With the offseason getting closer, I’ve been thinking about the Wings different assets and how they can be utilized to improve the team. It’s not very scientific but provided at least a decent overview. Cap Space: 13/32. There are some teams with RFAs and also less players under contract so having the 13th most cap space is a bit misleading. We effectively probably have the 6th or 7th most space once other teams take care of internal business. Unfortunately, I don’t think we will get much traction with Marner. My fear in that scenario is we have yet another summer of paying too much money to guys that aren’t difference makers. Trade Assets: We have a deep farm system but outside of ASP and Danielson, I don’t think we have a lot of A level prospects so trading for some of the better RFAs is going to be a challenge. There will be deals to be made, especially with the 13th pick, but I am not sure how aggressive Yzerman will get. Larkin would by far be our best trade asset at this point but that is not likely to happen this summer. That is probably the biggest issue with how we line up as trade partners for teams like Minnesota or New York, where they have RFAs we might want to acquire. Those teams want to win now and won’t want futures for guys like Rossi or Miller. The roster players they’d want back we would never trade (Seider, Edvinsson, Raymond, Kasper). This all adds up to another summer where we likely add okay players on mediocre deals, further cementing us firmly in the middle of the league. Unless Yzerman actually goes against his word and offer sheets someone, or trades someone like Danielson plus 13 for a team controlled player, it’s going to be another very dumb summer. Hope I’m wrong!
Here is our current depth chart (only using guys confirmed as playing in North America next season). Red indicates guys in the final year of their deals. Blue is obviously for current RFAs. I’d rate the needs with the roster as: 1. Top 4 D x2 Adding a LD to play with Seider and a RD to play with Edvinsson would be a massive win. A third pair of Chiarot and Johansson would be very good and then allow for ASP to move to the third pair as a rookie, with Chiarot on the way out next season. 2. Top Six F x1 We need another impact forward. It’ll probably just end up being Kane but truthfully if we add Kane we still need someone else that’s a longer term fix. 3. 1 Bottom Six F x1 Adding a physical presence in the bottom six would be nice. Think Trent Frederic. 4. 1 Bottom Pair D x1 More of a depth add. Probably ends up being Petry. 5. 1 #1 G Not going to happen this summer but it’s a must.
Kane isn’t a top 6 forward and we can’t treat him like one. Sure he can play the PP but he can’t skate or drive the play anymore.
I agree. It sounds like Mason Marchment is available. If so, he’d be the perfect guy to add to the top nine to add a physical presence to the team. I also would love to add Marchessault via trade since he sounds available. Those would two low cost moves that don’t impact our future but help is in the next 1-2 years. Add Kane and you suddenly have an intriguing forward group: DeBrincat - Larkin - Marchessault Marchment - Kasper - Raymond Soderblom - Copp - Kane Rasmussen - Compher - Mazur? It also allows for Yzerman to try and make significant upgrades to the backend. I know people are down on Ke’Andre Miller but that entire Rangers D regressed last year. Miller playing next Seider could be a damn good top pair with how they compliment each other.
Marchment has played like a pussy since he had to take his bubble off and couldn’t run around like a chicken with his head cut off. Also good for one offensive zone penalty a game, if you’re in to that kinda thing. All for March and Miller though.
I agree he has warts but Marchment has good underlying numbers. I think he’d be a great compliment to Raymond and Kasper. Regardless I really think fixing the D is the move for this Summer. Hell, go nuts and get Miller and Rasmussen Andersson. Sign them both long term. You can probably get Miller for a 2 and someone like Lombardi. Andersson probably costs you #13 and someone like Anton Johansson. Do it if you can and then have Albert and ASP as your third pair for the next five years with ASP running the PP.
I’d like to see his numbers isolated from when he had the bubble on for those few months and could play a different game than his peers.
Would love Anderssen. Insulating ASP would be the smartest thing we could do. He’s not a traditional PPQB but we still have Mo and Ed for that.
Yeah. Honestly I think using ASP on the PP like Stamkos makes the most sense. Just left him tee off from the left dot.
The more I think about it, the more I just really want Ramus Andersson. He and Edvinsson as your 2nd pair would basically be as good as half the leagues top pair. I must will it into existence.
I will wait until July 4th to give a final verdict but right now I’d say that as long as Yzerman is in charge we won’t.
when will the next fire Yzerman post come from Vin post free agency start period. Over/under July 3rd?
Not shocking considering Yzerman dumped on the entirety of our goaltending situation including cossa in his end of year presser
If we are gonna buyout Holl it’ll be now. The second window (if a player goes to an arb hearing) is only for players with an AAV over 4. I would rather see us try and trade Holl with a sweetener than buy him out but he’s gotta go and the safest bet is just buying him out now.
With Frederic going back to Edmonton, I’d turn my attention to Tanner Jeannot for something like 3x2.5. I think he could be a double digit scorer on our fourth line.
Another move I’d consider if I were Yzerman is trading Tarasenko for Evander Kane. We take on a small amount of additional salary but we get a player who is more in line with how McClellan wants to play. And we get rid of Vlad who doesn’t want to be here but would probably score 25 goals with the Oilers. I get people hate Kane. I’m not a huge fan of the dumb stuff he does on the ice but he’s at least a physical presence who is good for 20 or so goals a season. And it’s just a one year commitment, so it’s just trading malcontent for malcontent.
Northville native Jason Robertson needs to be a top trade target this offseason. If we going to load up on Michigan natives, may as well get the good ones
Friedman recently reported Edmonton tried trading Kane at the TDL and are considering revisiting trading him again. I imagine someone will give Edmonton something more worthwhile than Tarasenko but if it gets to a point where they want him gone a flip makes sense. I think Tarasenko has a market despite how bad he was for us this season. It’s just not massive.
The Andersson deal seems optimistic (maybe lose the pick swap) but everyone knows I’m all about that Rasmus life. The forward stuff is fine. I have a lot of concerns about Ehlers but I think after Marner he’s the best FA we could sign with the least amount of long term issues.
Alright, since the draft is next week here is my personal wish list for pick 13. I believe there is a fairly consensus top eight, so those players are not under consideration (Schafer, Misa, Matrone, Desonyers, Hagens, Frondell, O’Brien, Martin). 1. C Roger McQueen - He’s the dream pick but he probably still ends up inside the top ten. If he falls it’s because of his back injury, so he comes with risk. Tons of potential though. 2. W Cole Reschny - Will be a wing in the NHL. Plays a complete game despite his size and would bring natural playmaking to a system that doesn’t have much besides ASP and Plante. 3.LHD Kashawn Aitcheson - Decent sized D, but easily the most physical player in this class. Not a goon though. Also has one of the best shots in the class. Probably ends up in the top 12 but would be a great add. 4. W Victor Eklund - The guy everyone projects to fall ti Detroit. A lot of people love him more than Reschny but I think Reschny is a bit more versatile. If Eklund falls I assume he would be the pick. 5. LHD Jackson Smith - Less high on him than a lot of people but the physical traits are legitimate. I question his hockey sense but it’s hard not to be intrigued by the overall package.
Two years ago I said we absolutely cannot sign Compher, which we did and it sucked. I am making the and proclamation regarding Ryan Lindgren this summer.
Zegras would be a great buy low acquisition but I imagine if Verbeek wants him gone than he isn’t going to be of any interest to Yzerman. I hope I am proven wrong.
Cost was a young former first that’s someone equal to him offensively, better than him defensively, and a second. So Kasper + 2nd. No thanks.