I don't think going into a full rebuild was ever really necessary, and is now impossible due to the contracts on the book. Instead of dealing Datsyuk or Z away, we should have been dealing the secondary guys like Gator and Helm, and maybe even Hudler/Flip if we wanted to be extra aggressive. We could have even immediately waded into free agency to bring in some vet help after dealing those guys, or letting them walk, and have a pretty similar lineup now but while having the benefit of adding some extra picks.
The fact that Holland has managed to blow $80 million on a roster and still have it fall to pieces will possibly be a saving grace for this franchise, and a little scary.
It's f***ing obvious coming into to the season where Helm and Abby were due for contracts what was going to happen.
The Suicide Pills - Red Wing Center
It didn't take hindsight.
It just took an understanding of how Holland approaches his job.
It's the same way you knew Dekeyser would get overpaid and that Larkin will almost surely get overpaid (although I'm guessing most RW fans will be happy with the contract - at first).
The Wings didn't need to trade Abdelkader or Helm. But Holland needed to have the f***ing guts to let them walk if they wanted that money.
Seriously. What do you lose? A couple of grinders?
You can trace Holland's mistakes back to 2010. When he lost Hossa he brought back Bertuzzi - who was past it. And resigned him again.
He brought back Cleary and forced Tatar and Nyquist to stay in GR too long.
He resigned Samuelsson. He signed Modano. He signed Tootoo - even though Babcock seemed to have no interest in him. He signed Commodore and Colaiacovo and White even though we had to find time for Kindl and Smith. He traded a f***ing first for KFQ, who sucked. And even after signing Dekeyser he resigned KFQ. And then resigned him again - even though Kindl and Smith still needed to play.
And by having all these KFQs and Smiths and Kindls and everyone else struggling to get icetime, there was no room to call up all those kids who crowded the blueline in Grand Rapids.
And there needs to be some talk about what exactly has happened to the Red Wings' development model. Because a team that won an AHL championship with a ton of young prospects has done a piss-poor job of developing them.
Tatar - Not bad, but hasn't lived up to expectations.
Nyquist - ditto
Mrazek - Totally gone off the rails.
Pulkkinen - Got nowhere despite incredible production in GR.
Jurco - Great start and then he got stapled to the 4th line.
Sheahan - Great start and went south.
Ouellet - Currently behind Witkowski on the depth chart
Sproul - Was considered the best D prospect for awhile.
Backman -
Marchenko -
Ferraro - Solid two way forward with speed seemed past his injury troubles, but just never found room in Detroit.
Jarnkrok - was reportedly traded because he was not happy in Grand Rapids.
Joakim Andersson - 4th line center showed decent two way ability at times.
Almquist - 1 goal in two games for the pint sized defender. Posted a 53 point season in GR.
