by not playing up to their contracts.

Find creative ways to improve the defense in the summer. Saying we have 6 guys under contract and prospects coming ain't gonna cut it.

 

[VM1138]

Change. I know the grass isn't always greener, but I'm tired or watching this team lose first round.

This is the thing. If we make radical changes the end result could be the same. But at least we wouldn't see it coming, you know? For years now this team has played the same style and we all can predict the result. 0-0 going late? Loss. Up by 2 in the 3rd? Probably a loss. Need a last minute rally goal? Probably not going to happen. Need to play 60 minutes? Nope. Need to crash the net? Expect lots of shots from the boards and then watch them scamper back to their own zone.

Maybe changing players and coaches and strategies won't make a difference but it'd at least give us the illusion that the team has a chance.

 

[Vladdy84]

One or two D-men need to be moved. I'd like to see either Green signed or Phaneuf traded for. I'd love to explore trading for someone like Eberle or Yakupov.

Dream scenario is trading for Malkin. But that will never happen.

 

[VM1138]

As for this season I don't feel bad about it at all. We learned more about Tatar and Nyquist and they've established themselves now. Glendening was huge. We found out our defensive prospects are solid but might not be difference makers. We know we're in good hands with Mrazek, and have a good tandem going into next season. Pulkkinen absolutely killed the AHL, keeps doing so in the playoffs, and showed a lot promise in his callups. Dito for Larkin in college. And we still have Mantha as a wildcard. It's the veterans that let this team down by not playing up to their contracts.

The kids definitely let us down. Tatar and Nyquist had one good game each in the playoffs. Jurco was invisible. Mrazek, Glendening and to a degree Sheahan were the only kids who really impressed me. I guess DeKeyser still counts as a kid, and he was great. Zetterberg let us down for the first time ever, but Datsyuk didn't. Kronwall was pretty brutal, but maybe it's because he was paired with Ericsson, who knows. But Helm, Miller and Quincey were great.

I'd say the failure was pretty evenly spread. The only ones who escaped with their reputations improved were Mrazek, Glendening, the DeKeyser/Quincey pairing, and Datsyuk maintained his already highly respected status.

 

[PortoMarco]

Vermette, Petry - in

Kindl, Howard - out

 

[TomFord]

Ericsson gone
Kindl gone
Quincey gone
Smith gone

Replace that trash with good defenseman.

Trade Howard if you plan to start Mrazek next season. Howard better not be on the roster for opening night if he isn't your starter.

I am pretty content with the forward group. Assuming of course Dan Cleary isn't brought back to fix the toilets.

Ohh and fire Ken Holland and replace him with anyone or anything.

I never liked Ericsson. And i really hope that they don't resign Cleary to a new contract, or make any other +35 year old 1 year signings.

 

[Thrasher1993]

Maybe I am just an optimist but I love Nyquist, I thought he was our best player in game 7. He's the only player that I get excited for when he gets the puck in the neutral zone and turns on the jets. I also thought Kindl played great in every single game he was in (including season). I get he did the chip in that led to the empty net goal but that puck took such an insane bounce, I don't put the blame on him. It was just unlucky. I believe both him and Smitty have potential under the right system. Babcock does not run that system.

EDIT: Our biggest problem is Ericsson on the top pair, not Kindl or Smitty

 

[8snake]

Vermette, Petry - in

Kindl, Howard - out

I think Weiss is done here regardless who's coaching the team, so the big question up front IMO is what to do at center. I don't think Sheahan will ever be a #2, but do you give him a shot going into the season? A guy like Vermette...I don't think he's even close to what he once was in Ottawa, and definitely no longer a #2 on a team with playoff aspirations. Do you keep Zetterberg as your #2 going on 35 and in obvious decline? Most great centers transition to the wing at the end of their careers...Yzerman, Sakic and Forsberg are somewhat recent examples. I think it's time for Hank to make the move...the problem is I don't think Sheahan is capable and I don't see a guy on the market I really like.

 

[datsyukfan]

I think Weiss is done here regardless who's coaching the team, so the big question up front IMO is what to do at center. I don't think Sheahan will ever be a #2, but do you give him a shot going into the season? A guy like Vermette...I don't think he's even close to what he once was in Ottawa, and definitely no longer a #2 on a team with playoff aspirations. Do you keep Zetterberg as your #2 going on 35 and in obvious decline? Most great centers transition to the wing at the end of their careers...Yzerman, Sakic and Forsberg are somewhat recent examples. I think it's time for Hank to make the move...the problem is I don't think Sheahan is capable and I don't see a guy on the market I really like.

I think you try to trade for Thornton using Howard, Jurco, pick/ prospect.

Z moves to play with Pavel permanently and Thornton is your 2C. Sheahan stays in the 3 hole.

This gives the team a serious chance to win now and buys time for sheahan to develop into a legit 2C and hopefully Larkin develops into that 1C. Then hopefully AA can become a nightmare as a 3C.

 

[Vladdy84]

I think you try to trade for Thornton using Howard, Jurco, pick/ prospect.

Z moves to play with Pavel permanently and Thornton is your 2C. Sheahan stays in the 3 hole.

This gives the team a serious chance to win now and buys time for sheahan to develop into a legit 2C and hopefully Larkin develops into that 1C. Then hopefully AA can become a nightmare as a 3C.

I'd only take on Jumbo Joe if they take Weiss off our hands. I'd prefer Marleau..

 

[Thrasher1993]

I'd only take on Jumbo Joe if they take Weiss off our hands. I'd prefer Marleau..

I'd take either one, Joe as our 2C playing with goal scorers like nyquist or tatar could be deadly. But Marleau with Dats could be good too