Tomas Tatar

[icKx]

With Nyquist, Tatar, Jurco, Pulkkinen, Mantha, and maybe Athanasiou, and Janmark that's 7 wingers who are at, near, or have the potential to be top 6 wingers. There are only 4 spots available. Someone's gotta go eventually. That wing wealth should be spread around to the defense now because that is where it's sorely needed.

- Mantha is untouchable, so he's off the table.

- Nyquist and Tatar are both proven NHL performers at this point and they would net the greatest return in trade, however they are also currently the most important to this team out of that bunch.

- Jurco has great assets, high-end skill and size. Those two are a great, and rare, mix. But he's still unproven, so other teams would not offer what his future worth is likely to be.

- Pulkkinen is doing great in the NHL and has some deadly assets. But he is totally unproven at the NHL level and, like Jurco, we would be selling low.

- Athanasiou and Janmark have potential, but they are mid round draft picks and would not net much in trade. They have more organizational value in developing them than in trading them.

So to me, based on this list. One of Nyquist and Tatar will likely have to be traded in order to obtain a quality top 4 defensemen, and will surely have to be traded to acquire a top 2 D. No one's gonna be happy if/when one of these guys is traded, but as others have said you need to give to get.

Excellent assessment. We're in a tough spot -- wingers that are producing now or have sky high ceilings.

Decisions...

Who is going to trade us a top 2 defensemen? I think any move of Gus or Tatar for a defensemen will be a lateral move at best because no one will trade us a truly impactful defensemen.

Unless that impact D won't or can't be re-signed. Mike Green is our best hope.

 

[Shaman464]

Who is going to trade us a top 2 defensemen? I think any move of Gus or Tatar for a defensemen will be a lateral move at best because no one will trade us a truly impactful defensemen.

Depends on what you consider a #2 as. Rafalski was #2 in Detroit, but he was #3 or #4 defensively, but he was the PPQB, and a huge sparkplug for the offense. A lot of teams use a #2 in this mold over what HF wants which is a #1B type that is both good offensively and a defensive stalwart. If the Wings are looking for a new Rafalski, a package of Tatar+ will more than likely swing it.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

Depends on what you consider a #2 as. Rafalski was #2 in Detroit, but he was #3 or #4 defensively, but he was the PPQB, and a huge sparkplug for the offense. A lot of teams use a #2 in this mold over what HF wants which is a #1B type that is both good offensively and a defensive stalwart. If the Wings are looking for a new Rafalski, a package of Tatar+ will more than likely swing it.

I tend to agree with your way of looking at defensemen and pairings and agree that the guys who are both elite offensively and defensively are few and far between. Even if we don't demand a "number 2" defensemen (presuming you can define such a thing) I still don't know who exactly these good, right-handed offensive defensemen akin to Tatar are, and more importantly, why their teams are willing to part with them. Are we talking about an Ellis? It seems to me that year in and year out the demand for good defensemen (offensive or defensive) is much, much greater than the available supply.

 

[MTU hockey]

I don't think that Myers is the guy we should be trading for. I'm personally not sold on him because we still don't know what he is, is he the 40 pt OFD from his rookie year, or is he a 20-30 point OFD who's offense isn't really enough to make up for his defensive gaffs?

If we could get a more proven guy like Shattenkirk or Letang or Green that would be more ideal. Unfortunately two of those guys aren't available but at least they are more proven. And I'm not sold on Yandle either, he's great offensively but he is left handed and defensively he's not very impressive. I just don't think it's a good idea to trade Tatar this season because he's a huge part of our offense, maybe next season or the season after if Mantha/Pulkkinen prove that they can provide similar offensive touch.

Adding a PMD would no doubt make the team better and it would leave the Wings with 3 d-men that could reliably make a breakout pass (Kronner and DK being the 2 currently on the roster). But does that puck moving ability and extra offense from the blue line make up for a possible 25+ goal scorer? I don't know, and that's assuming that whoever we pick up will fit perfectly into Babs system without a significant change in their play/stats.

 

[Vatican Roulette]

Nyquist and Tatar are #1 and 2 in goalscoring for this team.

If one of them is traded it better be for a damn good dman with term.

Not a maybe.

 

[SimplySolace]

One of the WIIM guys says he's going to do a write-up about HSJ and the Tatar article. Should be interesting

 

[RedHawkDown]

Really want big buff, he's everything we need

 

[Sheriff Bert]

Really want big buff, he's everything we need

Last year I was very low on Buff like I am now on Myers. But this season he has played very well. I wouldn't mind picking him up, but if it costs Tatar/Nyquist we mind as well go for a Petry/Green. Im sure that bundling Jurco with Smith and a pick would make a team accept a trade like that.

 

[Bob99]

well, if Tatar is ~30 goal scorer in his 2nd NHL season he can be pretty much ~40 goal scorer in his prime, that's not asset you trade.
Besides, if you build winning team, mentally Tatar is exactly player you want on your team..heart&soul who never give it up

if they want to trade Tatar better be for durable super-duper 50+ point PMD

 

[Hendricks433]

I have to admit, I hate the idea of losing Tatar and his goals but our D is really bad. Last year Edler looked really bad in the system he was in but under new coaching has looked great. Maybe under new coaching and a new system Myers gets reguvinated and improves. Hopefully somehow we still get Ouellet in the line up, he's looked better than Big E, Smith and probably Q.

Kronner, Myers
Q, Dekeyser
Big E/ Smth, Ouellet

That is a massively improved Defense from now with a puck mover on all pairings.

Maybe Weiss would actually get some top 9 minutes and maybe Pulks can step in and get some games.

 

[BamaWing]

frankly Tatar is becoming one of the last players I want to move. He's no longer a semi proven prospect. If we move Tatar it better be for a damn good RHD

 

[Claypool]

I have to admit, I hate the idea of losing Tatar and his goals but our D is really bad.

One defensemen outside of Shea Weber or Ryan Suter isn't going to change that. Thinking Tyler Myers or Mike Green is going to suddenly make everyone remember how to play defense is illogical.

 

[Heaton]

One defensemen outside of Shea Weber or Ryan Suter isn't going to change that. Thinking Tyler Myers or Mike Green is going to suddenly make everyone remember how to play defense is illogical.

An elite PMD could make our team a lot better right away.

 

[Claypool]

An elite PMD could make our team a lot better right away.

Not at the cost of the team's leading goal scorer. By trading Tatar, you're taking a big bet that Franzen is going to find his scoring touch again. I'm not making that bet. Doesn't matter anyway. There's no elite puck-moving defensemen available.

 

[Heaton]

Not at the cost of the team's leading goal scorer. By trading Tatar, you're taking a big bet that Franzen is going to find his scoring touch again. I'm not making that bet. Doesn't matter anyway. There's no elite puck-moving defensemen available.

Besides Myers and potentially Green we have no idea who's available. Tatar in a deal for Yandle makes this team better. Obviously other guys would need to step up, but this team isn't going to take it's next step by putting more stock into a winger than a top pairing defenseman.

 

[Bob99]

first next step would be let Kindl go and promote Oulette full time. That's first step which costs basically nothing and make D immediately better

 

[bababooeyII]

Can we all be clear that it's apparent the Wings have offered at least Tatar for Myers? St James does not write that story without someone planting the big in her ear.

 

[Claypool]

Can we all be clear that it's apparent the Wings have offered at least Tatar for Myers? St James does not write that story without someone planting the big in her ear.

I don't believe anything she writes.

 

[bababooeyII]

She only writes what's fed to her. So when she brows a name out there, like Tatar, I believe she was told he was offered up to obtain that elusive right handed dman.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

Besides Myers and potentially Green we have no idea who's available. Tatar in a deal for Yandle makes this team better. Obviously other guys would need to step up, but this team isn't going to take it's next step by putting more stock into a winger than a top pairing defenseman.

So we don't know who is available, yet we should go get Yandle? Which is it?

 

[Heaton]

So we don't know who is available, yet we should go get Yandle? Which is it?

No, the point was to completely dismiss the idea of trading Tatar because no elite defenseman are 'aviailable' is faulty logic because we don't know who is available.

 

[Claypool]

She only writes what's fed to her. So when she brows a name out there, like Tatar, I believe she was told he was offered up to obtain that elusive right handed dman.

Do we have any actual evidence of this? Has she published a story about a player who could be traded and later was?

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

No, the point was to completely dismiss the idea of trading Tatar because no elite defenseman are 'aviailable' is faulty logic because we don't know who is available.

Yet saying we should go out and trade Tatar for an elite defensemen is somehow less faulty logic?

 

[silkyjohnson50]

I'm still reading about Dan Cleary's 3 year, 9 million dollar deal from Philly.

 

[Heaton]

Yet saying we should go out and trade Tatar for an elite defensemen is somehow less faulty logic?

Huh? I have no idea what your angle is here. If there is a defenseman available like Yandle, I am for putting Tatar in package for him. I don't know if I would like Tatar for Myers and I definitely wouldn't like him for Green. Those are the three names we have heard is available.

But saying that we shouldn't trade Tatar because no worthy defenseman is available is faulty logic because besides the three mentioned we don't know who else might be available. That still doesn't mean we shouldn't explore the idea of a trade like that.