Confirmed with Link: Vrana traded to STL

[SoupNazi]

I'm not a blind trust the Yzerplan type, but I do trust that Yzerman and Lalonde wanted Vrana gone for good reason.

Exactly. A team where the coach complained about a lack of high-end offense isn't going to trade a guy who has shown flashes of that for nothing, without extenuating circumstances. Yzerman has been exceedingly patient with some guys (Zadina) so if there was a chance it would have worked, he'd have given Vrana that chance here.

 

[Leadzedder]

We traded a player with a reputation for being a headcase while on his previous team, and who was in the player assistance program for publicly unknown issues to another team so THEY can deal with them.

What we do know: Yzerman is not the kind of GM to just outright boot a player for previous issues. We have Bobby Ryan as a good example of that.

What we see a track record of: Yzerman getting rid of players that are headcases and distractions. Jon Drouin was this in Tampa. Steve Downie was one. Ryan Malone was one. Vrana is hot right now, yay, but was a distraction in Detroit. Am I missing others?

I don't care that Vrana has 4 goals in 5 games in St. Louis. He wouldn't have scored 4 goals in 5 games in Detroit playing on a 4th line next to Suter and no powerplay time. Something was up with Vrana that made him persona non-grata here. I'm not a blind trust the Yzerplan type, but I do trust that Yzerman and Lalonde wanted Vrana gone for good reason.

Yeah. Agreed. I just made a sloppy attempt at quoting Holden. It seems pretty simple to me. He was done here. Had nothing to do with his ability to play hockey. Not sure why posters are putting weird spins on it.

I hope Vrana does well.

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

I do love that this nutty idea that Vrana has some ultra value has invaded the trade board too.

“If the Blues trade Parayko and Vrana and end up with 5 firsts, could they trade for Bedard?

Somehow a week of hockey in which a guy who literally didn’t get picked up on waivers for free and who got dealt for less than nothing (retained at 50% for a future 7th) is now worth a first because he had four goals in a week.

 

[jkutswings]

I do love that this nutty idea that Vrana has some ultra value has invaded the trade board too.

“If the Blues trade Parayko and Vrana and end up with 5 firsts, could they trade for Bedard?

Somehow a week of hockey in which a guy who literally didn’t get picked up on waivers for free and who got dealt for less than nothing (retained at 50% for a future 7th) is now worth a first because he had four goals in a week.

Shh! Don't discourage it - ya gotta lean into it!

Kubalik had a hot start! Suter has had some very good stretches! First rounder for each at the draft! #DontLetFactsGetInTheWayOfAGoodStory

 

[14ari13]

5 goals since the trade?

 

[Henkka]

5 goals since the trade?

Yeah, 7 games 5+1 = 6 points. 3 power-play goals.

Ultimately worst defensive stats 5-on-5 from last 7 games.

 

[SirloinUB]

I am happy for Vrana and not going to fret the outcome on this one.

 

[Air Budd Dwyer]

Vrana being off to a hot start with a new team isn’t surprising. He did the same thing here after being traded from Washington. I think Yzerman spent too many years as a player dealing with Probert (who I love by the way) and Klima or even McCarty to an extent that he just doesn’t have the patience for it anymore as a GM.

 

[Detroit Knights]

I am just curious of the interactions with vrana and anyone from redwings tonight. Like sometimes in pregame, players may poke fun at each other or have a chat or something. It would be telling if neither tried.

Also, would love to see vrana score and see his reaction when he skates by the wings bench. See if he has any words for lalonde or not.

Very intrigued.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

I am just curious of the interactions with vrana and anyone from redwings tonight. Like sometimes in pregame, players may poke fun at each other or have a chat or something. It would be telling if neither tried.

Also, would love to see vrana score and see his reaction when he skates by the wings bench. See if he has any words for lalonde or not.

Very intrigued.

eh, I don't know if it will mean that much. When the Wings and Boston met the first time Bert apparently didn't even look over at the Wings during warm up. I'm guessing to try and keep his head in the game with his new team.

 

[Detroit Knights]

eh, I don't know if it will mean that much. When the Wings and Boston met the first time Bert apparently didn't even look over at the Wings during warm up. I'm guessing to try and keep his head in the game with his new team.

There's a difference with bert and vrana though. Bert didn't exactly leave on a bad note and we knew players loved him. I mean larkin cried for the guy. You could also see throughout the game bert was letting up a bit. He was the first one to check seider to make sure he was okay when the pick hit his jaw.

With vrana, do we actually know how the players really feel about him? Or at least looked sad he was gone? Im not so sure.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

There's a difference with bert and vrana though. Bert didn't exactly leave on a bad note and we knew players loved him. I mean larkin cried for the guy. You could also see throughout the game bert was letting up a bit. He was the first one to check seider to make sure he was okay when the pick hit his jaw.

With vrana, do we actually know how the players really feel about him? Or at least looked sad he was gone? Im not so sure.

sorry, to be clear I meant I don't know if you can read much of anything into any interactions Vrana has (or doesn't have) with them on the ice, as Bert didn't really interact with the Wings before the game and he clearly has a great relationship with Larkin and the other players.

 

[GMR]

I am just curious of the interactions with vrana and anyone from redwings tonight. Like sometimes in pregame, players may poke fun at each other or have a chat or something. It would be telling if neither tried.

Also, would love to see vrana score and see his reaction when he skates by the wings bench. See if he has any words for lalonde or not.

Very intrigued.

I hope some Wings players are taking him out for beers before the game.

 

[Bench]

This thread is actually a honeypot to find out which of you still stalk your ex's on social media.

 

[DanielMarois]

I am sure the off ice issues contributed to him falling out with mgmt, but I do think if he was more of a "complete" player they would have not been as eager to trade him. Even during the Summer, Yzerman singled him out as someone they need more from. They seem to be hyper focused on character and defense which I think is a mistake, but that is the route they're going.

 

[Bench]

They seem to be hyper focused on character and defense which I think is a mistake, but that is the route they're going.

I don't think there's any aversion to offensive minded guys, but they also have to put in the work in the other 2/3s of the ice. You can have a team that's a regular season darling with guys that don't commit and then get crumpled in the playoffs when everything is tighter.

If anyone would know how important 3 zone commitment is to playoff success, it's Steve Yzerman. When the Stars were trying to win a Cup, Ken Hitchcock pulled Modano aside and told him he needs to commit to his overall game the same way Yzerman did. Yzerman is literally the template for this kind of thing.

 

[DanielMarois]

I don't think there's any aversion to offensive minded guys, but they also have to put in the work in the other 2/3s of the ice. You can have a team that's a regular season darling with guys that don't commit and then get crumpled in the playoffs when everything is tighter.

If anyone would know how important 3 zone commitment is to playoff success, it's Steve Yzerman. When the Stars were trying to win a Cup, Ken Hitchcock pulled Modano aside and told him he needs to commit to his overall game the same way Yzerman did. Yzerman is literally the template for this kind of thing.

Yes, but there should be a balance and goals are important too. And the Caps won the Cup with Vrana. Pitts won with Kessel who is one of the laziest players. And while he is no defensive expert, I didn't think Vrana was that horrible a defensive player either.

 

[norrisnick]

I don't think there's any aversion to offensive minded guys, but they also have to put in the work in the other 2/3s of the ice. You can have a team that's a regular season darling with guys that don't commit and then get crumpled in the playoffs when everything is tighter.

If anyone would know how important 3 zone commitment is to playoff success, it's Steve Yzerman. When the Stars were trying to win a Cup, Ken Hitchcock pulled Modano aside and told him he needs to commit to his overall game the same way Yzerman did. Yzerman is literally the template for this kind of thing.

The trick seems to be to start out with top shelf scorers and adding the full rink responsibility.

 

[Bench]

Yes, but there should be a balance and goals are important too. And the Caps won the Cup with Vrana. Pitts won with Kessel who is one of the laziest players. And while he is no defensive expert, I didn't think Vrana was that horrible a defensive player either.

Vrana played 4th line minutes and scored 3 goals in 23 playoff games for the Caps during that Cup run. I don't know if that's the kind of example you want use?

And the fact you bought into the bitter Toronto fan narrative that Kessel was lazy really makes me question your judgement or at least your commitment to a good faith discussion. Phil "Lazy" Kessel was instrumental to the Penguins back to back Cups and was, for my money, the playoff MVP in 2016. And I wasn't alone in that.

Not to mention his reputation was largely exaggerated to begin with and much of it based on myth.

The trick seems to be to start out with top shelf scorers and adding the full rink responsibility.

Or you just keep acquiring good players that fit your long-term goals in whatever order they become available?

 

[DanielMarois]

Vrana played 4th line minutes and scored 3 goals in 23 playoff games for the Caps during that Cup run. I don't know if that's the kind of example you want use?

And the fact you bought into the bitter Toronto fan narrative that Kessel was lazy really makes me question your judgement or at least your commitment to a good faith discussion. Phil "Lazy" Kessel was instrumental to the Penguins back to back Cups and was, for my money, the playoff MVP in 2016. And I wasn't alone in that.

Not to mention his reputation was largely exaggerated to begin with and much of it based on myth.



Or you just keep acquiring good players that fit your long-term goals in whatever order they become available?

It was his second season and he had 8 pts in 23 games, not amazing but that's not nothing either. And he was critical in the series against the Pens and he even got first line minutes during it. And the Pens fans themselves say that very often Kessel was lazy and far from a complete player.

 

[norrisnick]

Or you just keep acquiring good players that fit your long-term goals in whatever order they become available?

I'm not talking about multiple players. I'm talking about top shelf scorers and then adding the full rink responsibility to the same players. You know, like your Modano/Yzerman example.

 

[Bench]

It was his second season and he had 8 pts in 23 games, not amazing but that's not nothing either. And he was critical in the series against the Pens and he even got first line minutes during it. And the Pens fans themselves say that very often Kessel was lazy and far from a complete player.

Right. "Pens fans" according to you say stuff. Compelling.

Meanwhile he literally has the longest streak of games played for any player in the history of the NHL. The definition of lazy for sure.

It's almost like Phil Kessel is what Vrana could be if he has fraction of the heart and grit of Kessel.

 

[ricky0034]

bit of a tangent but all that Kessel "lazy likes hotdogs etc" stuff has always felt pretty mean spirited to me

dude literally has a chubby looking face from cancer

 

[TheOtherOne]

If we're discussing the "Yzerman of all people" angle, maybe we should bring up how Yzerman of all people should know that you can take a talented athlete and turn him into a responsible all-around winner.

 

[norrisnick]

bit of a tangent but all that Kessel "lazy likes hotdogs etc" stuff has always felt pretty mean spirited to me

dude literally has a chubby looking face from cancer

He just has a chubby face. Had it long before cancer. Doesn't change the point above, just a note that it wasn't cancer related.

If we're discussing the "Yzerman of all people" angle, maybe we should bring up how Yzerman of all people should know that you can take a talented athlete and turn him into a responsible all-around winner.

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