Strange verbiage from Bob McKenzie on TSN

[Redder Winger]

Last 2 seasons were largely "lost" in my eyes. Before that, no. 100 point season, playoff appearances where you're decently competitive, exciting hockey for most of the season, star players worth watching (Dats, Z, prime Kronner, 40-goal pace Nyquist etc.)... nah those are not lost seasons. We were close to maxing out of the potential of the roster, some bad luck with injuries stopped what could have been a playoff run or two.


I mean, most of that is happening or will happen either way. You're more aggressive, you remove Howard which is a clear tanking move, and you trade Z which will never happen. But otherwise, Green is likely to be traded and instead of Helm maybe Booth and Witkowski. Kronwall could easily go on LTIR. Hronek and Cholo will have chances to compete for jobs. XO and Jensen are not untouchable. All the kids you mention are getting good experience already, except MAYBE Turgeon who also is easily the one who has earned it the least. I could see Rasmussen making the team out of camp next year, maybe (hopefully) Svech can make a run for a job too. It's all happening, without need for horrible moves like trading Z.

I'm not convinced that Mrazek wouldn't rebound to a respectable level. Bottom line is that for all his struggles, Mrazek still wins about the same percentage of games as Howard.

And if he does rebound, it's a major win, whether we sign him or trade him.

Think about that.
If you trade Mrazek for a 4th, that's all you get.
Maybe you trade Howard next year. Maybe he signs elsewhere, maybe he comes back to finish as a backup in Detroit.

If you trade Howard, you probably get a bit more in return for Howie.
Then you also get the chance to rehab Mrazek - either to keep him or trade him.
Even if he sucks you get to keep him if you want him because of the RFA status - giving you the chance to move him next year for that same 4th rounder.

So much more upside to trading Howard than Mrazek.

As for Z - how is it a horrible move?

If you go ask Z if he wants to finish up trying to win a cup in Toronto, and he says yes, and Toronto gives you a first and third, that's a major win.

If he says no, I want to stay, then you let him stay.

 

[Dotter]

Are you trying to judge a draft based on the raw number of picks? By that logic, accumulating a ton of 7th round picks would be a good strategy.

My point was that you aren't rebuilding if you don't sell. Rebuilding on the fly is not a strategy, it's a fluke. Until Holland sells, he's not taking rebuilding seriously.

Must be heavy moving those goal posts. Too bad Dallas didn't know late round picks don't help before drafting that Jamie Benn bum. It's fantastic Oilers are rocking the NHL world with all their top 5 draft picks the past 10 years. Sure is a good thing they know late round picks suck donkey balls and don't try to draft good late.

Also, Wings had 1-one-uno 7th round pick last year out of 11 picks. "Rabuilden on der fliyy...derp!"