What would you be happy with? 5.7 is a lot, which I know is what he has to ask for during these things, but still. Anything in the mid 4s I'd be cool with I think.
Depends on the term. If we go 6 years, I am fine with 5.7. If we do a one year deal, 4.25 probably makes sense.
Four years probably would have been ideal. Three years is cool though as it keeps all options on the table still.
Correct. We didn’t have to sign him yet, but the fact we did says we anticipate him moving through the system quickly.
Waiting on Hronek and Smith (Smith will be an easy one, no idea what we do with Hronek after some of these recent deals)
That’s a good buyout. We have plenty of cap space to waste this year and opens things up for next year
Frolunda’s coach said Edvinsson is now up to 6’6”, which is wild. He also anticipates Edvinsson playing on their top pair. I think this kid has a lower floor than Mo, but he has a higher ceiling. I’m not inclined to believe he reaches his ceiling, but if he even comes close he’s a top pair D, no doubt about it.
By Corey Pronman 39m ago 7 Detroit has had a lot of high picks and picks overall the past few years, leading to a system that stretches for a while — led by Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond, Simon Edvinsson and Sebastian Cossa. The Red Wings system is the story of how a rebuild goes: it’s typically slow and steady, some picks don’t age as well as you would hope (Michael Rasmussen, Filip Zadina) and some do (Jonatan Berggren, Albert Johansson, Elmer Soderblom). There is still quite a bit of work ahead for Detroit to become a relevant NHL team again, but it is trending in the right direction with a young foundation forming. Key graduates: Dennis Chowlowski, Filip Hronek Key additions: Simon Edvinsson, Sebastian Cossa, Shai Buium 2020 Ranking: No. 18 2021 Ranking: No. 9 2021 NHL Draft grade: B Full 2021-22 NHL Pipeline Rankings Player Ranking 1. Moritz Seider, RHD, Rogle-SHL Apr. 6, 2001 | 6-foot-4 | 183 pounds Drafted: No. 6 in 2019 Tier: Projected bubble all-star and top of lineup player Skating: Average Puck Skills: Below-average Hockey Sense: Average Compete: Above-average Seider had as good a season as you could have hoped for, as the best defenseman in the SHL last season and at the world championships. He’s so tough to deal with for opposing forwards. He’s a 6-foot-4, highly mobile, highly physical defender who projects to match up versus top NHL players. His skating helps him transition pucks very well to go with a strong first pass. The offense might never be elite, but it will be good to go with elite defending. Seider projects as a true top-pair defenseman with a chance to be a star No. 1 in the NHL. 2. Lucas Raymond, LW, Frolunda-SHL Mar. 28, 2002 | 5-foot-10 | 170 pounds Drafted: No. 4 in 2020 Tier: Projected top of the lineup player Skating: Average Puck Skills: High-end Hockey Sense: Above-average Compete: Average Shot: Above-average Raymond is an offensive weapon. He’s an extremely skilled and creative player with the puck who can make dazzling displays of puck handling and passing, and improvise like few forwards out there. Raymond also is a dangerous mid-distance shooter, making him a projected PP1 player in the NHL. He had a good but not amazing season in the SHL for Frolunda. He has the puck talent. The question after watching him versus men the past two seasons at his frame without amazing quickness is how does that play in the NHL. He has great edges and balance but struggles to pull away from checks. It may keep him from ever becoming a star, but I still project him as a top-line forward. 3. Sebastian Cossa, G, Edmonton-WHL Nov. 21, 2002 | 6-foot-6 | 210 pounds Drafted: No. 15 in 2021 Tier: Projected bubble top and middle of the lineup player or quality starting goaltender Athleticism: Average Hockey Sense: Average Cossa was as good as you could have asked him to be in the WHL, dominating the league for two seasons. His athletic toolkit is very intriguing as a 6-foot-6 goalie who can move very well for that size. He covers a lot of net with his length. He has some quick twitch in his frame in how he moves around the net, and gets in and out of his butterfly. Cossa’s reads are typically great. He loses track of some pucks and can be a bit busy in the net but usually anticipates the play very well. I love his selective aggressiveness with his positioning, and how he takes away angles with his size as well as how well he uses his stick to break up a lot of plays. Cossa projects as a quality NHL starting goaltender with the potential to become an upper-echelon goalie. 4. Simon Edvinsson, LHD, Frolunda-SHL Feb. 5, 2003 | 6-foot-4 | 198 pounds Drafted: No. 6 in 2021 Tier: Projected middle of the lineup player Skating: Average Puck Skills: Average Hockey Sense: Average Compete: Average Edvinsson was impressive in the junior ranks in Sweden. He was good, but not amazing at varying pro levels and was an anchor for Sweden’s U18 team internationally. He stands out instantly as a 6-foot-4 defenseman with legit offensive skill. It’s rare to see a player his size lead a rush or make a play off the blue line and dangle through opponents consistently like he does. Edvinsson is also quite a good skater for his size. His straightaway speed is just OK, but he’s got great edgework, showing the first step and quick turns to elude pressure and create clean exits and entries. Defensively his size and skating allow him to close gaps and make a lot of stops and he’s not afraid to be physical. He’s not a dynamic playmaker, but Edvinsson can make the heads-up first pass and shows some power-play poise. Edvinsson projects as a quality top-four defenseman and on a power-play unit with the potential to play higher in an NHL lineup. 5. Michael Rasmussen, C, Detroit-NHL Apr. 7, 1999 | 6-foot-6 | 215 pounds Drafted: No. 9 in 2017 Tier: Projected middle of the lineup player Skating: Poor Puck Skills: Below-average Hockey Sense: Average Compete: Above-average Rasmussen isn’t ever going to excite you and create a ton of highlights, but he looks like he will be a solid NHL player for a while. He’s 6-foot-6, he can make some plays and he works hard. He’s great at creating around the net. I’ve seen worse skating big men, but the lack of speed and pace in his game will keep him from ever truly becoming a dangerous scorer. With that said, there’s enough to his game to make you think he projects as a third-line center and leaving the possibility open for more given his natural toolkit. 6. Filip Zadina, RW, Detroit-NHL Nov. 27, 1999 | six-foot | 195 pounds Drafted: No. 6 in 2018 Tier: Projected middle of the lineup player Skating: Average Puck Skills: Above-average Hockey Sense: Average Compete: Average Zadina had a nice second NHL season but didn’t take a real step forward as a scoring threat. He has the talent. He’s a good skater. He has tremendous one-on-one skills. He can make plays, and he can shoot the puck. The compete has looked better with less perimeter play at even strength, but the goal-scoring prowess hasn’t been there as hoped, with a career 8.6 shooting percentage in the NHL. He needs to be more consistent in the NHL. He has top-line tools, but he realistically projects as a middle-six winger until he finds that consistency. 7. Joe Veleno, C, Malmo-SHL Jan. 13, 2000 | 6-foot-1 | 193 pounds Drafted: No. 30 in 2018 Tier: Projected middle of the lineup player Skating: Average Puck Skills: Average Hockey Sense: Average Compete: Average Veleno had a nice season in Sweden where, even though he didn’t put up huge numbers, he displayed a lot of offensive confidence and looked comfortable playing versus men. Veleno has NHL caliber speed and skill, and projects to be able to score in the league, even if not at significant levels. He competes well. He’s not going to bowl opponents over, but he’s responsible defensively and can kill penalties. He projects as a third-line center or second-line winger in the NHL. 8. Albert Johansson, LHD, Farjestad-SHL Jan. 4, 2001 | 5-foot-11 | 161 pounds Drafted: No. 60 in 2019 Tier: Projected middle of the lineup player Skating: Average Puck Skills: Average Hockey Sense: Average Compete: Average Johansson had a great season between the SHL and Sweden’s national team. He’s a strong skater, showing the ability to carry pucks up ice and close gaps efficiently. Johansson combines that with a high skill level, making him dangerous off the rush and a threat to attack off the offensive blue line. I don’t think the puck game will blow you away, but the speed, skill and IQ combination should let him create offense in the NHL and potentially be a PP2 player. He defends well enough at the junior and SHL levels due to his feet and not being soft, but with his size you imagine the value in the NHL will be more on the offensive end. He projects as a second- or third-pair defenseman. 9. Jonatan Berggren, RW, Skelleftea-SHL July 16, 2000 | 5-foot-10 | 181 pounds Drafted: No. 33 in 2018 Tier: Projected middle of the lineup player Skating: Above-average Puck Skills: Average Hockey Sense: Average Compete: Average Shot: Below-average Berggren was a top scorer in the SHL, taking a major leap forward as a 20-year-old. He’s an entertaining player to watch. He is a great skater and can make difficult plays with the puck at full speed. His one-on-one skills and playmaking with pace allow you to see him creating in the NHL. He lacks size, physicality and isn’t much of a finisher, so just exactly how much he can score in the NHL will be a question. But he can certainly project to impact possession and create chances in a significant manner. Berggren projects as a middle-six winger. 10. Elmer Soderblom, LW, Frolunda-SHL July 5, 2001 | 6-foot-6 | 219 pounds Drafted: No. 159 in 2019 Tier: Projected middle of the lineup player Skating: Poor Puck Skills: Average Hockey Sense: Below-average Compete: Average Soderblom is a unique prospect. He’s a 6-foot-6 giant with a high skill level whose net-front play is distinct. Once he gets set up around the crease, he is a threat due to his ability to screen, knock in second chances and make high skill plays that can’t be broken up due to his frame. He has notable flaws; in particular, his skating, which is a major issue for the NHL. I think he overcomes that because he works hard, he has enough sense to make some plays, and he has traits that will give him a clear NHL role as a power play, net-front player. I think he can be a middle-six NHL forward based on what I’ve seen versus juniors, but it will be nice to see him take a step in the SHL next season to validate that projection versus men. 11. Shai Buium, LHD, Sioux City-USHL Mar. 26, 2003 | 6-foot-3 | 209 pounds Drafted: No. 36 in 2021 Tier: Projected to play NHL games Skating: Below-average Puck Skills: Average Hockey Sense: Average Compete: Average Buium progressed all of last season, becoming an important part of a good USHL team by the end. Buium is a big defenseman with a high skill level. He has the stickhandling ability and creativity to inside-out checkers often off the rush or by making attacks off the offensive blue line. He has decent offensive instincts as a playmaker to find seams and make a first pass, although that aspect can be inconsistent in his game. Buium’s skating is a concern, though, as he will struggle with the pro pace due to his inability to escape pressure and play fast. He has a good defensive stick and hockey sense but due to the skating, I don’t see him as a top defender versus pros. Buium projects as a third-pair NHL defenseman with the potential to play higher in the lineup. 12. Donovan Sebrango, LHD, Grand Rapids-AHL Jan. 12, 2002 | 6-foot-1 | 189 pounds Drafted: No. 63 in 2020 Tier: Projected to play NHL games Skating: Average Puck Skills: Below-average Hockey Sense: Average Compete: Above-average Sebrango held his own as a teenager in the AHL. He’s a strong skater with good hockey sense at both ends. His game is rather vanilla offensively, but he can make a good first pass and show flashes of playmaking from the offensive blue line. He’s a solid, physical defender who can transport pucks up ice, so you can see him projecting as a third-pair defenseman in the NHL who can kill penalties. 13. Jared McIsaac, LHD, Grand Rapids-AHL Mar. 27, 2000 | 6-foot-1 | 196 pounds Drafted: No. 36 in 2018 Tier: Projected to play NHL games Skating: Average Puck Skills: Below-average Hockey Sense: Average Compete: Above-average McIsaac missed most of last season following a shoulder injury. When healthy, he’s a mobile, competitive defenseman who can make a lot of stops and execute a strong first pass. He’s a good player, he has the attributes to be a top-four defenseman, if he can show he can stay healthy, especially given his physical style of play. It’s hard to stamp that projection on him given how the last two seasons went, but he’s still a very real NHL prospect. 14. Eemil Viro, LHD, TPS-Liiga Apr. 3, 2002 | six-foot | 165 pounds Drafted: No. 70 in 2020 Tier: Projected to play NHL games Skating: Above-average Puck Skills: Below-average Hockey Sense: Below-average Compete: Average Viro had an impressive season logging top minutes for a top Liiga team. His skating drives his game. His ability to close gaps at a high level helps him break up a lot of rushes. He’s also able to transition pucks up ice at an NHL level due to his speed. Viro produced a lot of offense for a teenager last season, but his puck game and how natural his instincts are with the puck is my question. I see flashes of a hard point shot and some vision, but can’t say that’s his strength. Regardless, I could see a third-pair defender because of how good his defending and feet are. 15. Robert Mastrosimone, LW, Boston University-Hockey East Jan. 24, 2001 | 5-foot-10 | 158 pounds Drafted: No. 54 in 2019 Tier: Projected to play NHL games Skating: Average Puck Skills: Average Hockey Sense: Average Compete: Above-average Mastrosimone hasn’t been that productive as a college player, but I really like the way he plays. He attacks with his skill, he can make plays, and despite being a 5-foot-10 forward, he is relentless with his compete. He wins a lot of battles and pressures opponents into mistakes. His skating is fine but could be better for a guy his size, lacking true separation speed. I think he will play NHL games due to his work ethic, but he might not stick for a long time without more quickness. 16. Theodor Niederbach. C, Frolunda-SHL Feb. 25, 2002 | 5-foot-11 | 172 pounds Drafted: No. 51 in 2020 Tier: Projected to play NHL games Skating: Below-average Puck Skills: Average Hockey Sense: Average Compete: Average Niederbach had a strong season between the junior and pro levels. He’s a very skilled forward who can easily put pucks through sticks and legs. He’s a strong playmaker who can make creative plays in tight areas and see the ice well playing along the walls. Niederbach isn’t going to knock guys over, but he’s no pushover, showing he can attack the net and be responsible defensively. For a 5-foot-11 player, his lack of footspeed is his main detriment. I think he plays NHL games but without more speed he’ll struggle to establish himself. Has a chance to play William Wallinder, LHD, Modo-Allsvenskan: Wallinder’s athletic tools jump right out at you as a 6-foot-4 defenseman who can skate fairly well. His puck game is OK, with a decent first pass. He looks like an NHL player, but his play needs to be more consistent at both ends of the rink. Cross Hanas, LW, Lincoln-USHL: Hanas is very talented, with great hands and offensive instincts in a decent frame, which he isn’t afraid to use. Last season was a disappointment, as he was a non-factor too many nights in the USHL. His skating needs work to be NHL caliber. Seth Barton, RHD, UMass-Lowell-Hockey East: Barton is a right-shot defenseman who can skate and has some offensive touch. Nothing about his game at either end of the rink truly pops, but he has enough elements to have a chance to become an NHL player. Liam Dower Nilsson, C, Frolunda-Sweden Jr.: Dower Nilsson is an extremely intelligent and competitive forward, but he lacks ideal skating ability for the NHL. Antti Tuomisto, RHD, Denver-NCHC: Tuomisto is a large, physical defenseman who can make good outlets and break up a lot of plays defensively. His skating is a notable issue, and whether he can handle an NHL pace is a big question. Oscar Plandowski, RHD, Charlottetown-QMJHL: Plandowski is a good skater with some skill, but he’s not a standout at either end of the rink, so it’s unclear what his NHL role could be.
Rasmussen had a decent rebound year, but I'm not sure how anyone could watch him and Zadina and rank him higher, especially when he's older. I may be banging this drum until I'm proven completely wrong, but I think Zadina has shown a lot. Obviously scoring isn't where we hoped yet, but I think playing with some top guys on a more talented team, he is a guy who could break out in a big way in the next year or two. I also am a lot higher on Berggren than he is
The write ups don’t jive with the analysis. Seider - Skating: average “highly mobile…His skating helps him transition pucks very well Zadina - Skating: average “Zadina is a good skater”
Seems that's the case with Pronman on everyone when it comes to skating. Not sure if he has a super high bar for what a good skater is or if it's something else, but when I read his draft stuff his skill ratings always seem to undersell kids compared to his summaries.
Rasmussen at #5 is a real choice. He’s definitely an NHLer but there are some guys below him on that list with some pretty big skill
His explanation is that he looks at each skill as it relates to the NHL standard. So Seider being average is considered good in his eyes because he thinks right now Seider could step into the league and be a league average skater. He would be better just doing a 20-80 thing at this point to remove ambiguity.
I am going to speculate that the reason for the short term deals is so that they can establish a new baseline with Larkin’s next deal, and then work to keep these guys under that deal.
Pronman rated his top 194 U23 player in hockey 17 - Seider 25 - Raymond 65 - Cossa 77 - Edvinsson 122 - Rasmussen 123 - Zadina 143 - Veleno 149 - Johansson 157 - Berggren 170 - Soderblom
Correct. And this is an admission from Steve that Seider is on the team, without actually announcing it publicly.
Haven’t seen the numbers for Smith, but it’ll probably be around 950 AAV. We should have about 14 mil in cap space available, and we can retain salary on two more trades. I have given up the ghost on a Petey offer sheet, but man Vancouver is in trouble if they sign Hughes first. I assume that won’t happen, unless EP is fine missing part of the season. If Hughes gets 5 mil though, right now Vancouver can only give EP up to 6 mil without making another deal.
I think Berggren is a dark horse to make the team. He almost for sure will start in GR, but I am really high on him and think he is better already probably than more than a few guys who will be on opening night roster