jkutswings
hot piss hockey
- Jul 10, 2014
- 10,918
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Fair. But that's justification for a single particular move not happening. When you have multiple low-end additions each year for several years, that's a pretty strong trend that you're only willing to commit to that tier of player.Ehh... In theory, but I think it's an over simplification.
Team building isn't an NHL video game. 31 other teams are competing for the talent, UFAs have their own priorities, dreams and aspirations. And that doesn't even touch on why the hell a better player would have wanted to come to Detroit over the last 5 years.
I also, think we're not privy to everything he's attempted. Someone recently brought up the reports that he went after Carlo at the TDL and got outbid. It was widely reported he wanted Stamkos last summer. I'd be shocked if there weren't similar attempts for other players. I'd bet money he checked in on Rantanen.
You can want these kinds of moves but life isn't that simple.
I just posted this in the free agency thread, but these examples apply here to show the guys in between the top and bottom tiers that I mean:
For 2025, remove Marner and Bennett as the top forwards and remove Gavrikov and Ekblad on defense. There are still guys who are under 30 and would absolutely improve the roster (Ehlers, Boeser, Provorov, Fabbro).
And that doesn't count the handful of significant RFAs out there (Dobson, Bouchard, Byram, McTavish, Romanov, Hague, Rossi).
The point is: I find it very hard to believe that absolutely zero meaningful players would come to Detroit...if they're willing to pay more than KMart blue light special prices and terms.