I always think this and it never happens, but a deal to clear some roster guys might be in the works.
Are playoffs now in the picture this year? I have to imagine we'll make another move or two as well. Maybe a trade?
Yup. Injuries are going to happen though. It's going to be difficult for any of the young prospects to make the team.
Kubalik can bomb shots on the PP. He definitely serves a purpose but also, people are going because the roster spots just aren’t there.
So assuming the Perron deal happens, these are currently the wingers we have under contract: Bertuzzi Raymond Vrana Perron Kubalik Zadina Rasmussen Erne Smith Fabbri Suter or Sundqvist (pending which plays C)
Hey now, don't cherry pick an old post to make him look worse...give this man and his 8% some respect
Also people need to forget the trade Bert stuff. Steve Y specifically said goal of this offseason was to bring in people to help out Larkin and Bert
Not saying anyone is untouchable, but our fan base seems to be clamoring for a Bertuzzi trade that there are absolutely no signs is coming. I'd be surprised if he's moved
Until he actually signs long term it’s fair to assume he’s a legitimate trade candidate. He’s had two contentious negotiations already, so I’m not going to assume this one goes smoothly.
Here is my guess for Opening Night. Locks in bold. Bertuzzi - Larkin - Perron Vrana - Copp - Raymond Kubalik - Suter - Zadina Rasmussen - Veleno - Sundqvist Erne Waived: Smith LTIR: Fabbri Maata - Seider Chiarot - Hronek (Gross) Edvinsson - Lindstrom Walman, Osterle Husso Ned - I think they keep the top line together but Perron provides better defense than Raymond and Raymond feeding Vrana for bombs is going to be awfully hard to pass up. - Veleno seems like he will need a huge camp to make the team, and if he’s only on the fourth line, he probably starts the year in GR. - Zadina probably gets a shot to stick in the top nine but I wouldn’t be shocked if he’s traded. - Yzerman loves keeping 8 D so I imagine that doesn’t change. - We need another RHD in the worst way.
Yzerman didn’t have his PC yet, which makes merging we still have irons in the fire. I assume the Larkin extension gets announced soon and then he does an all encompassing PC. We shall see though.
Do you guys really think Larkin can be a #1 C on a championship team? I think he’s a solid #2, but just don’t see him as a first line player on a championship level team.
No, he's not transcendent enough to carry that all on his own. You need two 1Cs-ish on your team to win a 'ship imo. Could he be the 1A or 1B, if he had a equal level player centering another line? Absolutely. But if he's the only true 1C talent on the team, no. He's good, but not all world.
Larkin has shone some incredible stretches including becoming almost a point a game player last year. He's also been on some terrible teams with questionable help around him as he was developing, and I think would obviously get frustrated when we went into our awful stretches. I think continued maturity and improved talent around him can make him even better than what he showed last season. I've been saying ITT for about a year now, and it appears Yzerman agrees, even if we don't make the playoffs next year we have to be a lot more competitive. If not, we are risking the development of a lot of our young guys. They need to play some competitive meaningful hockey.
Wings twitter feed yesterday announced signings of Copp, Kubalik, Chiarot, Perron, Luff and Czarnik. Nothing at all on Maatta. Weird