Yzerman is Telling You His Philosophy if You Listen

[SirloinUB]

The caps also made the playoffs 8 straight years before falling out that one year. Then another six straight years before that.

This is going to be the first year in Yzerman's tenure we don't make a points gain over the previous season. It sucks, but it's also not like we haven't been getting measurably better.

Even if we slide a bit in the standings/points, I’d still view this season as progress within the rebuild. Guys like Kasper, Ed and AlJo holding meaningful roster spots and even thriving is great for the long term outlook. Another wave of Kids emerging in the NHL is progress regardless of what the standings say.

I think this summer is the first time yzerman should meaningfully consider getting agressive to bolster this rebuild. If we can trade our 2025 1st, some depth and/or some prospects for a legit top half of the lineup guy we definitely should. He shouldn’t force anything but he should be looking for a long term upgrade.

The 2026 pick could also be in play but it absolutely needs to be top 5 or even 10 protected.

 

[Run the Jewels]

A few things I want to see regardless of what happens this season:

1. Revamp our North American scouting. Our UFA signings have mostly been terrible, and our most recent NA draft pick who is still in the organization and has played more than 100 NHL games is Michael Rasmussen. The only other one still on the team is Dylan Larkin.
2. Be aggressive with this summer's draft pick. We have plenty of prospects, make a move if necessary to get the player you want in the draft. I'd obviously prefer that pick get Hakan's seal of approval given point #1, but if we miss out on the playoffs this may be our last chance to draft near the top 10.
3. Make a highly competitive offer for Mitch Marner if he hits UFA. I'm not saying you must sign him, but we have the cap space to make an offer and elite skill is one thing we really need if we are going to become highly competitive.

 

[Winger98]

Even if we slide a bit in the standings/points, I’d still view this season as progress within the rebuild. Guys like Kasper, Ed and AlJo holding meaningful roster spots and even thriving is great for the long term outlook. Another wave of Kids emerging in the NHL is progress regardless of what the standings say.

I think this summer is the first time yzerman should meaningfully consider getting agressive to bolster this rebuild. If we can trade our 2025 1st, some depth and/or some prospects for a legit top half of the lineup guy we definitely should. He shouldn’t force anything but he should be looking for a long term upgrade.

The 2026 pick could also be in play but it absolutely needs to be top 5 or even 10 protected.

I have a hard time being too hard on this season with how divided it was. The Lalonde half was such a disaster that I just dismiss it. Since McLellan took over, I think we're still on a 95+ point pace with him despite our recent rough patch. But I think that first half heavily colors how some see this season.

I think this summer will make a lot of folks unhappy, though. I agree that Yzerman will be looking to swing big, but realistically it's unlikely to happen. While we should be able to upgrade the bottom half of the lineup, I don't really want to see us go there. Either get more help up top, that helps push guys we already have lower, or just filter more kids in and roll with it.

The one low spot I'd make an exception for is Holl. That's a guy who hasn't looked good all year, and even on the third pair he's not sheltered or buried well enough.

A few things I want to see regardless of what happens this season:

1. Revamp our North American scouting. Our UFA signings have mostly been terrible, and our most recent NA draft pick who is still in the organization and has played more than 100 NHL games is Michael Rasmussen. The only other one still on the team is Dylan Larkin.

Cross Hanas is on the way to fix that.

I'm not sure that's a reflection on our scouting, though, or just how we've allocated resources. We haven't dumped a lot of high picks into NA, and without that we're not going to get a lot of players from there. At least not without waiting awhile for those guys to develop.

Just a quick look at our prospects, and I think Cossa, Buium, Mazur, Danielson, Lombardi, Finnie, Augustine, and Plante could make our NA drafting look a lot better. Sucks we didn't get more out of those first couple of Yzerman drafts, but it is what it is.

 

[Fynn]

This thread is so amusing, I think some people have wiped from their minds how truly bad this team was like 4 years ago. Or like when the second third and fourth best guys on the team were AA, Bert, and Mantha, lol. The league has gotten better too, wildcard race used to be like 3-4 teams, now it’s like 7 teams within 6 points for the last spot, and parity is much better across the league except for teams that are in true tank mode.

Four years being the key word. I think the fan base has been plenty patient with Yzerman. Again, no one is expecting Stanley Cup Champions this year or next. But tangible progress is important. The Wings are stuck in purgatory and the only way out is solid trades or free agent signings. Yzerman has not been successful in that aspect of his job. He really lost me last year when the team blew an 8 point lead and failed to make the playoffs and he just shrugged it off and said, we weren't expected to be there anyway. Then kept Lalonde, paid a team to take a defenseman he just signed to a 3 year deal because of "cap issues", let another solid defenseman go because he wanted a 3 year deal. For what, to acquire Gustafsson, who is awful. Keep Holl and Petry? But those multi year deals were good? Still no decent goalie. If Ken Holland were making all these same moves, fans would be rioting.

 

[AlwaysSunnyInDetroit]

1oa or 32oa. every other outcome is unacceptable

 

[SirloinUB]

Four years being the key word. I think the fan base has been plenty patient with Yzerman. Again, no one is expecting Stanley Cup Champions this year or next. But tangible progress is important. The Wings are stuck in purgatory and the only way out is solid trades or free agent signings. Yzerman has not been successful in that aspect of his job. He really lost me last year when the team blew an 8 point lead and failed to make the playoffs and he just shrugged it off and said, we weren't expected to be there anyway. Then kept Lalonde, paid a team to take a defenseman he just signed to a 3 year deal because of "cap issues", let another solid defenseman go because he wanted a 3 year deal. For what, to acquire Gustafsson, who is awful. Keep Holl and Petry? But those multi year deals were good? Still no decent goalie. If Ken Holland were making all these same moves, fans would be rioting.

FFS. There has been tangible progress!

Up to this point the team has gotten better every year while getting younger every year.

 

[USAHockey97]

I think Yzerman’s first 3 years were fantastic outside of the 2nd round and later drafting. However, his last three years have not been as good. My biggest issue is I just don’t see the elite offensive talent on the roster or in the pipeline needed outside of Raymond. I hope some prospect break through, but until then that is the biggest hole to me.

The wings have a deep prospect pool of bottom 9 forwards and bottom 4 pairing defensemen. The goalie prospects are great though.

Getting these elite forwards through trades or free agency is hard. Drafting is your best shot but with his signing of mediocre vets, all they’ve done is prevent them from drafting higher to get those players.

I hope I’m wrong but this team reminds me of the 2000’s/2010’s Nashville. Weber, Suter, Rinne, and Johansen. Tough to play against, little offense and usually bounced in the first or second rounds.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

1oa or 32oa. every other outcome is unacceptable

What happened to the angry Jokinen face? I think we need that back asap.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

FFS. There has been tangible progress!

Up to this point the team has gotten better every year while getting younger every year.

Exactly. They haven’t been stuck in purgatory. They’ve improved in the standings every season. This will likely be the first one they don’t.

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

Making a superficial squeak in playoff berth is cool and we still have a small chance. I much rather construct a team built for long term success. Which I believe he is doing. I just hope he learned from these terrible contracts he gave out and we get aggressive this summer. I wouldn't mind dumping a few plugs and giving that money to Marner.

 

[Winger98]

I think Yzerman’s first 3 years were fantastic outside of the 2nd round and later drafting. However, his last three years have not been as good. My biggest issue is I just don’t see the elite offensive talent on the roster or in the pipeline needed outside of Raymond. I hope some prospect break through, but until then that is the biggest hole to me.

The wings have a deep prospect pool of bottom 9 forwards and bottom 4 pairing defensemen. The goalie prospects are great though.

Getting these elite forwards through trades or free agency is hard. Drafting is your best shot but with his signing of mediocre vets, all they’ve done is prevent them from drafting higher to get those players.

I hope I’m wrong but this team reminds me of the 2000’s/2010’s Nashville. Weber, Suter, Rinne, and Johansen. Tough to play against, little offense and usually bounced in the first or second rounds.

Being Nashville/Minny/St. Louis/Washington/San Jose isn't the worst of fates. A couple of them broke through once and won a Cup, but they were all teams who were in the playoffs every year, often bounced in the first couple of rounds. It puts you into position to make that next move (like St. Louis and Washington) and get over that last hump, and it brings you a lot of good hockey.

 

[datsyukfan]

He needs to trim the fat and bring in a couple impact players.

Players that absolutely need to go:

Tarasenko
Holl
Petry
Gus

Players that probably need to go:

Chiarot
Berggren
Motte
Smith

They need to add a legit top 6 forward (a guy at least of similar level to Cat)

They need to add a legit top 4D and a legit solid bottom pair guy.

Ideally they get the two at the top of the market (Marner and Chychrun) I’d overpay for both. You have good deals for Larkin, Ray, Seider you can afford to overspend on two high end guys

A lineup that looks like this should be the goal imo:

Marner- Larkin-Raymond
Cat-Kasper-Kane
Soderblom-Copp-Compher
Mazur-Rass-Danielson

Chychrun-Seider
Ed-ASP
Jo-Perbix

It’s only adding 3 guys but 2 are high end and one is a nice solid bottom pair guy that isn’t old. All guys that can help for 5+ years when we are looking to really win

 

[Chris Langlois]

He needs to trim the fat and bring in a couple impact players.

Players that absolutely need to go:

Tarasenko
Holl
Petry
Gus

Players that probably need to go:

Chiarot
Berggren
Motte
Smith

They need to add a legit top 6 forward (a guy at least of similar level to Cat)

They need to add a legit top 4D and a legit solid bottom pair guy.

Ideally they get the two at the top of the market (Marner and Chychrun) I’d overpay for both. You have good deals for Larkin, Ray, Seider you can afford to overspend on two high end guys

A lineup that looks like this should be the goal imo:

Marner- Larkin-Raymond
Cat-Kasper-Kane
Soderblom-Copp-Compher
Mazur-Rass-Danielson

Chychrun-Seider
Ed-ASP
Jo-Perbix

It’s only adding 3 guys but 2 are high end and one is a nice solid bottom pair guy that isn’t old. All guys that can help for 5+ years when we are looking to really win

You are hired. I was literally just telling my buddy this same thing for next year. Love it.

 

[Hockeyfan2390]

Exactly. They haven’t been stuck in purgatory. They’ve improved in the standings every season. This will likely be the first one they don’t.

Dude, it’s year 6. “They improved every year” becomes a stale excuse by the start of the 5th year.

Also, they’re on track for drafting what, 13 or 14th overall? That means another mid-level prospect who won’t be here for 3-4 years. How is that not purgatory?

 

[datsyukfan]

You are hired. I was literally just telling my buddy this same thing for next year. Love it.

It’s not very hard to see what needs to be done. Obviously a more realistic plan may be adding someone like ehlers or boeser up front instead of Marner, and someone like provorov on the back end. In this case maybe there’s a 4th piece to be added somewhere in the lineup to help make up for the downgrade.