Speculation: Be the GM: Goalie editon.

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

You're the GM...what do you do this off-season in regards to the goaltending position?

Shop for a young goalie to eventually replace Howard?
Solid back-up in FA?
Trade for a back-up?
Draft a goalie?(targets are nice to hear)
Do nothing?

Opinions are welcome, not required.

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[DInTheB]

You're the GM...what do you do this off-season in regards to the goaltending position?

Shop for a young goalie to eventually replace Howard?
Solid back-up in FA?
Trade for a back-up?
Draft a goalie?(targets are nice to hear)
Do nothing?

Opinions are welcome, not required.

I think Larsson has potential but he’s a long ways off.

Rather than sign for a guy like Hutton I would explore trading one of our later picks for a guy like Jon Gillies. I don’t think he’s all that good but I’ve always thought he was better than he showed in Calgary.

Maybe you take a flier and it pays off. He would be cheap, that’s for sure. And worst case scenario is he totally sucks, helping out the tank.

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

I think Larsson has potential but he’s a long ways off.

Rather than sign for a guy like Hutton I would explore trading one of our later picks for a guy like Jon Gillies. I don’t think he’s all that good but I’ve always thought he was better than he showed in Calgary.

Maybe you take a flier and it pays off. He would be cheap, that’s for sure. And worst case scenario is he totally sucks, helping out the tank.

Larsson does have potential.

Gillies, if cheap, is a great gamble.

 

[lilidk]

We just signed good yang goley from Slovakia, they usually don't draft before 3rd round .

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

We just signed good yang goley from Slovakia, they usually don't draft before 3rd round .

I'd take a goalie in the 3rd.

 

[odin1981]

I'd say to pluck a cheap ufa free agent back up for around 1.5-2.0 million for 1 year, if no one bites we are tanking now so Coreau ain't bad for that position and would probably come in cheaper.

 

[Invictus12]

If we can get Grubauer, I say sign him and pay him for 2-3 year contract. Howard expires and either keep him for less as a backup (Assuming Grubauer steps up) or let him go... If we can't get to a young promising Goalie this off-season, go for a competent back-up... See where the team is next deadline. Make moves based on situation... Possibly resign Howard for a short-term deal if nothing better is available. Howards injuries are really the thing thats a knock on him, nothing else IMO.

 

[FireBird71]

If we can get Grubauer, I say sign him and pay him for 2-3 year contract. Howard expires and either keep him for less as a backup (Assuming Grubauer steps up) or let him go... If we can't get to a young promising Goalie this off-season, go for a competent back-up... See where the team is next deadline. Make moves based on situation... Possibly resign Howard for a short-term deal if nothing better is available. Howards injuries are really the thing thats a knock on him, nothing else IMO.

Howard's age is a big knock

 

[FireBird71]

Sign a cheap backup and draft Jordan Kooy from London

 

[WingedWheel1987]

Sign whatever is available off the scrap heap to a one year deal.

 

[Invictus12]

Howard's age is a big knock

Lol, tell that to Bruins fans. The stupidity of having an over 30 year old goaltender over a younger one. Actual on ice product be damned...

The only thing that I see hindering Howards play so far have been injuries. When I actually see his age taking a toll on him I'll be right with you.

 

[HisNoodliness]

Personally I'd just run Howard-Coreau. If Howard goes down with an injury we tank hard, if not... we probably tank anyway (but who am I kidding? Howard is going to get hurt).

 

[Go Wings]

I sign Hutton to fill the gap until the prospects are ready. I move Howard at the trade deadline a retain half his salary.
Let Coreau go.

 

[Dotter]

I sign Hutton to fill the gap until the prospects are ready. I move Howard at the trade deadline a retain half his salary.
Let Coreau go.

Agreed. Hutton or Hutton equivalent UFA. Wings have a young goalie in the system who could potentially replace Howard sometime down the road. Or he could be a bust. Goalies are hard to predict, but I like this kids fundamentals and his size. He needs to work on rebound control and consistency... like most young goalies.

 

[SoupNazi]

Sign whatever is available off the scrap heap for a one year deal.

Agreed. Since we're not going to compete this year (except for 1OA) I sign whatever is available to back up Jimmy.

 

[TatarTangle]

Lol, tell that to Bruins fans. The stupidity of having an over 30 year old goaltender over a younger one. Actual on ice product be damned...

The only thing that I see hindering Howards play so far have been injuries. When I actually see his age taking a toll on him I'll be right with you.

Pekka Rinne, Dubnyk, Quick, Fleury, Bishop.

Ageism is real when it comes to goalies.

 

[Mister Ed]

Plan A) Trade for Grubauer. There are barely any goalies hitting the free market nowadays, make a splash.
Plan B) Sign Hutton, sign him for 2-3 years. Play him 1B with Howard for year one, starting goalie for year 2 and year 3, while coaching Larsson, Petruzzelli and Rybar.
Plan C) Sign Cam Ward.

 

[LeighDx59]

Just sign whoevers out there Hutchinson, Bernier or Hutton in that order imo. Coreau shouldnt be back in any form unless its to start in Grand Rapids.

 

[Marky9er]

*Throws dart*

Wedgewood.

 

[PelagicJoe]

If we could trade Howard for a cheaper option, I would not be against it. This team would still suck even with a prime Dominik Hasek in net. It doesn't really matter who the goalie is at this point.

 

[Sparty]

Roll the dice with Sateri for a year (or two) if you can get him. Sell him on being Howard's backup this year with a chance to be the guy next year.

 

[ManwithNoIdentity]

Hutton or Grub would be great on a short term contract or just pull some leftover that a team doesn't want.


We're going to suck for the foreseeable future so we can tweak it a few times.

 

[Oddbob]

Someone cheap like Hutton or similar is the option I would take. Coreau serves no purpose on the big roster, sorry to say, but he barely has AHL level skill and as far as I can tell only made it this far on size alone. He can't catch the puck at the NHL level, and is quite slow, considering he barely has to move because of how big he is. Keeping a goalie to purposely suck is DUMB! If we are staying within the organization (highly doubt) I would rather let anyone but Coreau come up, to see what we have.

 

[ShelbyZ]

If it were me, I wouldn't even kick the tires on Grubauer. The Red Wings shouldn't be trading future assets for a gamble in net, and to keep Grubauer past the next season it'll probably take money and term that he may not eventually live up to.

I'd look into Hutton, but only if the money/term makes sense. The guy turns 33 in December, so any more than 2 years is pushing it for a guy that is likely going to cost somewhere right in between the average #2 and #1 salary. I'd walk away if it takes giving more term or money to outbid teams trying to make him their #1 for next season.

Given that they aren't trying to really compete next season, the Red Wings don't need goaltending, so I'd approach it like this:

-Let Coreau and McCollum walk
-Sign a couple of fringe guys like Andrew Hammond, Scott Wedgewood, Harri Sateri etc. etc. for around $800k for a year
-Then the two of them and Rybar battle it out in camp and the pre-season
-Best one of the three gets the #2 spot behind Howard
-The other 2 go to GR
-Fulcher goes to Toledo
-If one of the fringe goalies gets lost on waivers, try to leverage one of the surplus fringe dmen in GR (Russo/Lashoff/McIlrath) to a team in exchange for a fringe goalie
-Explore trading Howard at the deadline. If he can't be moved but plays well enough, offer him an extension in the $3-4M range for 1/2 years that offers the flexibility to bring in a decent #1B or an upgrade if needed in those 1/2 years.

 

[Three Crowns]

What about another goalie from Europe in the upcoming draft - Veini Vehviläinen? I personally think would be worth the shot.