What Should Detroit Prioritize in Free Agency this Summer?

[Oddbob]

Those numbers you quoted above are not the numbers of the regular season, and are only for the playoffs thus far ... 12 games, a very small sample size.

I have no beef with the idea that Seth Jones is moving up the depth chart, but you're making Ekblad sound like a donkey using a cherry picked set of numbers.

Ekblad's playoff advanced stats are as good or better than any D on the team ... His D zone starts % in the regular season, higher than any other Florida D.

2024-25 Florida Panthers Roster, Stats, Injuries, Scores, Results, Shootouts | Hockey-Reference.com

He is going to want more than Seider as a UFA, and I don't really like the idea of him long term. Look at his time missed in his career especially lately. He is 29 and already heavily banged up and according to Panther fans lost quite a step in speed, which is only going to get worse. I would rather spend less on Provorov who is younger and can handle 20-23ish minutes a night.

 

[stillwater]

So it means something that you suggest Florida fans complain about Ekblad.

But, it means nothing that Leaf fans booed Marner every time he touched the puck.

Ekblad is playing 20-23 minutes a night ... shutting down Marner.

Provorov is one year younger than Ekblad and will cost just as much.

Everyone hated James Reimer for his stance against Pride nights in the NHL. Provorov is cut from the same tree.

 

[Oddbob]

So it means something that you suggest Florida fans complain about Ekblad.

But, it means nothing that Leaf fans booed Marner every time he touched the puck.

Leaf fans always pick the bigger name and just pile on when they lose, and you and everyone know this. Marner was the least of the Leafs problems in this playoffs. Matthews is getting tons of heat too, and his play was much worse than Marner's. I also wouldn't take much of an opinion from Leafs fans as they are up and down from one day to the next. When they win, we are winning the cup is the sentiment, the next game they lose and it is the end of the world is the sentiment.

Not saying Marner at 12.5+ won't be a mistake for whoever does it, but the Wings haven't had a player of his level since Zetterberg and Datsyuk and as much as I like Kasper he isn't going to be that good and I don't think Danielson will either. UFA classes are always lower tier and this is the best chance in a while to get a bigger fish. If we start winning our draft spots will get lower and that means less chance of drafting a big name star up front.

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

Ummmm..... DeBrincat this last season?

I don't love or hate the Marner idea. He is a great PKer and we could totally use that. But I get the worry with giving this guy a huge deal.

Before this season*

 

[stillwater]

You never watched any of the games. Your take is way, way off.

Leaf fans aren't stupid, or fickle. That's just a silly media perception. The Marner is gone to FA didn't just begin after their game 7 loss to Florida. Marner's advanced stats were way worse than Matthews in the playoffs. He was easily one of the Leafs worst forwards.

Way to count Kasper out already. You counted him out earlier in the year too, so at least you're consistently wrong. I'd take Kasper ahead of Marner on my playoff roster right now! Kasper is 21 years-old.

And Danielson hasn't played a damn game yet. He's 20 years old. Datsyuk and Zetterberg never became dominant players until they were 25+.

 

[Oddbob]

You never watched any of the games. Your take is way, way off.

Leaf fans aren't stupid, or fickle. That's just a silly media perception. The Marner is gone to FA didn't just begin after their game 7 loss to Florida.

Way to count Kasper out already. You counted him out earlier in the year to, so at least you're consistently wrong. And Danielson hasn't played a damn game yet. He's 20 years old. Datsyuk and Zetterberg never became dominant players until they were 25+.

I live in Leaf land with Leaf fans in my immediate family. Seen him play plenty, so my take is not way off. Do you live anywhere near Toronto, they are exactly as I describe them, and I also didn't say they were stupid. They are the most fickle fans in the NHL, and by a lot. If they aren't fickle than no fan base is fickle.

I never counted out Kasper, so not sure where you get that from. Unless Kasper makes a massive stride in his gameplay though he will be a really good 2 way, but not great player.

You are running me down, but want the Wings to massively overpay for Ekblad who misses lots of time every year and won't be playing on as good a team here as in Florida. My guess is in 3-4 years he will be an LTIR player based on already missing a ton. His skating has already taken a hit, that doesn't improve for players like him.

I have watched Danielson and I wasn't overly impressed with him. I think he might be a 40-50 pt Compher level player at best which is fine, but not a major difference maker. He doesn't flash a lot of skill. If you think he is going to be anywhere near as good as Marner than I think you will be severely disappointed.

 

[stillwater]

Born and raised in Toronto.

Retired and living in Windsor.

 

[Oddbob]

Born and raised in Toronto.

Retired and living in Windsor.

So then you should know what Leaf fans are like. All if hear from them all year is love and hate depending on what the team is doing recently. They were up 2-0 against FLA and they were like this could finally be our year, then they lost game 3 and I hear a ton of man we are going to blow it again aren't we. They do this every season, regardless of what the teams expectations are. Kessel always sucked to them, even when he was doing fine with no other talent around him, then he gets traded and immediately wins.

Marner has also outperformed Matthews in pretty much their whole careers in the post season but Marner is always the one who gets the extra flak, despite both of them not being great in the physicality department. Marner and Matthews have basically the same pt totals in the post season as well, yet it is always Marner who gets crapped on more. I live an hour and a half from Toronto and the Leafs are easily the most talked about team around where I live.

 

[HisNoodliness]

Born and raised in Toronto.

Retired and living in Windsor.

I do my grocery shopping in Maple Leaf Gardens and was at game 5 where Marner blew it. I'd love to have him on the Wings. It's possible that people watched the games and came to a different conclusion than you. I'd absolutely take Marner on this team and think that he could be a core piece on a successful playoff team. You just can't have him on a playoff team that relies entirely on him and a couple of other scorers that are similarly more suited to the regular season than the playoffs.

 

[saska sault]

Grew up in the Sault and my uncle Bob went to a Leaf game once.

Id take Marner.

 

[stillwater]

I do my grocery shopping in Maple Leaf Gardens and was at game 5 where Marner blew it. I'd love to have him on the Wings. It's possible that people watched the games and came to a different conclusion than you. I'd absolutely take Marner on this team and think that he could be a core piece on a successful playoff team. You just can't have him on a playoff team that relies entirely on him and a couple of other scorers that are similarly more suited to the regular season than the playoffs.

Great venue for hockey. One of my favorites in the NHL. Madison Square Garden will always be #1. Maple Leafs Gardens magical as a kid. The Forum in Montreal too. The Joe ...

The LCA is great, especially if you don't care about watching the game.

 

[stillwater]

The Leafs will never win the Stanley Cup until Hockey Night in Canada (Sportsnet for the most part now), adopts the Tragically Hip's Fifty Mission Cap as it's theme song.

 

[stillwater]

Craig Berube with nice things to say about Marner. Love Berube!

Craig Berube on Mitch Marner amid uncertain future: 'Love coaching him' | TSN

Not opposed to having Marner on the Red Wings. I think he's overrated, and my biggest concern with Marner (or Ekblad) is that the 12-15M for 7 years will wreck shop on the Red Wings payroll going forward. I don't care about the money. Everyone has to fit under the Cap. I'd prefer no cap at all.

Brad Treliving had done a remarkable job with the Leafs roster, given that the core 4 were using up so much of the Cap. A lot of nice moves by the GM (Brandon Carlo deal being the exception) to give his team a chance.

 

[FMichael]

Great venue for hockey. One of my favorites in the NHL. Madison Square Garden will always be #1. Maple Leafs Gardens magical as a kid. The Forum in Montreal too. The Joe ...

The LCA is great, especially if you don't care about watching the game.

Hey now - The Joe was a magical place!

Seats so cramped my knees could've been ear muffs for the fan sitting directly in front of me, the Knitting Lady, 1 concourse to share with 20,000 plus of your closest fans/friends during intermission, Mo Cheese, bathroom lines for the lady folk that they'd have to leave with 5 min left in the period to stand in line, Orange Hat guy - speaking of which I had the hono(u)r of peeing next to him in the Joe Troughs (we chatted a bit afterwards and I bought him a 24 oz Molson Canadian - real gud guy)...

Did I mention all of our 'recent' success and Cups were won while The Joe was our home?

I'd trade all the glamour/new arena smells/etc for The Joe if it included our 25 season long playoff run.

 

[RabidBadger]

One of these things is not like the other.

Aside from the blowback about his comments this past post season press conference, in his career Larkin has exceeded expectations in every single way.

Compher either had a nagging injury all season or looked at his contract term and decided he could f*** around for a few seasons. Copp is mostly unremarkable but effective. Though he needs to not do the weird backhand elbow to the head grab that tore his shoulder.

I think Compher could be in line ahead of Tank for a bounce back season next year. He absolutely was not the same guy we had his 1st season here.

 

[SirloinUB]

Craig Berube with nice things to say about Marner. Love Berube!

Craig Berube on Mitch Marner amid uncertain future: 'Love coaching him' | TSN

Not opposed to having Marner on the Red Wings. I think he's overrated, and my biggest concern with Marner (or Ekblad) is that the 12-15M for 7 years will wreck shop on the Red Wings payroll going forward. I don't care about the money. Everyone has to fit under the Cap. I'd prefer no cap at all.

Brad Treliving had done a remarkable job with the Leafs roster, given that the core 4 were using up so much of the Cap. A lot of nice moves by the GM (Brandon Carlo deal being the exception) to give his team a chance.

You're right that Marner will get a big ticket but part of my thinking in favour of signing Marner is that of all the UFAs available he seems the most likely to deliver value for his cap hit.

The tier 2 and 3 guys (Ehlers, bennett, etc) are the ones I see as least likely to deliver adequate value relative to contract.

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

If we can dump Copp/Compher, Senko and Holl that's Marner's salary. I rather have him over these bums....

 

[DuncanMacpherson]

Edit: double post

 

[DuncanMacpherson]

If we can dump Copp/Compher, Senko and Holl that's Marner's salary. I rather have him over these bums....

I think the fact that his own fan base all want him gone is a bit of a red flag suggesting it’s probably not a good idea to sign this guy. Don’t wanna do the Leafs any favours.

 

[wingsfannnn9191]

If we can dump Copp/Compher, Senko and Holl that's Marner's salary. I rather have him over these bums....

I’d rather have givani smith , Sam Gagner and oesterle and save 11 mill

 

[wingsfannnn9191]

Do ppl here anticipate tralmaks to make the roster? I wasn’t penciling him but he’s already 28 so I doubt he came back to stay in the ahl all season

Least he’d bring a big body to the lineup. I’d say yzerman’s got a lot of work to do but he always brings a bunch of players and says he’ll make room if they make the team which like never happens