yave1964 Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 Okay, it is easy to rip on the Wings this year (deservedly) but this time, I thought I would try a different approach, I am going to look for the silver lining in what has quickly become a lost year. Here, IMHO is what has gone right for the Wings organization: ANTHONY MANTHA has become a true stud in waiting, in 41 games (half a season)he has 13 goals and 29 points, translated to a full season it is 26 goals and 58 points and he has brought it on both ends of the ice, something that was a concern, he backchecks and busts his tail every night which is proven out with his team leading by a mile plus 15 (8 teammates are double digit minus players) and has had a good fight or two as well trying to spark the team. quickly becoming a team leader. HENRIK ZETTERBERG is refusing to go down without a fight, leading the team in scoring and constantly hustling, leading all Wing forwards in ice time by over two minutes a game. Z has proven that although he is aging he still has a lot left in the tank. THOMAS VANEK If there has been a forward who has shown more this year than either Z or Mantha it is Vanek who has 36 points in 43 games and has clearly fallen back in love with the game. Listening to post game interviews almost to a man the Wings players speak about his unreal hockey IQ. Hope to see him stick around, if not he will surely fetch a decent return. FRANS NIELSEN Has been everything advertised, a solid second line center, a penalty killer and a shootout sniper and the Wings rep at the all star game. Yes, he is not Datsyuk but who is? Nielsen is a solid in all zones performer who never takes a shift off. STEVE OTT: The other forward free agent and the one who made me groan last July when the Wings signed him has been a fun addition bringing nastiness and competitiveness to the fourth line. JIMMY HOWARD Leads the NHL in goals against with a microscopic 1.96 GAA and also leads the league with a .934 save pct. leaving Wings fans to wonder what would have been if Jimmy coulda stayed healthy. MIKE GREEN After an adjustment period last year Green has stepped it up, is 5th among all Wings in scoring and leads the team in ice time at just under 24 minutes a night. Quietly having a near outstanding season. ANDREAS ATHANASIOU or 'brows' as my wife calls him has had to fight and scratch and claw for every minute of ice time and has paid dividends with his speed and scoring ability, he is tied with Vanek for the team lead in goals scored with 14 in 41 games or the equivalent of a half a season prorated out it comes to 28 over a full season. He is here to stay. XAVIER OULLET has quietly turned into a dependable safe guy on the back end. He has moments but his learning curve is starting to show him as a possible middle pair stay at home guy, a bit higher than I would have projected him. RYAN AND SPROUL and NICK JENSEN With all the injuries on the back end the two of them have had a chance to play a little and see if they have anything to offer. EVGENY SVECHNIKOV The former first rounder was off to a wretched start to his pro career but it clicked a couple of months ago, over the past 24 games he has 25 points and has shown that he is not afraid of the rough stuff. I would love to see him get a cup of coffee with the big club this year. ROBBIE RUSSO who is a favorite of mine once again leads the Griffins in plus minus and leads the d-men in points scored and made the AHL all star team. With the rash of injuries he should be our next call up, he is polished in his own zone. TYLER BERTUZZI spent some time on IR but has 20 points in 28 games and looks more and more like he will crack the team soon as a bottom six winger who can score a bit. THE WINGS should have a top five draft pick, maybe higher for the first time in God only knows how long. Between the draft, the expansion draft and free agency and potential trading, it is looking as if it could be a fun summer as the Wings prepare to open a new barn next season. So see? It is not all bad, some nice things to build upon. I just feel that I have been more negative than usual and wanted to walk on the sunny side of the street, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingNut722 Posted February 20, 2017 Share Posted February 20, 2017 @yave1964 Okay, so it's time to start parlaying some of that into a trade acquisition. We've all agreed that Vanek can be dealt, especially if you promise to give him a nice pay bump if he signs back this summer, since he has indicated he really likes Detroit. Other pieces to move include Brendan Smith, Gustav Nyquist and Tomas Tatar. While it was quite enjoyable to watch the last two games against the Pens and Caps, I'm not convinced this team can keep that high level of performances through last quarter of the season. So now you're the GM..who do you deal, and for what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yave1964 Posted February 20, 2017 Author Share Posted February 20, 2017 41 minutes ago, WingNut722 said: @yave1964 Okay, so it's time to start parlaying some of that into a trade acquisition. We've all agreed that Vanek can be dealt, especially if you promise to give him a nice pay bump if he signs back this summer, since he has indicated he really likes Detroit. Other pieces to move include Brendan Smith, Gustav Nyquist and Tomas Tatar. While it was quite enjoyable to watch the last two games against the Pens and Caps, I'm not convinced this team can keep that high level of performances through last quarter of the season. So now you're the GM..who do you deal, and for what? Who to trade and for what..... VANEK is our most tradable piece after rediscovering his love for the game, if he comes back or not. He seems to be an amicable guy, he likes it wherever he is at, so sending him out I would say we have very little chance of getting him back. Tatar is a RFA at years end and not tied down to a long term deal. Smith is an UFA. Green has one year left on his deal after this. Nyquist has a movable contract. For different reasons I look to move them all. The return I would like to see: Draft picks. Prospects. Cap relief. Our farm system is not bare but close, we need to rebuild from the bottom up and picks and prospects take care of that, cap relief allows AA, Mantha and Larkin to assume top six roles and the Wings to be players in the Shattenkirk sweeps among others. It is past time, this shoulda been done a few years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpikeDDS Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 5 hours ago, yave1964 said: Who to trade and for what..... VANEK is our most tradable piece after rediscovering his love for the game, if he comes back or not. He seems to be an amicable guy, he likes it wherever he is at, so sending him out I would say we have very little chance of getting him back. Tatar is a RFA at years end and not tied down to a long term deal. Smith is an UFA. Green has one year left on his deal after this. Nyquist has a movable contract. For different reasons I look to move them all. The return I would like to see: Draft picks. Prospects. Cap relief. Our farm system is not bare but close, we need to rebuild from the bottom up and picks and prospects take care of that, cap relief allows AA, Mantha and Larkin to assume top six roles and the Wings to be players in the Shattenkirk sweeps among others. It is past time, this shoulda been done a few years ago. I agree. Make the deals. If I was to not trade one, I might pick Tatar, if he continues to play like he is with Z and Mantha. But I still say move him and them if you can. He's only just started to play well again, a little too late to get much more than we would have two months ago. Not enough games left before the deadline. Resign Vanek after renting him out. He fits well, and I think he understands how valuable that is enough to let us craft a fair deal that doesn't overpay him much. I'd deal Nyke in a minute for a somewhat decent return. Maybe he will flourish in another environment more than he has with us. I'm willing to take that risk to get his cap space off of our backs. Nice knowing ya Brendan Smith. Anything we can get for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yave1964 Posted February 21, 2017 Author Share Posted February 21, 2017 15 minutes ago, SpikeDDS said: I agree. Make the deals. If I was to not trade one, I might pick Tatar, if he continues to play like he is with Z and Mantha. But I still say move him and them if you can. He's only just started to play well again, a little too late to get much more than we would have two months ago. Not enough games left before the deadline. Resign Vanek after renting him out. He fits well, and I think he understands how valuable that is enough to let us craft a fair deal that doesn't overpay him much. I'd deal Nyke in a minute for a somewhat decent return. Maybe he will flourish in another environment more than he has with us. I'm willing to take that risk to get his cap space off of our backs. Nice knowing ya Brendan Smith. Anything we can get for him. The other guy whom I feel we need to at least consider offers for is Mike Green, one more year at six million he found his game again this year and with the lack of top tier defenders out there he might fetch a very nice return. I would not rank him in the upper echelon anymore by any stretch but he has value to someone if they need a minute eating puck mover and it would free up a big chunk of change. I would absolutely not give him away, ala Brendan Smith but if I could get a first or a second and a solid prospect I jump both feet first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 On 2/15/2017 at 1:07 PM, yave1964 said: What are the bright spots in a lost season? It's almost over? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WingNut722 Posted February 21, 2017 Share Posted February 21, 2017 @yave1964 I would keep Green. On a team that needs a lot of help defensively, and trying to overhaul the forwards, dealing our best defender seems foolhardy. It might be worth getting someone in return, but I'd only accept a veteran blue-liner, and why trade one broken-in veteran blue liner for another one. Kronwall and Ericsson are on their way down. DDK is steady and strong. They two of them represent our core for the next few years, despite the pay increase that Mike Green will surely garner. He's earned it in my book. Really, what more can you ask of him? He's the only Red Wing to have a hat trick this year! It also appears that Anthony Mantha is eligible to be drafted by Las Vegas, so we may say goodbye and only get a receipt in return. And if I were Vegas, I'd take him. Perhaps he gets dealt by March 1st as well if only to get a draft pick or two to use later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haliax Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 You don't trade both Tatar and Nyquist. Then you go from a situation where the wing is our best position to one that is just as awful as the rest of the team. I think it is one or the other, and not likely at the deadline. Vanek will definitely be traded, will be interested to see what the return is given that we got a 3rd for Jurco. Could easily be a 1st, but I'd settle for a 2nd and a 3rd. I also think that Smith will be traded. If between those two we get 3 more draft picks, I'll be happy. I'd rather hold onto Green as well since he actually helps the team, but won't be sad if he gets traded as well. I know that people aren't happy with Larkin, but I saw this coming. I think next year will be similar for him but I still think he'll have a good career with the Wings. I still think he has elite potential under a different coach. Mantha has been fantastic, and Athanasiou is good for the ice time that he is given. I think if you try to expand his role any more than it is though and you'll start to see his flaws more. I'm surprised that Ouellet has turned into the player that he has, I always thought that Marchenko would end up being the better player but I guess not. I also like Nielsen, but I'm kind of surprised to see anyone else say the same. I see and hear a lot of comments that he should be putting up more points or showing more offense, but this was pretty much exactly what I expected and I'm happy with it. Vanek is a nice surprise and hopefully will provide an even better one when traded. Howard always seems to be good for a stretch but then get injured, and be awful on the return. So not holding my breath there. I like that Mrazek has started to look good again. He had a stretch where it looked like Coreau might actually be the go-to after Howard, but obviously that panned out a little differently. Coreau is a good AHL option, but not an NHL backup. For now, I'm looking forward to the deadline and then the draft. It is interesting to be in the position that we are now because I've never been here before. I still think the team has a decent foundation, they just need a couple high quality players to start the turn around. The best way to do that is through a rebuild, so I'm thinking we'll be in this spot for a couple more seasons at least. Next years draft could be more interesting again, given that it seems to be a stronger one than this one. I miss Datsyuk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WordsOfWisdom Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 1 hour ago, Haliax said: I miss Datsyuk. Gesundheit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpikeDDS Posted February 27, 2017 Share Posted February 27, 2017 On February 20, 2017 at 8:19 PM, WingNut722 said: It also appears that Anthony Mantha is eligible to be drafted by Las Vegas, so we may say goodbye and only get a receipt in return. And if I were Vegas, I'd take him. Perhaps he gets dealt by March 1st as well if only to get a draft pick or two to use later. I would most definitely be protecting Mantha. I'd rather lose Helm than Mantha, especially with his contract. I like Helm, but Mantha is the future, and we have no one else with his size/skill set. We have other skaters that are fast and San kill penalties. My biggest fear, however, would be the DRWs protecting Kronwall for his years of service. I understand the sentiment, but that would absolutely be a wasted protect other than what he brings to the dressing room. However, this is business! You don't waste a protection spot on a player whose biggest remaining asset is his locker room leadership. But I am concerned that KH and company may actually protect him, resulting in the loss of someone better. We can ill afford to lose someone on the higher end of the talent pool. All this said, we need to start a thread specifically talking about Vegas draft strategies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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