Your Rebuild Opinion? Next Move Coming?

[Gniwder]

How old was Kopitar when the kings won their cups? Brown captained a couple of cup teams be ause the kings had way better teams then.

I'll have concern over Larkin's leadership when there is more for him to lead.

Exactly.

The team needs a new GM, not a new captain. Chris needs to start looking if Stevie does nothing again this summer.

This is like Fester/Walman situation, hopefully they pick teh player over management this time..

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

Not sure why why the sarcasm.

Matthew Knies instantly becomes one of our best players on the team.

Contract would have to be 9.1M/5yrs…

Watching this guy shine in the playoffs, I think this team would be a fool not to at least at the bare minimal assess such a move.

I'd do that.

2026 1st
2026 2nd
2026 3rd.

Only problem is that Toronto has the cap to match.

 

[Winger98]

Exactly.

The team needs a new GM, not a new captain. Chris needs to start looking if Stevie does nothing again this summer.

This is like Fester/Walman situation, hopefully they pick teh player over management this time..

I'm fine not bringing in a big free agent or trade if we shove a bunch of kids into the lineup and just go with it. Ideally we see a combination of the two, but I just don't want to see us run this whole group back and be fine with it. At the very least get more kids in.

 

[jkutswings]

I'm fine not bringing in a big free agent or trade if we shove a bunch of kids into the lineup and just go with it. Ideally we see a combination of the two, but I just don't want to see us run this whole group back and be fine with it. At the very least get more kids in.

I'm not saying you're wrong to be fine with the "just add kids" approach. But if that's all they do this year, if I were Larkin I'd ask for a trade. One more year of kids and plugs pretty much seals it for Detroit not contending while Dylan is in his prime.

Again, there's still a path forward. But I'd be surprised if there's zero fallout from yet another 12 months of slow playing everything.

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

Rob Blake is out. Time to make a trade.

I think this will mean UFA's don't want to sign there with the uncertainty.

So.

Gavrikov(UFA rights)
Jeannot(UFA rights)
Laferriere(RFA rights)

For

Berggren
Wallinder
Rasmussen

EDIT: if everyone signs.

 

[Winger98]

I'm not saying you're wrong to be fine with the "just add kids" approach. But if that's all they do this year, if I were Larkin I'd ask for a trade. One more year of kids and plugs pretty much seals it for Detroit not contending while Dylan is in his prime.

Again, there's still a path forward. But I'd be surprised if there's zero fallout from yet another 12 months of slow playing everything.

Depends how the kids do. If the kids run with it, we could be looking real good, real fast. If they don't...well, yeah. We might be screwed regardless.

WIth Larkin, though...what did he expect when he re-signed? It's not like he didn't know we were rebuilding and saw first hand how empty of talent the organization was from top to bottom. If he loses himself over being surrounded by kids during a rebuild....Not sure what to tell him.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

Assuming that Larkin remains with the team for the foreseeable future, I think it's borderline ridiculous to keep the pick at 13. Yzerman needs to make up his damn mind: either start moving this thing forward by adding a better quality of NHL players, or admit that Larkin (and possibly Debrincat) doesn't fit the timeline, and rebuild the rebuild.

It's really tough to win a Stanley Cup, even with a great roster. So I'm not holding Detroit to that standard (win it all, or the rebuild is a failure). But to me, a truly successful rebuild means that you're regularly a threat to win your division and you're regularly a threat to reach the conference finals. And even once all the kids are on the team, I just don't see a roster anywhere near that caliber. The current trajectory screams bubble team, at best making the second round here and there.

Either get better now or reshuffle to have a higher ceiling down the road. But so far it looks like this will be taking a decade to just build a wild card team, and that's a pretty sad outcome for that many years of hoarding picks and putting a mediocre product on the ice.

Who specifically are you looking to acquire with the 13OA plus other assets? If you are looking for a top six forward or a top four defensemen, can you give us five names of each you would be interested in? I understand you want to trade it, but I still don't know who you are after specifically.

 

[Gniwder]

Depends how the kids do. If the kids run with it, we could be looking real good, real fast. If they don't...well, yeah. We might be screwed regardless.

WIth Larkin, though...what did he expect when he re-signed? It's not like he didn't know we were rebuilding and saw first hand how empty of talent the organization was from top to bottom. If he loses himself over being surrounded by kids during a rebuild....Not sure what to tell him.

I'm sure he was promised help, in fact I think he was the reason we now have Copp. Stevie let Walman and Ghost go, and replaced them with Gus and Petry. Plus he signed Tank. DBoss has plenty to complain about, basically the same things we complain about.

If mismanagement is apparent to us, it's obviously more apparent to someone on the team.

 

[Run the Jewels]

WIth Larkin, though...what did he expect when he re-signed? It's not like he didn't know we were rebuilding and saw first hand how empty of talent the organization was from top to bottom. If he loses himself over being surrounded by kids during a rebuild....Not sure what to tell him.

Larkin was perfectly content the previous season under Lalonde. Not a single complaint. Something happened when we moved on from Lalonde to Todd. Wonder what that could have been after bottling two straight playoff appearances?

 

[lilidk]

Marchand Larkin Raymond
Cat Kasper Kane
Soderblom Danielson Tarasenko
Lombardi Rasmussen MBN
Edvinsson Seider
Chiarot AJo
Gavrikov ASP

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

I'd do that.

2026 1st
2026 2nd
2026 3rd.

Only problem is that Toronto has the cap to match.

If the 2026 draft is as good as advertised the wings would have to screw up to not pick a player that scores equal or or better than Knies’ stat line. I don’t give up those assets.

 

[19 for president]

I'm with you on Connor, 110%. I would be comfortable doing a 13th + Danielson + top 5 protected 2026 pick +

But.. I don't think he, or someone of that level will actually be traded this summer, which is why I framed the question the way I did.

So on the other side of the spectrum from the 24 year old 20-20 guy, would you do a 1st + for someone in the 29-32 range age range than is more proven? Fiala, Rust, Rakell, etc.?

So I identify a future youngish top line center and a top 4 defensive LHD as the two biggest needs for this team. I think LHD would have the biggest impact for next season. If NYI decide to deal Romanov or Pelech I'd definitely be willing to deal our 1st and a solid prospect. 1st + Ammo to shore up our D sure. If we address the D I think a lot of our offensive issues will work themselves out. We just need to be able to start a proper transition game.

Youngish top line center or even future top line center is going to be an incredibly difficult add. I'd probably deal the 13 + ASP to do it, maybe more but it'd depend on the player. But I'm talking a Cooley, Byfield, Fantilli kind of player which I highly doubt comes available.

I'm probably not trading for a winger or depth forward. I like our prospects there and forwards can often make an impact rather quickly. I really like Buch, Ammo, Danielson, MBN, Finnie, Blecher, Mazur. I'm not against a free asset like a Marner signing or a deal if someone like Conner forces himself out ala DBC but I wouldn't actively be seeking a winger trade.

 

[dj4aces]

The concern with Larkin is mostly can he captain this team where they need to go? Two straight years they have bottled the playoffs. Kings fans are not thrilled with Kopitar as captain, they won both their Cups with Brown wearing the C.

I'm old enough to remember when people were talking about Stevie this way as captain. Only difference then is the team was making the playoffs, just not winning the Cup.

How old was Kopitar when the kings won their cups? Brown captained a couple of cup teams be ause the kings had way better teams then.

I'll have concern over Larkin's leadership when there is more for him to lead.

Exactly. You can't give the man plugs every offseason and expect him to turn that into a playoff team. Unfortunately, I don't think we can fill these holes with just prospects. We're gonna need to go shopping.

 

[SirKillalot]

If mismanagement is apparent to us, it's obviously more apparent to someone on the team.

It's not obvious to us, just to a select few of you.

 

[Winger98]

I'm sure he was promised help, in fact I think he was the reason we now have Copp. Stevie let Walman and Ghost go, and replaced them with Gus and Petry. Plus he signed Tank. DBoss has plenty to complain about, basically the same things we complain about.

If mismanagement is apparent to us, it's obviously more apparent to someone on the team.

I never saw the signings we made as being primarily to get us into the playoffs. My impression of the signings was always largely to insulate the kids as we brought them up, with fighting for a playoff spot being second on the priority list. As the kids come up and mature, the expectations shift. But that's only as kids move those previous signings down and out of the lineup.

And I think we're at or close to that point where we make the turn.

Larkin was perfectly content the previous season under Lalonde. Not a single complaint. Something happened when we moved on from Lalonde to Todd. Wonder what that could have been after bottling two straight playoff appearances?

They might have told him something he didn't like, but I wouldn't bet against just his personal expectations shifting. Or his playing for team USA making him view his career and its timeline differently. Or finishing below two teams (Montreal and Ottawa) who he may have seen as below the Wings finish above them. Or all of the above. Or none.

I'm old enough to remember when people were talking about Stevie this way as captain. Only difference then is the team was making the playoffs, just not winning the Cup.



Exactly. You can't give the man plugs every offseason and expect him to turn that into a playoff team. Unfortunately, I don't think we can fill these holes with just prospects. We're gonna need to go shopping.

I don't think the kids can fill every spot, but I think we need them filling more spots. Especially up front. We need to be able to shop for a couple of spots, not the five or six we have been.

 

[SirKillalot]

Wonder if one should look into taking a flyer on Kirby Dach to re-shape him a little bit into a middle six force.

 

[wingsfannnn9191]

Wonder if one should look into taking a flyer on Kirby Dach to re-shape him a little bit into a middle six force.

I’d want nothing to do with dach. He’s always injured. We have enough bottom 6 guys here as is

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

So I identify a future youngish top line center and a top 4 defensive LHD as the two biggest needs for this team. I think LHD would have the biggest impact for next season. If NYI decide to deal Romanov or Pelech I'd definitely be willing to deal our 1st and a solid prospect. 1st + Ammo to shore up our D sure. If we address the D I think a lot of our offensive issues will work themselves out. We just need to be able to start a proper transition game.

Youngish top line center or even future top line center is going to be an incredibly difficult add. I'd probably deal the 13 + ASP to do it, maybe more but it'd depend on the player. But I'm talking a Cooley, Byfield, Fantilli kind of player which I highly doubt comes available.

I'm probably not trading for a winger or depth forward. I like our prospects there and forwards can often make an impact rather quickly. I really like Buch, Ammo, Danielson, MBN, Finnie, Blecher, Mazur. I'm not against a free asset like a Marner signing or a deal if someone like Conner forces himself out ala DBC but I wouldn't actively be seeking a winger trade.

It won’t cost a top 15 pick PLUS for Romanov. It shouldn’t have cost Frank Nazar (the 2022 13th that NYI traded to mtl that mtl traded to Chi )Romanov to begin with.

 

[dj4aces]

I don't think the kids can fill every spot, but I think we need them filling more spots. Especially up front. We need to be able to shop for a couple of spots, not the five or six we have been.

Absolutely. We can't fill 'em all with prospects, and we shouldn't try to fill 'em all with FAs. Sorry for not being clearer on that. I don't know if we should try to snag players like Marner and Ekblad (assuming they're not re-signed by 1 July), but I do expect us to make a play for better FAs than we've signed in the past, and I'd like to see more kids with a shot of cracking the opening night roster. Who knows, maybe Lombardi (for example) can earn himself a full-time spot on the team.

 

[Winger98]

Absolutely. We can't fill 'em all with prospects, and we shouldn't try to fill 'em all with FAs. Sorry for not being clearer on that. I don't know if we should try to snag players like Marner and Ekblad (assuming they're not re-signed by 1 July), but I do expect us to make a play for better FAs than we've signed in the past, and I'd like to see more kids with a shot of cracking the opening night roster. Who knows, maybe Lombardi (for example) can earn himself a full-time spot on the team.

I'm hoping we can grab an upgrade on our blueline, but nothing will turn me off the rebuild quicker right now than if we roll into next season with just like one more kid in the lineup. If Mazur is the only kid we add...we better have found some all-stars somewhere.

 

[HisNoodliness]

If the 2026 draft is as good as advertised the wings would have to screw up to not pick a player that scores equal or or better than Knies’ stat line. I don’t give up those assets.

I think it's way too early to say it's deep like that. The top 3 or 4 guys look great. Will anyone hanging around past the top 5 be any better than any average draft year? I think it's really too hard to make that claim right now. I don't think 2026 is like '03 or '15 right now.

 

[Frk It]

If the 2026 draft is as good as advertised the wings would have to screw up to not pick a player that scores equal or or better than Knies’ stat line. I don’t give up those assets.

There’s never been a draft class where that would be a reasonable assumption to make.

 

[SirKillalot]

I’d want nothing to do with dach. He’s always injured. We have enough bottom 6 guys here as is

Been injured quite a bit and also why his price would be low. Top six upside.
To win one gotta take some risks others don't as Vegas with Eichel's trade with that risky surgery.

If the price isn't too much, why not try it with Dach. Tons of upside if one can get his development going.

 

[stillwater]

Been injured quite a bit and also why his price would be low. Top six upside.
To win one gotta take some risks others don't as Vegas with Eichel's trade with that risku surgery.

If the price isn't too much, why not try it with Dach. Tons of upside if one can get his development going.

What is the upside? Where does he slot in on this roster? He's not Jack Eichel.

He scores points at the same rate as Andrew Copp and can't be trusted defensively.

Sometimes top draft picks don't pan out.

 

[Run the Jewels]

They might have told him something he didn't like, but I wouldn't bet against just his personal expectations shifting. Or his playing for team USA making him view his career and its timeline differently. Or finishing below two teams (Montreal and Ottawa) who he may have seen as below the Wings finish above them. Or all of the above. Or none.

McLellan made it perfectly clear they should have been a playoff team. I have zero doubts he told that to Dylan behind the scenes and that's why I'm guessing Dylan decided to have his pity party.

The team was great once McLellan arrived, then Larkin sees his production fall off after 4 Nations. Kasper looked great, Edvinsson looked great, they finally had a proven coach. Really weird time to start pointing fingers. You want to play in 4 Nations? OK I guess, but what is the team supposed to do when you sustain 'multiple injuries'? Is that really the time to be a buyer when your captain is stinking up the ice?

You will never convince me that Larkin displayed great leadership at the end of this last season when his production was s**t, the team lost 11 of 14 down the stretch, and then he goes out and whines about being a buyer at the deadline when his production took a dip. For as little as I thought of Ken Holland over the last decade or so of his tenure in Detroit, he would be a buyer only if the team looked capable of a playoff run.

There was absolutely nothing to suggest this team led by Larkin was capable of a playoff run.