Rumor: Eric Gelinas headed back to the NHL?

[ShelbyZ]

It's true that Lashoff was traded and is a UFA. But the fact the Tampa reassigned him to GR indicates to me that our brass is interested in keeping him around. I guess we'll have to see though.

Maybe I'm being pedantic here, but I'd push back on the idea that Eric Gelinas is as good as Merrill. I think there's a reason why one is one an NHL contract playing playoff hockey and the other is playing in Europe.

Biega or Lashoff I think are better comparables. I get that he's a mature face for Seider, but Seider played in GR too so he knows a lot of our roster. I wouldn't throw a fit over this move but I don't really see much of a purpose to it.

Pretty much what I was going to say. On top of Lashoff staying in GR after the trade (although he finished the season on the "unfit to play" list after being placed on it a couple weeks before the trade), Steve Yzerman seemed to like having some familiar tenured vets in Syracuse when he was with Tampa (guys like Conacher, Blunden, Angelidis, etc.), so I wouldn't be surprised to see Lashoff back captaining the Griffins next year. Either on another NHL two-way or an AHL contract.

IIRC, the rap on Gelinas was that he was an average skater that had a super hard shot and some offensive tools, but wasn't consistently physical given his size and lacked the hockey IQ to be trusted defensively. The Devils had some initial success with him using him as a sheltered 3rd pair and PP guy, but then his production dried up. Pretty much in that Marc Andre Bergeron or An y elmore ilk. Hence why he hasn't played an NHL game in over 4 years.

His value to an NHL club is probably somewhere in that Biega and Lashoff realm as you pointed out, so signing him to a two-way contract to be a solid vet in GR with perhaps a shot at getting a #7/8 spot on the NHL club would make the most sense. I highly doubt Yzerman would bring in Gelinas for the purpose of pairing him with Seider... unless perhaps he's already earmarked Seider to start the year in GR.

 

[Winger98]

The kid, Is cool calm and collected. Just like Nicklas Listrom was.

And Lidstrom gave credit to McCrimmon for being the steady, vet partner that helped take the pressure off his rookie season. Really wouldn't mind seeing us get Edler or Martinez to come in for a few seasons and be that guy for Seider.

 

[MBH]

I'm less concerned with Seider's pairing at LD.
If we sign Oleksiak, he probably plays with Hronek, who could use someone to handle some of the defense.
For Seider's sake, I'm more concerned with finding a quality defensive RD. Someone older who is OK with 16 minutes a night - but someone good enough to bump that up to 22 minutes for one and two-week stretches when Seider/Hronek need a break from the grind.
Gelinas?
I think I'd wait until after the expansion draft before I consider it.
If we're still sitting here with Dekeyser and Cholowski, I really can't buy the idea of Gelinas as our third LD.

Maybe as a 7/8 D who bounces between the pressbox and Grand Rapids, for the most part.
LD depth

 

[Nut Upstrom]

He needs to stay at Rogle and play with Wallinder.

 

[Hoog]

We need to sign both Oleksiak (pair with Hronek) and Forbort (pair with Seider). Neither will cost an arm and a leg, but both would be very solid additions to this team next season. Those would be your top two defensive pairs and then you can put Stecher/Lindstrom (whichever doesn't go in the expansion draft) and Cholowski together on the bottom pair.

 

[ThankGord]

I'd much rather sign a guy with NHL experience that can play in the top 4, shelter DDK/Cholowski, and play the significant amount of minutes that we all expect Seider will earn.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

I'd much rather sign a guy with NHL experience that can play in the top 4, shelter DDK/Cholowski, and play the significant amount of minutes that we all expect Seider will earn.

Why not do both? Bring in Gelinas for the 6th/7th defenseman spot AND get a legit top 4 guy.

Also at this point I'm tired of making excuses to shelter Cholowski. He's not going to miraculously turn into Tyson Barrie. The dude is what he is.

 

[FabricDetails]

I confused this with Martin Gelinas for a hot second and thought damn he must be ancient.

...I actually thought Seider this whole time was playing with Martin... MF-er ain't even a defenseman... Shows you how being an OT hero can do a lot for your brand.

 

[Retire91]

Is he a late bloomer or just a product of a hot team? He had a good season but its his only good season, he couldn't crack lineups when he was here. What is so special that we want?

 

[Go Wings]

To me Martinez is the guy they should be targetting in the offseason. He is the perfect partner for Seider and it is very unlikely Vegas can afford to keep him.

 

[Leadzedder]

He needs to stay at Rogle and play with Wallinder.

That’s also a good point.

 

[ThankGord]

Why not do both? Bring in Gelinas for the 6th/7th defenseman spot AND get a legit top 4 guy.

Also at this point I'm tired of making excuses to shelter Cholowski. He's not going to miraculously turn into Tyson Barrie. The dude is what he is.

If we end up with an extra roster spot for a 6-7th defenseman after the expansion draft I'd rather use it to take on a cap dump or younger reclamation project.

I don't think Gelinas helped Mo as much as Mo helped Gelinas.

 

[Hoog]

To me Martinez is the guy they should be targetting in the offseason. He is the perfect partner for Seider and it is very unlikely Vegas can afford to keep him.

I like the Martinez idea but the dude is 35 and just had a really good year. How much will we need to pay him to keep from going to a contender? Our big selling point, IMO, is ice time and Oleksiak will bite on that I think. Forbort at his regular cost is cheap and we can over pay him a bit as he is a very solid d-man who would be very good with the kids. That being said, if we can sneak Martinez in, heck yea.

 

[Go Wings]

I like the Martinez idea but the dude is 35 and just had a really good year. How much will we need to pay him to keep from going to a contender? Our big selling point, IMO, is ice time and Oleksiak will bite on that I think. Forbort at his regular cost is cheap and we can over pay him a bit as he is a very solid d-man who would be very good with the kids. That being said, if we can sneak Martinez in, heck yea.

Overpay him on a 2 year deal. We have tons of cap space.
Forbert is okay but I would prefer someone better at D to show Seider.
Oleksiak I think is going to be looking for more money on the season he just had.

 

[ShelbyZ]

I feel like this "rumor" is Gelina's camp using the old "Lidstrom's homesick" negotiation tactic to get Rogle to pony up a bit more since they lost Seider and another regular Dman in Hansson and the last NA born Dman they had cashed in on a decent 1-way NHL contract after an SHL MVP season a year ago.

 

[Gniwder]

I'm less concerned with Seider's pairing at LD.
If we sign Oleksiak, he probably plays with Hronek, who could use someone to handle some of the defense.
For Seider's sake, I'm more concerned with finding a quality defensive RD. Someone older who is OK with 16 minutes a night - but someone good enough to bump that up to 22 minutes for one and two-week stretches when Seider/Hronek need a break from the grind.
Gelinas?
I think I'd wait until after the expansion draft before I consider it.
If we're still sitting here with Dekeyser and Cholowski, I really can't buy the idea of Gelinas as our third LD.

Maybe as a 7/8 D who bounces between the pressbox and Grand Rapids, for the most part.
LD depth

Not sure if I'd consider it quality but Lindstrom was averaging 20 min TOI for at least the last 7 games. He was first or second in ice time, Hronek being the other guy who usually had the most because he was playing both sides. He wasn't great by any means but managed to hold his own. Not concerned about ice time for RHD. Also, Stecher is signed for next season if he doesn't get picked in the expansion draft.

The team needs at least 2 LHD, if not 3. DDK and Cholo are the only ones signed or next season. That's scary.

 

[MBH]

Not sure if I'd consider it quality but Lindstrom was averaging 20 min TOI for at least the last 7 games. He was first or second in ice time, Hronek being the other guy who usually had the most because he was playing both sides. He wasn't great by any means but managed to hold his own. Not concerned about ice time for RHD. Also, Stecher is signed for next season if he doesn't get picked in the expansion draft.

The team needs at least 2 LHD, if not 3. DDK and Cholo are the only ones signed or next season. That's scary.

I just don't see Eric Gelinas being an answer, given all the questions we have.
It can't hurt, I guess, if he's willing to play in GR.

 

[Henkka]

Not sure if I'd consider it quality but Lindstrom was averaging 20 min TOI for at least the last 7 games. He was first or second in ice time, Hronek being the other guy who usually had the most because he was playing both sides. He wasn't great by any means but managed to hold his own. Not concerned about ice time for RHD. Also, Stecher is signed for next season if he doesn't get picked in the expansion draft.

The team needs at least 2 LHD, if not 3. DDK and Cholo are the only ones signed or next season. That's scary.

Scary?

The were already .500 team with crappy Staal, DeKeyser and Cholowski on the left side after Nemeth and Merril were traded.

Nothing looks scary to me, when Seider is coming. He'll be better than any RhD has played for the Wings since Rafalski.

We'll be even better than we were.

 

[Gniwder]

I just don't see Eric Gelinas being an answer, given all the questions we have.
It can't hurt, I guess, if he's willing to play in GR.

He's a better answer than Biega as 8 or 9D. That's about it. Cheap insurance for injuries, maybe a warm body for the pressbox since the team will probably carry 8D again.

Stevie said he would sign 2 LHD in the offseason, I assume he meant NHL LHD, not Gelinas or Newpower. We'll see in a couple of months. I don't think anyone had Merrill, Stecher, or Staal on their radar last spring. STevie's full of surprises sometimes.

 

[Gniwder]

Scary?

The were already .500 team with crappy Staal, DeKeyser and Cholowski on the left side after Nemeth and Merril were traded.

Nothing looks scary to me, when Seider is coming. He'll be better than any RhD has played for the Wings since Rafalski.

We'll be even better than we were.

Don't you dare bad mouth Super Staal!

I think he held his own, added offense every 10 games or so. Stecher made him look bad on some plays, it was usually his man that Staal had to chase down, and he's not fast enough for that any more.

I wouldn't mind re-signing Staal on a market value contract, but if he wants to be overpaid I'd rather see Martinez or some other UFA options. Not that it matters much since the team has tons of cap space and it's Chris' money, not mine.

 

[ShelbyZ]

He's a better answer than Biega as 8 or 9D. That's about it. Cheap insurance for injuries, maybe a warm body for the pressbox since the team will probably carry 8D again.

Stevie said he would sign 2 LHD in the offseason, I assume he meant NHL LHD, not Gelinas or Newpower. We'll see in a couple of months. I don't think anyone had Merrill, Stecher, or Staal on their radar last spring. STevie's full of surprises sometimes.

I mean it's probably close to arguing whether it's worse to get punched or kicked in the balls, but I would counter that a nothingburger warm body than can kill penalties and handle some defensive assignments in Biega's ilk is a better choice as an insurance policy on D than someone like Gelinas.

Over Gelinas short NHL tenure, he proved to be pretty much useless when he wasn't on the PP and over almost 200 games he didn't even spend enough time on the PK to last an episode of The Eric Andre show without commercials (like 11 minutes).

And that's also not to mention the Wings already have another defensively challenged LD likely at the #6/7 spot in Cholowski.

 

[Oddbob]

Isn't he bad in his own end?

 

[Pavels Dog]

Isn't he bad in his own end?

He was a mixed bag this season for sure, I could see him really getting exposed in the NHL. Seider was the guy cleaning up Gelinas' mistakes, not the other way around.

 

[Henkka]

Stevie said he would sign 2 LHD in the offseason, I assume he meant NHL LHD, not Gelinas or Newpower. We'll see in a couple of months. I don't think anyone had Merrill, Stecher, or Staal on their radar last spring. STevie's full of surprises sometimes.

Oleksiak and Gelinas would be fine for me.

 

[Gniwder]

Oleksiak and Gelinas would be fine for me.

Need one more unless you want to see Cholo or Gelinas play on a regular basis. Staal is UFA.

Right side is covered with Seider, Hronek, Lindstrom, Stecher, and Newpower.

Ideally you carry 4 of each side on the roster and one of each in GR.