Rather than “Fix” anything, they need to keep moving forward. Last year for example, they acquired all those Dmen to make sure they had NHL players every night. This year it’ll be the next step. We’re already hearing the Maatta speculation, and we can imagine we’ll hear it with Walman and Holl too.
The next step is “fine tuning the roster” some. So when the kids start coming up 1 by 1, there’s somewhat of a strategy.
Let’s start with the blue line.
They really are only guaranteeing spots to Seider, Chiarot, Edvinsson and Petry.
That’s their Top 4 today, as it was at season’s end. They’ll be looking to add two very good players to play in their Top 4, and have Chiarot and Petry be their bottom pairing.
Let’s get the Jake Walman thing out of the way. It’s hard to argue he wasn’t atrocious most of the season, and when he returned from his injury April 1, let’s just say it wasn’t Lalonde’s decision to stop him from returning to the Top 4. When Lalonde then scratched Maatta and put him on the bottom pairing, it didn’t take a period before it was obvious Maatta was gonna be the better option for the season’s duration, and Lalonde wasn’t gonna put his job on the line by continuing to force Walman into the lineup. That was a good decision and should’ve been made in January.
Walman was benched. That’s just the truth of it. Seider just couldn’t continue to spend half of his ice time, chasing down Walman’s unforced errors. He went back to being exactly what he was before he came to Detroit, and they just couldn’t afford to have him playing such important minutes anymore.
He’s NOT in their plans. If he somehow remains on the roster, it’ll be because they couldn’t make some things happen this summer, but he’ll be a bottom pairing or scratched Dman, until he earns his way back into the rotation.
So they’re gonna try parting ways with Maatta, Walman and Holl, and that shouldn’t be too difficult. Even Holl can likely be traded. Worse case they buy him out, or retain a million, but they’ll be able to get rid of him too. Walman will have some value because of the way he played his contract year. My guess is, he’s included in a trade for a dman or goalie, but we’ll have to wait and see.
Hearing Maatta could be headed to Utah for one of their 3rd Rd picks btw, and will likely be the first of the 3 to go, because they know they’ll get something in return, and he has no trade protection. Obviously they have to be careful not to dump all 3 before they are able to get the guys they want. So just know, if their plans come together on the blue line, those 3 will be gone.
Gostisbehere will be resigned “IF” he doesn’t get a big deal somewhere else “AND” if they don’t fine tune BOTH spots in their Top 4 via trade/UFA.
Right now Johansson is likely penciled in as their 6/7 and he will split time with Petry the most. Exactly why he’s been playing the right side almost exclusively (in GR) lately. Don’t be surprised if they try his speed and smarts, playing some with Seider too, depending on what happens this summer.
They’re going to try again, to trade for a Top 4 dman, and we’ll get to that, but their #1 target on defense this summer, looks like it’ll be Matt Roy from the Kings.
Go figure, another Detroit kid, who grew up playing for Victory Honda and wants to come home.. If he’s brought in, it’ll be to be Edvinsson’s partner moving forward. He’s the perfect partner for him too. He can carry a pairing, but he knows what he is. A great role playing Dman in the Top 4. Makes the right play consistently, and has proven he can play Top 4 minutes for a few years now. He’s been the Kings #3 for the past several years. But, if they do need him to carry that 3rd pairing, he can do it as well.
If he makes it to July 1, he’ll be the target. Maybe even beforehand, in a trade to secure his rights. He will be heavily sought after, but looks like he wants to come to Detroit. Don’t think they’ll overpay for him though. So we shall see, but good bet Matt Roy ends up in Detroit.
So basically they’ll be…
Open/Seider
Edvinsson/Roy
Chiarot/Petry (Johansson)
Now comes the wildcard. Still hearing they want to hammer down their Top 4 for the next 5 years at least. That it’s their goal to have a legit Top 4, penciled in for 4-5 years. No more Walman fiascos, or relying so much on a Petry. Chiarot can do it with Seider, as he showed the last 20 games, but they’d prefer him and Petry being their bottom pairing.
Who’s available via trade?? More than likely Shea Theodore will be the big prize at the draft. Would they trade the 15th pick in a deal for him? I bet they would quite easily. It will cost more than that, but that pick is in play for a dman or goalie.
So you’d have..
Theodore/Seider
Edvinsson/Roy
Chiarot/Petry (Johansson)
That not only becomes a pretty formidable D-Core overnight, the goal will also be… to have vets start falling off the roster every year, to be replaced by another one of their youngsters. Next year Petry, then Chiarot, and so on.
They can also always move Roy or Theodore around too. They’ve both played both sides quite a bit over the years. If ASP or Gibson is so good they demand to be in the Top 4, Roy can move down for example.
If they CAN’T get a Dman via trade, or even signing a second UFA to a short term deal, then they’ll likely bring Ghost back. If they sign him before July 1, that means they don’t see a trade coming together. Ghost did play very well during a stretch early in the season with Seider. So that’s an option, but if Ghost is that 6th Dman, good bet they’ll keep Chiarot with Seider, as they ended the season, and Ghost will play with Petry and Johansson.
Moving forward though, that’s what they’ll try doing. To fine tune their roster, and make it easier to have kids coming up, but always having those Top 4 players over the next 5 years. No more experiments like Jake Walman in one of those spots.
How would a trade for Theodore work? 15th overall, Wallinder, Walman. Something like that. Could they keep the 15th and still get Theodore? Sure.
One other thing of note. Don’t be surprised if Yzerman goes big on a goaltender this summer. With Augustine and Cossa approaching their push towards the NHL, he’s not gonna play games in net anymore. I’d almost bet, Markstrom, Saros or Gibson is their starting goaltender next year. No more hoping signings work out. They’re gonna have to secure a legit goalie.
So it’s time for the fine tuning, to take that next step in the standings, as the kids start making their way onto the roster. Much like Dallas did. Good bet Mazur and Danielson or Kasper is on the opening night roster. Think Berggren will be somewhere else next season. Be surprised if he’s still a Red Wing.
Up front, I’m not sure they’re signing Kane or not. I got nothing from nobody on that. If he wants 3 years, I think they have to walk away, and that was the speculation recently.. I do think they’ll talk to Stamkos, Lindholm, Stephenson and Monahan. Could see them sign Marchessault or another wing if Kane leaves, but the one guy who makes the most sense up front? Like it or not, it’s probably Sean Monahan. Only if it’s cost effective though. There’s gonna be plenty of options to do some things this summer, but they will be careful knowing Danielson and Kasper are developing like they are.
Have heard Rasmussen could be in play. First time I’ve ever heard anyone speculate on that. Not that they’re down on him, but seen how they played without him down the stretch, and if they can use him to get a goaltender or a Shea Theodore, that he’d likely be available now.
So first things first. Slam dunk the blue line and the net. Forwards are a dime a dozen really. Much easier to go get whenever you need one. Yzerman is gonna have to be aggressive. Not only to get players, but to get rid of some as well.
Big off-season coming.
