Yzerman is telling you his philosophy if you listen!

[Oddbob]

Also want to add, I think that it would likely deflate the locker room to be this close to a playoff spot and the GM makes a sideways move with forwards and didn't do anything else. Nobody was asking Steve to blow up the farm to bring in players, we simply wanted some lower tier improvements that bump the bad players out of the lineup.

 

[dekelikekocur]

After a nights rest and consideration, I am not as angry as I was yesterday. Most of the defensemen who were moved were either stupid expensive or total garbage (Cholowski still plays hockey?)

Is Mrazek an upgrade on Lyon and Talbot? No idea. Guess he'll have to play here first. I have hard feelings toward him after how leaky he was his first tenure with us, but I have an open mind.

But, I feel that Steve is going to make a big play this off-season. Call it a gut feeling, but I think we're going to have an answer to are woeful defense come this summer.

Mrazek has played here, we already know he's shit. Swapping Velano who can play center for Smith who doesn't really play center any more and adding in an over paid sub .900 goalie while increasing our cap usage for next year is brain dead behavior.

Steve has too many yes men around him and too many reporters asking bs soft questions instead of people willing to challenge his thinking.

 

[Frk It]

The drafting and development has been good.

UFA and trades have been underwhelming.

He is going to need to step it up on the UFA and trades front if this re-build is going to work. I think he can, but he is going to need to start showing us he can.

 

[Run the Jewels]

A few things:

1. Wings are a 100 point team since McLellan was hired. This is extrapolating the point per game total since he was hired over an 82 game season. I didn't include the Toronto game because he had no chance to coach the team prior to that game as he was announced the morning of the game.
2. Mrazek gives the Wings two quality goalies under contract next season. Yzerman specifically said he thought the goalie free agent market was over priced, so he got himself an NHL goalie with over 400 starts for below what it would cost on the open market. This gives Cossa and Augustine more time to develop.
3. The team is only going to get better with cheap, young talent over the next few seasons. ASP, Cossa, Augustine, Danielson, MBN, etc.
4. If Marner hits free agency, we have the cap space to make a competitive offer. Not saying it's gonna happen, but keeping your powder dry gives you a chance to throw your hat in the ring.
5. The future is bright.

 

[Frk It]

A few things:

1. Mrazek gives the Wings two quality goalies under contract next season.

 

[jkutswings]

View attachment 991018

Don't attack Mrazek with your cold hearted numbers. He's a friendly guy! See? Look at him waving!

 

[SirloinUB]

View attachment 991018

What better options in net would you pursue?

 

[Frk It]

What better options in net would you pursue?

I would just run Talbot and Cossa next year and get a cheap guy to be the 3rd (if need be). Mrazek is probably cooked.

 

[SirloinUB]

I would just run Talbot and Cossa next year and get a cheap guy to be the 3rd. Mrazek is cooked.

He was above average last year, and is a fraction below average this year, both on a much worse team than we have. I'm not predicting a vezina nomination but I don't buy your narrative just yet.

Also, there is absolutely no guarantee that Cossa will be ready next season.

 

[DamonDRW]

He was above average last year, and is a fraction below average this year, both on a much worse team than we have. I'm not predicting a vezina nomination but I don't buy your narrative just yet.

Also, there is absolutely no guarantee that Cossa will be ready next season.

if you don't try guys on the main team no one will ever be ready. I wonder why we call up Soderblom instead of keeping him in the minors until he leaves.

 

[SirloinUB]

if you don't try guys on the main team no one will ever be ready. I wonder why we call up Soderblom instead of keeping him in the minors until he leaves.

He's had 2 more years of development than Cossa and goalies develop more slowly.

Also Mrazek + Talbot will be on expiring contracts which creates opportunities for Cossa to join the team moving forward.

 

[ShakenNotStirred]

Steve has too many yes men around him and too many reporters asking bs soft questions instead of people willing to challenge his thinking.

Yeah, let's get a couple of those hard hitting journalists to drive a wedge between two star players, like they did in Vancouver. It really worked out well for them.

Do you think the red wings organization is a democracy or some kind of commune that goes off popular vote? It's a business with with a general manager that answers to an owner, not fans. Businesses don't care about anything but the bottom line, consumers are low on the list.

 

[14ari13]

Yeah, let's get a couple of those hard hitting journalists to drive a wedge between two star players, like they did in Vancouver. It really worked out well for them.

Do you think the red wings organization is a democracy or some kind of commune that goes off popular vote? It's a business with with a general manager that answers to an owner, not fans. Businesses don't care about anything but the bottom line, consumers are low on the list.

But if the product is bad, the consumers won't buy it and then the business is not good.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

What better options in net would you pursue?

A shooter tutor.

 

[Frk It]

He was above average last year, and is a fraction below average this year, both on a much worse team than we have. I'm not predicting a vezina nomination but I don't buy your narrative just yet.

Also, there is absolutely no guarantee that Cossa will be ready next season.

What narrative is that, exactly?

I have seen multiple people suggest Mrazek is a quality goalie or an upgrade, so I posted his stats. His stats that say as of this season he is bottom 10 in Save %.

If you want to talk about the broader implications of the trade, we can.

This, like the Walman trade, is a move done with a level of urgency that I just do not understand.

I would have let a host of scenarios play out before I would have resorted to this type of move.

I would have seen if I could re-sign Lyon for a similar AAV. I would have given Cossa chance to see how he looks in training camp. I would have explored some cheap options in free agency.

I would have done ALL OF THESE THINGS before I trade for a 33 year old goalie who is objectively overpaid for the level he is currently playing at with 1 year left on his contract.

I'm not sure this trade is awful as much as I just view it as totally unnecessary.

 

[ShakenNotStirred]

But if the product is bad, the consumers won't buy it and then the business is not good.

Fo sho, but if 2019 didn't close the doors than nothing will. People will consume professional sports no matter what (Cleveland Browns). I'm not sure how the profit sharing gets handed out in the NHL but I'm sure everyone gets paid regardless of on ice performance.

 

[Hockeyfan2390]

His philosophy sucks.

There is zero legitimate reason why the Red Wings shouldn’t be solidly in a playoff spot near the end of year 6 of his tenure.

 

[Oddbob]

He was above average last year, and is a fraction below average this year, both on a much worse team than we have. I'm not predicting a vezina nomination but I don't buy your narrative just yet.

Also, there is absolutely no guarantee that Cossa will be ready next season.

He is not a fraction below average. .890 is bad regardless of team.

 

[RedHawkDown]

How many seasons before Larkin starts declining?

He is declining right now. He is on pace for 71 pts in 82 games after 3 years of near PPG play. There’s a decent chance his prime is behind him.

 

[RedHawkDown]

Not really excuses just reading the cards. He thought we would be better than we were this season but we still have players in bound next season that likely will put us in the playoff race. I think if those players come out of the gate he will bolt on as early as next season. This is the last season of absolute bottom we have to endure. I would have liked playoffs as much as anyone but we get in and what then the team is not built for a run

Delusional wishful thinking. Ottawa adds Yakemchuk. CBJ adds Del Bel Belluz and Lindstrom and continued growth from Fantilli. Montreal adds Demidov. Danielson and ASP aren’t going to beat any of that.

It truly is incredible how little most of you know of the rest of the league. It’s like you guys think we are the only team in the NHL that drafts players.

 

[Henkka]

He is declining right now. He is on pace for 71 pts in 82 games after 3 years of near PPG play. There’s a decent chance his prime is behind him.

Pretty sure Larkin will be just fine for the next 4 seasons, probably longer. The declining usually will start from 32-year old, and later from elite guys.

Larkin 29y, season 2025-26
Larkin 30y, season 2026-27
Larkin 31y, season 2027-28
Larkin 32y, season 2028-29 (Yzerman won his 1st Cup at this age)

And the team depth will be totally different on those late days. Pellikka, MBN, Danielson, 2025 1st pick etc. High-end UFAs like to arrive at Detroit because we are gooood.

 

[jkutswings]

High-end UFAs like to arrive at Detroit because we are gooood.

Because it worked so well chasing Suter and Parise. And Stamkos. And then Stamkos again. And I'm sure Marner and Connor are chomping at the bit to get here.

High end free agents will have zero reason to come to Detroit until this roster is one piece away from serious Cup contention. And even once Cossa and Danielson and ASP are on the team and playing well, Detroit will still need more than one piece for serious Cup contention.

Every season that Yzerman fails to make a significant trade is a wasted year. A holding pattern. A delay before the team is improving fast enough to get the rebuild back on track.

The kids alone simply will not be enough...because no team in history has beaten the odds to draft well enough that they didn't need multiple external pieces to supplement their drafting.

 

[dekelikekocur]

Yeah, let's get a couple of those hard hitting journalists to drive a wedge between two star players, like they did in Vancouver. It really worked out well for them.

Do you think the red wings organization is a democracy or some kind of commune that goes off popular vote? It's a business with with a general manager that answers to an owner, not fans. Businesses don't care about anything but the bottom line, consumers are low on the list.

Who said drive a wedge between players? A reporter asking Steve why shorting our already weak center depth is a good idea isn't driving a wedge between players, It's literally calling Yzerman's thought process into question.

What I think is, if a boss isn't doing their job, it's on the people surrounding them to call them to task, and when you're a public facing entity where your fans are your consumers and the method of communicating with them is through the press, the press needs to represent said consumers in asking honest questions.

The wings exist because we spend money on them, guess what happens if we don't spend the money on them? They cease to exist and that boot taste leaves your mouth.

 

[Henkka]

Who said drive a wedge between players? A reporter asking Steve why shorting our already weak center depth is a good idea isn't driving a wedge between players, It's literally calling Yzerman's thought process into question.

What I think is, if a boss isn't doing their job, it's on the people surrounding them to call them to task, and when you're a public facing entity where your fans are your consumers and the method of communicating with them is through the press, the press needs to represent said consumers in asking honest questions.

The wings exist because we spend money on them, guess what happens if we don't spend the money on them? They cease to exist and that boot taste leaves your mouth.

I don't really understand this Center depth question. Veleno was very weak even as a 4th line Center. I would welcome anyone on the spot before him, even Graig Smith, who has been mostly career winger. We have Motte as spare Center who has played on that position already.

Cropping out Veleno, will OPEN a center slot for a younger option already for next season. Maybe it's Kasper, or Danielson. We are gonna figure that out.

Veleno never had any future in this team, his development never went anywhere. Denitely not as a Center, 48-42-49-47% at Faceoffs. That won't make a career as Bottom6 guy.

Last season was probably his career high, and after similar Zadina-treatment, he will be at Europe very soon.

2024-25 season, Veleno scored 0.18 points per game
2023-24 season, Veleno scored 0.35 points per game
2022-23 season, Veleno scored 0.25 points per game
2021-22 season, Veleno scored 0.22 points per game
2020-21 season, Veleno scored 0.20 points per game.

I was already critical about that 2-year extension, which did feel a bit costly, thank god we did get rid of the 2nd year and turned that for somekind of value.

 

[RedHawkDown]

Pretty sure Larkin will be just fine for the next 4 seasons, probably longer. The declining usually will start from 32-year old, and later from elite guys.

Larkin 29y, season 2025-26
Larkin 30y, season 2026-27
Larkin 31y, season 2027-28
Larkin 32y, season 2028-29 (Yzerman won his 1st Cup at this age)

And the team depth will be totally different on those late days. Pellikka, MBN, Danielson, 2025 1st pick etc. High-end UFAs like to arrive at Detroit because we are gooood.

Larkin is not Steve Yzerman. I’m not sure why that example is brought up over and over.