What would it take for the Wings to make the playoffs in 2018-19?

[yave1964]

 First, do we want to or would we rather tank and go after Jack Hughes who is billed as the second coming of Patrick Kane?

 

  Okay enough. What would it take to make the playoffs this year? Let us just assume that the Metro puts four teams in as they are by far the best division in Hockey, that leaves Tampa and Toronto as mortal locks, and Boston/Florida as two damn good teams.  We would have to hope that one (or possibly both) slipped this year. Truthfully I feel Boston played a bit beyond their abilities last year and some slippage is bound to occur, Florida is everyones darling this year after a torrid run left them one point out on the last day of the season and they added Hoffman but their goaltending is still aging and suspect so while both are good teams both have deficiencies.

 As for the Wings....

  Larkin for one needs to become a 1C at around 80 points give or take. His two way play is fantastic but his offense while improving has always been a bit of a let down. 

 Zetterberg needs to play a solid 2C role with around 50-55 points.

  Mantha and Zadina need to both be 30 goal guys and along with Vanek breathe life into the anemic power play. Vanek scored 56 points last year, he doesn't need to do that but 40-45 would be ideal. 

 The veteran forwards do not need to suddenly become something that they are not, they just need to stay healthy and be solid. 

 

 On defense is where it gets tricky.

 

  Green needs to put up 40ish points on the point and ideally the two kids, Cholowski and Hronek would slot into the roster and establish themselves as puck movers and although both very green limit their mistakes. Daley, Kronwall and Dekeyser in this scenario can simply play supporting roles. It is a ton to ask of two unproven kids but frankly that is the key to me, even more than a possible Zadina/Rasmussen breakthrough among the forwards, at least one of Cholo/Hronek and likely both stepping in and stepping up is the key.

 

  Howard and Bernier like the veteran forwards don't need to be anything special, they just need to be themselves. Both are solid unspectacular goalies who don't lose too many for you but don't steal points either. Howard is in his playing for his supper year of his deal as it is the final year of his current contract so it is now or never if he wants to make some real money going forward.

 

  So two kid defenseman stepping in on a woeful blueline, a combination of Zadina, Vanek and possibly Rasmussen pumping up the forwards and the goalies holding steady might get them in the hunt. Ottawa and Montreal are already mathematically eliminated, lol, Buffalo is laying in the weeds as well with the addition of Dahlin and others. For the Wings to make the playoffs, one or two of Boston/Florida have to slip, Buffalo has to not quite be ready and everything has to go perfect for the kids with Vanek and Zetterberg among others fighting off father time. A very tall order but for the first time in several years I can write out a scenario where I can see the team contending for a playoff spot. Not a likely one but much better than at any time in the past several seasons.

[jammer2]

On 7/19/2018 at 8:18 PM, yave1964 said:

 First, do we want to or would we rather tank and go after Jack Hughes who is billed as the second coming of Patrick Kane?

 

  Okay enough. What would it take to make the playoffs this year? Let us just assume that the Metro puts four teams in as they are by far the best division in Hockey, that leaves Tampa and Toronto as mortal locks, and Boston/Florida as two damn good teams.  We would have to hope that one (or possibly both) slipped this year. Truthfully I feel Boston played a bit beyond their abilities last year and some slippage is bound to occur, Florida is everyones darling this year after a torrid run left them one point out on the last day of the season and they added Hoffman but their goaltending is still aging and suspect so while both are good teams both have deficiencies.

 As for the Wings....

  Larkin for one needs to become a 1C at around 80 points give or take. His two way play is fantastic but his offense while improving has always been a bit of a let down. 

 Zetterberg needs to play a solid 2C role with around 50-55 points.

  Mantha and Zadina need to both be 30 goal guys and along with Vanek breathe life into the anemic power play. Vanek scored 56 points last year, he doesn't need to do that but 40-45 would be ideal. 

 The veteran forwards do not need to suddenly become something that they are not, they just need to stay healthy and be solid. 

 

 On defense is where it gets tricky.

 

  Green needs to put up 40ish points on the point and ideally the two kids, Cholowski and Hronek would slot into the roster and establish themselves as puck movers and although both very green limit their mistakes. Daley, Kronwall and Dekeyser in this scenario can simply play supporting roles. It is a ton to ask of two unproven kids but frankly that is the key to me, even more than a possible Zadina/Rasmussen breakthrough among the forwards, at least one of Cholo/Hronek and likely both stepping in and stepping up is the key.

 

  Howard and Bernier like the veteran forwards don't need to be anything special, they just need to be themselves. Both are solid unspectacular goalies who don't lose too many for you but don't steal points either. Howard is in his playing for his supper year of his deal as it is the final year of his current contract so it is now or never if he wants to make some real money going forward.

 

  So two kid defenseman stepping in on a woeful blueline, a combination of Zadina, Vanek and possibly Rasmussen pumping up the forwards and the goalies holding steady might get them in the hunt. Ottawa and Montreal are already mathematically eliminated, lol, Buffalo is laying in the weeds as well with the addition of Dahlin and others. For the Wings to make the playoffs, one or two of Boston/Florida have to slip, Buffalo has to not quite be ready and everything has to go perfect for the kids with Vanek and Zetterberg among others fighting off father time. A very tall order but for the first time in several years I can write out a scenario where I can see the team contending for a playoff spot. Not a likely one but much better than at any time in the past several seasons.

 

 Having Bernier as a back up is a nice upgrade. He should get you another 10 pts all by himself. Not great, but a very respectable back up. Zadina needs to make the team and have an impact, same for Ras...a lot of things have to go right. Even if the offense is great, how are they gonna be in their own zone...ie dmen. 

[yave1964]

8 hours ago, jammer2 said:

 

 Having Bernier as a back up is a nice upgrade. He should get you another 10 pts all by himself. Not great, but a very respectable back up. Zadina needs to make the team and have an impact, same for Ras...a lot of things have to go right. Even if the offense is great, how are they gonna be in their own zone...ie dmen. 

  An interesting rumor that I heard a month ago which apparently petered out was the Wings were dangling a young forward, I would presume Athanasiou to a team willing to take Ericsson's contract kind of the way that Chicago had to pay someone to take Hossa. It made sense and I was hoping it would happen. As for our defense:

 Green, Daley, Dekeyser are all capable, Kronwall is a liability playing on one leg. Ericsson is awful and Jensen is an AHL player punching way above his weight class. So three competent but unspectacular defenders and three that are really awful at this point (it pains me to say that about Kronner, sigh).

  In a perfect world, we find a way to dump Ericsson, even if it costs us a pick or a player to do so and we give jobs to Cholowski and Hronek both of whom can move the puck, have speed to burn and would bring an element we haven't had in forever. Let Kronwall be a stay at home partner, he can still play that role but no longer can push the puck up ice. Between Cholo, Green and Hronek we would have a puck mover in every pairing, in Daley, Dekeyser and Kronwall we could have three competent stay at home partners. Let Jensen watch from the press box as the 7D. This would be the in house solution.

 

  I have been reading that Zetterberg may not play this year (back) is looking more like a thing, if so it probably kills the year before it starts. I say probably, not definitely, because with LTIR the cap relief may be enough for us to make a move for a legitimate 2C or top pair defender. We have wingers up the ying yang and could dangle one to make a deal if Z indeed decides to spend the season working on his golf game.

[jammer2]

20 hours ago, yave1964 said:

  I have been reading that Zetterberg may not play this year (back) is looking more like a thing, if so it probably kills the year before it starts. I say probably, not definitely, because with LTIR the cap relief may be enough for us to make a move for a legitimate 2C or top pair defender. We have wingers up the ying yang and could dangle one to make a deal if Z indeed decides to spend the season working on his golf game.

 

 I was going to make a thread on the Zetts retiring thing. Just a guess, but it seems to me like he is leaning towards hanging them up. You are right, the LTIR would be a god send. I think  AA is to valuble to send packing JUST to get rid of Ericksson's contract. Shop around, perhaps you get picks and the contract gone. After all, Hossa has not been a 50 pt guy in years, and has never had the impact on a game like Zetts has....even an aging Zetts. In a top 6 role, Zetts gets 50 pts automatically.