2023-2024 Wings bold predictions

[Gniwder]

I would say if Ras,Berggren and Veleno take major steps we are a lock for a playoff spot.

My bet's on Raz. Burger and Joey will probably have better stats because of better linemates, but I don't think they'll drastically improve their game.

I'm expecting Raz to spend all summer working on his shot, and hoping he learned a little from Perron that placement and quick release is more important than puck speed. I'll be disappointed if he doesn't score at least 5 goals top shelf instead of his usual dirty goals.

 

[raymond23]

By the end of the season...

Kasper is 2C
Edvinsson is playing 18+ minutes

 

[heyfolks]

Unfortunately if the bolded happens Boston retains the pick.

Darn... didn't know the pick was AFTER the lottery.

 

[heyfolks]

Unfortunately if the bolded happens Boston retains the pick.

So, if Boston ends up in the top 10, the Wings won't have a first round pick in 24. Ouch!

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

So, if Boston ends up in the top 10, the Wings won't have a first round pick in 24. Ouch!

That won’t happen.

Boston still has 2 of the best offensive forwards in the league. 2 of the top 20 defensemen and a deep top 6 behind them. And a vezina finalist goalie with a Calder vote worthy backup. They aren’t going to go from a 65 win team to a 35 or fewer win team. They’ll be 90ish to 100 points.

 

[Gniwder]

That won’t happen.

Boston still has 2 of the best offensive forwards in the league. 2 of the top 20 defensemen and a deep top 6 behind them. And a vezina finalist goalie with a Calder vote worthy backup. They aren’t going to go from a 65 win team to a 35 or fewer win team. They’ll be 90ish to 100 points.

The had the lowest goals against average in the league by a wide margin, and the best goal differential by a huge margin of 61 goals. Goals won't come to them as easily, but the defense and goaltending is still top notch for sure.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

The had the lowest goals against average in the league by a wide margin, and the best goal differential by a huge margin of 61 goals. Goals won't come to them as easily, but the defense and goaltending is still top notch for sure.

And that defense should be good enough for 95+ points. Zacha will get 55+ points as the 1C, and Coyle as 2C should be good for 40+. It’s not sexy at center but remember that the Anaheim Ducks and Calgary Flames made it to the finals with superstar wingers and Steve Rucchin and Craig Conroy for centers.

 

[norrisnick]

And that defense should be good enough for 95+ points. Zacha will get 55+ points as the 1C, and Coyle as 2C should be good for 40+. It’s not sexy at center but remember that the Anaheim Ducks and Calgary Flames made it to the finals with superstar wingers and Steve Rucchin and Craig Conroy for centers.

Back in the DPE when Derian Hatcher was a Norris Finalist...

That was a lifetime ago for many around these parts. f***, Edvinsson wasn't even born yet for the Duck run.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Back in the DPE when Derian Hatcher was a Norris Finalist...

That was a lifetime ago for many around these parts. f***, Edvinsson wasn't even born yet for the Duck run.

Then how about Edmonton, New Jersey, Montreal as finalists? Or NYR? Their centers weren’t exactly top notch.

 

[RRhoads]

The had the lowest goals against average in the league by a wide margin, and the best goal differential by a huge margin of 61 goals. Goals won't come to them as easily, but the defense and goaltending is still top notch for sure.

D and G is good, but they will be tested a whole lot more this year. They should spend a lot more time in their own zone. PK and PP should suffer a bit too.

 

[Gniwder]

D and G is good, but they will be tested a whole lot more this year. They should spend a lot more time in their own zone. PK and PP should suffer a bit too.

PK will be fine, but their offense will struggle ES and PP.

Probably a bubble team. The Isles have made the playoffs 4 out of the last 5 seasons with team defense and goaltending, I don't see why Boston can't do the same with better defensemen and goalie.

 

[RRhoads]

PK will be fine, but their offense will struggle ES and PP.

Probably a bubble team. The Isles have made the playoffs 4 out of the last 5 seasons with team defense and goaltending, I don't see why Boston can't do the same with better defensemen and goalie.

It should be fine, but will be worse after losing Bergeron

 

[norrisnick]

It should be fine, but will be worse after losing Bergeron

Nah... Mr. "OMG rename the Selke already!!!" didn't do anything to help the Bruins defensively.

 

[RedHawkDown]

Matthews is signed to 13.5M for 4 or 5 years.
Nylander doubles down on wanting 10M+ from Toronto as a result.
Toronto looks to trade him, but teams who are OK to trade a top defenseman to the Leafs also don't need a top forward as they're likely to be rebuilding (other than Carolina).

Yzerman sweeps in late-summer (think around early September) to facilitate a 3-way trade with our futures to a 3rd team, a top Dman to Toronto, and Nylander to Detroit. Package likely includes berggren++.

Our top 6 becomes:
DeBrincat-Larkin-Rasmussen
Nylander-Copp-Raymond

Both lines get deployed equally playing about 17-18 minutes each.

This move improves Detroit's offense considerably and we make the playoffs comfortably as a result. With a much better offense to feed, Seider scores 65 points. Raymond breaks out and score 70+ points playing with Nylander on the 1B line.

We make it to the 2nd round.

(hey, y'all said bold)

 

[Gniwder]

Nah... Mr. "OMG rename the Selke already!!!" didn't do anything to help the Bruins defensively.

Coyle actually had more PK TOI last season, while averaging better than Bergeron's career GA/60. Bergeron did have a career season on PK last season though. Guessing he was going up against the second unit, didn't watch Boston that much last season.

The thing about Boston is that the team structure and system is better than any other team in the league. Every player buys into the system and plays disciplined hockey. (Disciplined in terms of playing to the system, not in terms of personality.) As much as I wish they tank, they're not gonna.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Coyle actually had more PK TOI last season, while averaging better than Bergeron's career GA/60. Bergeron did have a career season on PK last season though. Guessing he was going up against the second unit, didn't watch Boston that much last season.

The thing about Boston is that the team structure and system is better than any other team in the league. Every player buys into the system and plays disciplined hockey. (Disciplined in terms of playing to the system, not in terms of personality.) As much as I wish they tank, they're not gonna.

And on this, the team can shuffle out a D or two to improve their forward group.

Boston Bruins Salary Cap, Draft Picks, and Player Contracts - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

If they send out one of Grzelcyk or Forbert they can sign an OK bottom pair guy and a depth forward or two to round out their third line (Tatar or Suter?) while having enough to pay Swayman.

 

[Gniwder]

And on this, the team can shuffle out a D or two to improve their forward group.

Boston Bruins Salary Cap, Draft Picks, and Player Contracts - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

If they send out one of Grzelcyk or Forbert they can sign an OK bottom pair guy and a depth forward or two to round out their third line (Tatar or Suter?) while having enough to pay Swayman.

They could just bury Megna and sign Suter for league min. Guessing they're waiting to sign their RFAs (Swayman/Frederic) before making another move.

Suter on a cheap one year deal makes a lot of sense for them, gives Suter a chance to improve his market value. Boston could use a center than can play up and down the lineup, although we know his limitations.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

They could just bury Megna and sign Suter for league min. Guessing they're waiting to sign their RFAs (Swayman/Frederic) before making another move.

Suter on a cheap one year deal makes a lot of sense for them, gives Suter a chance to improve his market value. Boston could use a center than can play up and down the lineup, although we know his limitations.

And getting rid of Forbert allows them to sign 3 players at 1 mil each. It's not great depth but it helps them out in case of injury. Right now that Boston team is 2 injuries away from being outside of the postseason.

 

[Detroit Knights]

Matthews is signed to 13.5M for 4 or 5 years.
Nylander doubles down on wanting 10M+ from Toronto as a result.
Toronto looks to trade him, but teams who are OK to trade a top defenseman to the Leafs also don't need a top forward as they're likely to be rebuilding (other than Carolina).

Yzerman sweeps in late-summer (think around early September) to facilitate a 3-way trade with our futures to a 3rd team, a top Dman to Toronto, and Nylander to Detroit. Package likely includes berggren++.

Our top 6 becomes:
DeBrincat-Larkin-Rasmussen
Nylander-Copp-Raymond

Both lines get deployed equally playing about 17-18 minutes each.

This move improves Detroit's offense considerably and we make the playoffs comfortably as a result. With a much better offense to feed, Seider scores 65 points. Raymond breaks out and score 70+ points playing with Nylander on the 1B line.

We make it to the 2nd round.

(hey, y'all said bold)

I hate that I'd be pretty okay with this lmao.

Not sure about 10M though. 4x8 like debrincat or 3x8 and push that problem down the road.

Berggren + ALJO + 2025 1st? for an extended nylander? Would need the extension if we are getting rid of ALJO and the 1st. No extension then I take ALJO out and I am sure that doesn't do it for them.

 

[RedHawkDown]

I hate that I'd be pretty okay with this lmao.

Not sure about 10M though. 4x8 like debrincat or 3x8 and push that problem down the road.

Berggren + ALJO + 2025 1st? for an extended nylander? Would need the extension if we are getting rid of ALJO and the 1st. No extension then I take ALJO out and I am sure that doesn't do it for them.

I posted this elsewhere on the forum but I’d do

Nylander to DET

Karlsson 25% retained, Johansson to TOR

Berggren, Lombardi, Maatta, 2025 1st to SJS

Gotta give to get

 

[Detroit Knights]

I posted this elsewhere on the forum but I’d do

Nylander to DET

Karlsson 25% retained, Johansson to TOR

Berggren, Lombardi, Maatta, 2025 1st to SJS

Gotta give to get

lombardi would hurt a lot more tbh. I would hate to get rid of berggren, especially because I think he would be a great setup man for debrincat, but it is what it is.

Lombardi I doubt they move. We should replace him with Doucet or someone in that realm. SJS needs a whole lot so I don't see how they would be that worked up over it. I would just hate to see lombardi get traded before we see what he's got in AHL first. At least a handful of games. Maatta would also suck but I get it. At least that would give the room for Ed to get in.

Even with getting rid of nylander, I don't see how they can get karlsson, even with retention. Jarnkrok/Kampf need to be traded to really make it work. So, I guess that would help in this trade and instead of lombardi/doucet, sjs could get kampf/jarnkrok? Because Nylander isn't the big name in this trade you listed and we seem to be giving up everything.

DET
Nylander

TOR
Karlsson 25% retained
ALJO/Viro

SJS
Berggren
Maatta
2024/25 1st (DET, depends on how the BOS pick works out)
2025 3rd (TOR for taking jarnkrok dump?)
Kampf/Jarnkrok

From what I have seen on the trade forums is TOR fans just want to dump Jarnkrok. With these figures, TOR lowers that cap roughly 500k or so if ALJO/Viro start in AHL. If you did Kampf, then it would lower their cap hit by another 300k so roughly 800k. They are still over the cap though.

TOR may need to add another pick or something to get that retention closer to 40% (I thought I saw somewhere that SJS is now willing to do that?). If that is the case, they would lower their cap hit by 2.1mil with jarnkrok and 2.4mil with kampf. I think this would help TOR out the most and if I am reading capfriendly correctly, that would take them 100k under the cap (maybe check that for me lol)

Either rate, SJS will get a pretty good size haul for a player and org that don't want an 11.5mil player anymore. Would much prefer viro going because i think ALJO is going to be exceptional.

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

Nylander is a no go.

With the way his rental status will cost to aquire, adding in a contract on top of that?

Why the f*** did Detroit aquire Debrincat?

It's one or the other.

 

[RRhoads]

Please, no Karlsson. Not even for free. Don't want his contract.

Big no to Nylander and his next contract also.

 

[DamonDRW]

When analyzing Bruins, fans here underestimate the loss of two top 6 centers. When we had aging Datsyuk and Zetterberg we were pretty much a playoff team even with Abdelkader, Smith, Nielsen and others. Then, Datsyuk left and we missed the playoffs. After Zetterberg leaving we immediately became a bottom 5 team. Of course, Boston has nice D and good goaltending, but their fall might be larger than people predict here.

That's also why DeBrincat, Nylander and others will lead us nowhere. We need top 6 centers to be a real force.

 

[ricky0034]

When analyzing Bruins, fans here underestimate the loss of two top 6 centers. When we had aging Datsyuk and Zetterberg we were pretty much a playoff team even with Abdelkader, Smith, Nielsen and others. Then, Datsyuk left and we missed the playoffs. After Zetterberg leaving we immediately became a bottom 5 team. Of course, Boston has nice D and good goaltending, but their fall might be larger than people predict here.

That's also why DeBrincat, Nylander and others will lead us nowhere. We need top 6 centers to be a real force.

Boston gave up so few goals last year that they still would have made the Playoffs even if they were dead last in goals scored