GDT: Free Agent Frenzy 2014

[JmanWingsFan]

The teams that the Wings are competing with in the East have all gotten worse. Boston has lost Iggy and they still may lose more due to their Cap; Ottawa has lost Spezza & Hemsky; Montreal has lost Gorges, Gionta, and Vanek; Washington signed Orpik to a ludicrous contract and they lost their #2C; the Leafs haven't addressed a single need and overpayed for another bottom 6 player. The only teams that could or have improved in the East are TB, I think they sign Niskanen or Stralman, Pittsburgh and NJ. Of those teams only TB is a threat imo.

We've lost Quincey but his minutes can be replaced by Smith and Smith's minutes can be replaced by Ouellet or Marchenko. As long as Kindl-Lashoff isn't a pairing next season we should be a better team.

Well... About the Lightning...

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

Wisniewski.

That's a charitable spin on the matter, though. Wisniewski was equally angry about players taking less to play in Detroit. He's a hardline union guy.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

Wisniewski

He also had an axe to grind with Detroit management.

 

[crashman]

Wasn't there at least one really visible public spectacle where a player lambasted Holland/Detroit for lowballing players?

It was Wisniewski a few years back. He just said that Detroit won't pay market value. Which wasn't true one the Weiss contract.

 

[DeYarmond Edison]

Kenny is turning into the Ovi of GMs. He's still a star, but people are finally starting to make a stink about the holes in his game.

He's striking out left and right at pitching our program to free agents and gets hosed in trades but hey! He's a solid drafter who'll score 30 goals every year, er, I mean get you into the playoffs every year.

And sadly, 90 percent of fans seem like they're okay with only making it. Fair enough.

 

[TheWestWing]

When do we sign Niskanen?

 

[Bench]

Not a good sign the only time the NHL.com live feed has talked about Detroit was to say Holland could fit Cleary on the roster later in the summer.

 

[cjm502]

Tampa can have Stralman, hes solid but not a $4m guy.

 

[sepster]

Wasn't there at least one really visible public spectacle where a player lambasted Holland/Detroit for lowballing players?

There was Commodore saying his instincts were to not come to Detroit but Holland and Babcock convinced him to sign here. Babcock then proceeded to bury him os the roster all year and treat him like ****.

I'm telling you that, among other things, has made a lasting impression on players around the league and they don't want to play for him as long as the Wings seem so far away from contending.

 

[SoupNazi]

That's a charitable spin on the matter, though. Wisniewski was equally angry about players taking less to play in Detroit. He's a hardline union guy.

Yeah, he was quite angry about that one, too. It wasn't just about us lowballing players, which from the sounds of our offer to Boyle, we didn't.

 

[InjuredChoker]

mtl and tml improved. leafs.. maybe a bit. boston is still ahead of us.

tight race if we make it.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

When do we sign Niskanen?

In 8 years, it looks like.

 

[JmanWingsFan]

Well, we've officially struck out on all the options I like.

Let's shoot for this with vets+kids

L-L
L-R
L-R

PP

L-R
L-R

So let's just for it with this

Kronwall-Smith
Dekeyser-Marchenko
Ericsson-Sproul

PP
Kronwall-Sproul
Smith-Marchenko

Address the handedness issue, and play the kids.

Don't mind that AT ALL. People need to have more faith in the kids.

 

[The Geelee]

The Production Line @TPLhockey · 1m
Detroit joins Boston, Los Angeles, Nashville, and Philadelphia as the only teams without a move (aside from re-signing own players).

 

[gretskidoo]

I expect Niskanen's team to have been Tampa. Guessing he'll reconsider going to Det now.

 

[Frk It]

This really doesn't bode well for Babcock extending. I think we should start expecting Blash to take over this youth movement.

 

[Bench]

And sadly, 90 percent of fans seem like they're okay with only making it. Fair enough.

Are you even reading this thread?

There's literally like 2 people who are happy, and that's because they love the prospects.

The rest of us are massively disappointed with the team as it stands.

 

[bababooeyII]

There was Commodore saying his instincts were to not come to Detroit but Holland and Babcock convinced him to sign here. Babcock then proceeded to bury him os the roster all year and treat him like ****.

I'm telling you that, among other things, has made a lasting impression on players around the league and they don't want to play for him as long as the Wings seem so far away from contending.

But I thought the way they treated the vets changed that perception

 

[silkyjohnson50]

If Red Wings did bid up to par with the best offer I'm genuinely surprised. Stralman even shares the same Swedish club as Z.

By the lack of Stralman talk from the Detroit beat writers prior to now, I wonder if Detroit even reached out in a sincere way earlier in the process.

 

[SoupNazi]

mtl and tml improved. leafs.. maybe a bit. boston is still ahead of us.

tight race if we make it.

Leafs improved?

Edit: NVM...you mean Tampa Bay right after Montreal, right?

 

[icKx]

Not a good sign the only time the NHL.com live feed has talked about Detroit was to say Holland could fit Cleary on the roster later in the summer.

How the mighty have fallen

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

I expect Niskanen's team to have been Tampa. Guessing he'll reconsider going to Det now.

I'm not sure who's even "in" on Niskanen anymore.

This must be teams bowing out because of price.

 

[detredWINgs]

Besides Dats and Z who is he going to pitch to regarding our roster? Where's his selling point?

Dats, Z, Babcock, a willingness to always spend to the cap, Hall of Fame former players littering the staff, and two decades in the playoffs without requiring rebuilds?

 

[DeYarmond Edison]

Are you even reading this thread?

There's literally like 2 people who are happy, and that's because they love the prospects.

The rest of us are massively disappointed with the team as it stands.

Not talking about us or anyone who posts on a forum like this regularly. Talking more about your casual run of the mill Detroit sports fan.

 

[SoupNazi]

I'm not sure who's even "in" on Niskanen anymore.

This be teams bowing out because of price.

That wouldn't surprise me. I bet a bunch of teams have balked at the price.