yave1964 Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Erik+Cole+UBzYph219Vwm.jpg Detroit made a move tonight to get bigger and tougher up front dealing a second rounder and two middling prospects to the Dallas Stars in exchange for a conditional third rounder and rugged Erik Cole. The Wings have been a highly skilled team but a little short on size and grit up front Cole, at 6.2 provides that along with 18 goals so far this season he will step into a top six role immediately and provides playoff experience, having won the cup in 2006 with the Hurricanes. The two prospects going the other way are Swedes Mattias Janmark, a project at forward and Mattias Backman who was playing in North America with the Grand Rapids Griffins and quit the team when he was passed over by other prospects and mid year returned to Sweden. Stars GM Jim Nill knows the Wings prospects well, he was in charge of the Wings draft until taking over as the GM for the Stars so there is always a concern about trading prospects to him. The conditional third rounder back from the Stars is contingent upon the Wings post season success, if they make it to the Eastern Conference finals they forfeit the pick, if not they get the pick. Cole has a well earned reputation as a hard working winger with a scoring touch. Johan Franzen has been out for much of the year with post concussion problems this may be a sign that the Mule is not expected back, plus versatile Darren Helm was just injured yesterday against Nashville so the deal may have been on of necessity. Ken Holland has stated that the Wings are still actively seeking a d-man and have the cap room, even with the trade for Cole to add anyone they want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpikeDDS Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 Before Helm got injured, I would have said no to this trade, but I think it is smart. Of course I say this with absolutely no idea what Helm's condition/status is, and they know as much as can be known, so even if I was no the fence, I'd still give KH the benefit of the doubt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yave1964 Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 Before Helm got injured, I would have said no to this trade, but I think it is smart. Of course I say this with absolutely no idea what Helm's condition/status is, and they know as much as can be known, so even if I was no the fence, I'd still give KH the benefit of the doubt.Cole is the power forward we have been missing. We have a ton of the cutesy sneaky forwards, we need a big body, a franzen and Big Bert type come postseason and Cole fits the bill. He is not a favorite of mine, but he always plays hard and gets the most out of his ability so the Wings could have done worse. The return, a couple of guys who I would bet will never play a minute in the NHL and a swap of a second for Dallas third was minimal, so it is a low risk high reward deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpikeDDS Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 @yave1964The more I think about this trade, the more I like it. I like it even without Helm getting injured.You will recall on one of my few blogs 2 years ago that I called on KH to go after a big power forward. That that was the piece of the puzzle missing on our team for this era of hockey. Someone who can muck it up and score the dirty goals from in front of the net. This fits that bill. I think that Preds series in 2012 really showed our vulnerability there.This deal fixes that problems in the short run, and perhaps if Cole sees the potential success that the RWs have for the next few years, he'll stay for something reasonable. The more I look, the more I like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingNut722 Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 @yave1964 @SpikeDDS Based on the article in the Detroit Free Press, Holland hammered out this deal with Nill in person when they were in Dallas, well before Helm got knocked around. The deal was contingent on how the Stars' next few games were to be played, since they and a rough week, Nill pulled the trigger on Cole. I like having Cole around, but that means someone sits, likely Jurco (once everyone is healthy, Helm included). Kyle Quincy is due back as well this week against the Rags, which means Jakub Kindl will likely be sent packing as well. I'd like to see how Babcock arranges the lines to fit Cole in. As you say, Yave, he's the big-body type, but I don't know his skating ability, so I wouldn't want to slow down a young speed line if he can't keep up. I'd rather see Andersson sit instead of Jurco, but we could use the extra cetner, and I would assume that once Helm gets back, that's the way it'll swing. How's this for Wednesday? Assuming Z in and Helm out... Abdelakder-Datsyuk-TatarNyquist-Zetterberg-ColeWeiss-Sheahan-PulkkinenMiller-Glendening-Andersson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpikeDDS Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 @WingNut722 I would have said the same thing about Andersson, but of late, he has been coming on with some good playmaking. That smart pass to Smith for the first goal in the Preds game is a good example, but not the only one. He's been a bit more physical of late as well, which is needed. There has been some significant signs of development here recently. I think Cole's biggest things will be scrap goals and deflections and screens ala Holmstrom as well as puck retrieval. Homer was just about the slowest guy on skates, but what he did well, he did VERY well, and the Wings have really missed that since he slowed down. Abby has kind of blossomed this year giving us one line with that, and Helm has been getting in there some too, with a lot of good screens that don't show up on a score sheet. But Cole brings more size, and quite honestly, Helm is too fragile and small to be squeezed into that role. His quickness is his forte. So let me just say that I'm not dumping on Helm, because I LIKE Darren Helm a LOT! He is a very vital part of our team. But I think if we can get a guy in there who naturally fits that net front role better, Helm could be just as, if not more, dangerous than he is if we let him play the role that fits his abilities best. Being slowER doesn't matter as much if you are much better able to maintain your presence in your own offensive zone, and Cole offers that potential, methinks. Having said that, I'm absolutely OK with him on a 3rd line if the Pav-Tatar combo stops producing because of Helm's absence. Do what works best, but it's possible Cole might fit better, and allow Helm to strengthen the 3rd line with Sheahan. Sheahan's game has really picked up too, and Helm would be a fantastic recipient for his deft passes. In short, I like the options Cole gives us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jammer2 Posted March 2, 2015 Share Posted March 2, 2015 In short, I like the options Cole gives us. Yep, agree, that just about sums it up for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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