How do you fix the Wings?

[Snuggs]

I'm not trading for any players rights, if Roy is hitting UFA in LA, he'll do it here. It's the wisest business choice for a veteran like him.

It's a good idea in theory from a team/organizational standpoint, but for players/agents, makes almost zero sense for them unless it's a RFA player. He's not going to restrict offers just because the Wings traded for his rights and made a (good) offer. It'd just almost certainly be a starting point in UFA.

 

[Pavels Dog]

Nate Danielson had a ... decent? ... D+1 season in the WHL, went the AHL and by all accounts looked like he needed to add a lot of strength to compete against men - and I see a multiple people immediately penciling him in for a top-6 role in the NHL next year? I'm sure he'll fine long-term, but I highly doubt the organization views him ahead of Mazur or Kasper in terms of competing for NHL minutes next year.

We don't know one way or another. Very few people thought Raymond would be ready in his d+2 but he was. The organization likely views them closely enough that whoever has the best camp is the one that makes it (assuming there's room).

 

[Pavels Dog]

They were 7-15 in their last 22 games so down the stretch they were garbage. Had they even played .500 hockey they would have been comfortably in a playoff spot in their last 3 games. Being that bad isn’t resilience.

Wasn't aware that "the stretch" was defined as the "last 22 games", nor that 8-11-3 equals 7-15, nor that "resilience" has to mean "winning 100% of games". Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

I don't think this team improves on its biggest weakness this season -keeping goals out of the net- without upgrading to a legitimate, reliable top 4 RHD at minimum. Ideally one that can carry a pair's defensive load. That burden HAS to be taken off Seider in the top 4 and then not also entirely placed upon Edvinsson this early in his career

That, and a goaltender that doesn't have us guessing if he's gonna let in 1 goal or 5 that night

My realistic/hopeful acquisitions are signing Pesce and trading for Markstrom. Then of course offloading Holl and/or Petry

Signing Guentzel would be real nice especially if we lose Kane

100%...

It won't matter what other moves we make if we don't upgrade in nets with a legit #1 goalie..

Lyon and Husso wont cut it

Keeping pucks out of your net starts in net and builds out, not the other way around

 

[Nnowski]

Lol, I thought he looked... Lost, not weak. " Not strong" is a good answer. lol. I'm not gonna act like he's the most swoll out there. I just haven't seen many write that he looked weak. An he said... by all accounts. I hadn't really been seeing/hearing that but... ok... Maybe.

To me... it looked like he stepped onto a team with a bunch of guys he never played with yet... Not saying it wasn't an adjustment, but weak? I don't think the kids weak, idk, hard to say if he's "strong" either cause his playing time wasn't much. He didn't look particularly weak in camp last year.

Like Kasper played against men, in Swedeen obviously had to adjust to the physical play here in North America, idk if Danielson will have to do that. North American hockey, (even young) is more physical.

I guess I just didn't catch much from his 1 game stint in the AHL as signal either way. He got thrown into a rough spot with them in the playoffs already and all. It's not like he got to cherry pick his ice time against bad teams in the AHL or even practice much with his team-mates/coach.

Oh absolutely, I don't think he looked bad. But he doesn't exactly have the best playing style to fit in the AHL. He reminds me a ton of Larkin as a rookie.

We don't know one way or another. Very few people thought Raymond would be ready in his d+2 but he was. The organization likely views them closely enough that whoever has the best camp is the one that makes it (assuming there's room).

Raymond had a far superior D+1 year, and made a far worse Wings team. Danielson's play style is wasted in the bottom six, and he's not good enough to play top six. He'll most likely spend at least half the year in GR

 

[Pavels Dog]

Raymond had a far superior D+1 year, and made a far worse Wings team. Danielson's play style is wasted in the bottom six, and he's not good enough to play top six. He'll most likely spend at least half the year in GR

Raymond had an okay d+1, nothing special tbh.

 

[jaster]

If, and it's a big if, Kasper and Danielson make the team I'd swap them on those lines. I'd prefer to have L/R centers to help out with faceoffs. It doesn't work well to have 3 righties on one line and 3 lefties on the other. That and with these particular lines, that 2nd line could use Kasper's jam and that 3rd could use Danielson's skating.

Handedness in hockey does not matter.... OR SO I'VE BEEN TOLD.

 

[Nnowski]

Raymond had an okay d+1, nothing special tbh.

I know it's extremely hard to compare, but it's the equivalent of someone putting up like 100pts in the WHL. Which is what Danielson should have put up given where he was drafted.

 

[norrisnick]

Handedness in hockey does not matter.... OR SO I'VE BEEN TOLD.

Faceoffs, sure

Lefties on the right side, righties on the left side. Not so much.

All forwards on the ice the same handedness? More of an issue.

 

[lilidk]

Laine wont get traded. Should we go after him? Maybe 15+ Berggren+

 

[jkutswings]

Laine wont get traded. Should we go after him? Maybe 15+ Berggren+

Why? To exchange a cheap player that doesn't play defense for an expensive one that doesn't play defense?

 

[saska sault]

Only way Detroit should entertain Laine is if they take back a Husso and Holl package or something like that. Wings can throw in a prospect and pick of whatever degree if they add some form of retention.

 

[lilidk]

Only way Detroit should entertain Laine is if they take back a Husso and Holl package or something like that. Wings can throw in a prospect and pick of whatever degree if they add some form of retention.

We are talking about 26 year old big guy 40+ goal scorer, almost point per game entire NHL career. I expect him end up in Carolina though

 

[Ezekial]

We are talking about 26 year old big guy 40+ goal scorer, almost point per game entire NHL career. I expect him end up in Carolina though

You have to combine his last 3 seasons to call him a 40+ goal scorer.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

We are talking about 26 year old big guy 40+ goal scorer, almost point per game entire NHL career. I expect him end up in Carolina though

That is a very generous description of Laine.

He's scored 40+ goals once in his career and it was 6 years ago. He is a .81 PPG player. That's nothing to sneeze at but it's not almost point per game.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Laine wont get traded. Should we go after him? Maybe 15+ Berggren+

No thanks. Jakub Vrana problems but more money is a no for me dawg.

 

[norrisnick]

No thanks. Jakub Vrana problems but more money is a no for me dawg.

That is all sorts of presumptuous. One of the pitfalls of the PAP being a catchall for anything not pertaining to a physical injury...

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

Laine wont get traded. Should we go after him? Maybe 15+ Berggren+

He is garbage

Case closed

 

[KJoe88]

I’m bored. I hate the summer. I need Wings hockey.

Hopefully SY can continue to fix the team. I need more hockey.

 

[lilidk]

I’m bored. I hate the summer. I need Wings hockey.

Hopefully SY can continue to fix the team. I need more hockey.

Bringing Copp, Fabbri, Holl, Chiarot, Kostin and Vrana, not enough for you?

 

[Oddbob]

Handedness in hockey does not matter.... OR SO I'VE BEEN TOLD.

Soon, they will invent a stick that bends both ways, and this major issue will be corrected.

Laine wont get traded. Should we go after him? Maybe 15+ Berggren+

Why? So we can add a floater to this team?

 

[Ricelund]

I don't hate the idea of buying low on Laine... he's only 25 and has averaged 35g/82gp over his career so far. There's only this year and next left on his deal too. CBJ would have to take contracts back or retain on his deal.

 

[FMichael]

No thanks. Jakub Vrana problems but more money is a no for me dawg.

Just like the guy he was traded for PLD - Laine has been underwhelming everywhere he goes.

 

[SoupNazi]

Laine wont get traded. Should we go after him? Maybe 15+ Berggren+

No, I only want Laine if Cbus retains 50% for a mid-round pick. Even then, I'm meh on it.

 

[jaster]

Jumping back to the main topic for a second.... what do we mean by "fix" the Wings? Ogee in the first post mentioned fixing them in order to make the playoffs, but how are we prioritizing short-term vs long-term success?

Last season, Yzerman de-prioritized prospect development and integrating young players into the roster. Part of that story was Detroit was trying to make the playoffs and that approach gave them a better chance, and part of the story was that this wouldn't really hurt these young players long-term, but....

This approach is not sustainable in terms of re-building your team through the draft. At some point you have to start leaning on those young players. At some point, acquiring a bunch of new vets every season and managing to integrate only your very top prospects into the roster is not rebuilding through the draft. Either you've drafted poorly, or you are just not willing to give those 2nd-tier prospects a chance.

So where does Yzerman go from here? More trades and signings to try to make the playoffs again? Or do we start making a real effort in integrating the Berggrens and Johanssons and Mazurs, and risk the team regressing in the standings? I'm genuinely curious to see, because while I didn't out-and-out hate the approach last season (it was a fun ride almost making the playoffs), it was the first season where Yzerman appeared to depart from the "Yzerplan." And if this is the way it's going to go from now on, I am A) maybe a little worried, and B) I'm going to start calling it the Yzerlie.