Expectations of Yzerman's First Year

[Marky9er]

The franchise has some important decisions coming up, particularly with its younger core. Mantha, Athanasiou and Bertuzzi will all need long-term contracts. They'll also have a bunch of expiring contracts from older players. I think he'll stand pat this offseason, spend another year trading for picks and then start making bigger moves next year after he's had time to fully evaluate everything.

I think there's some tough choices to be made in regards to the 50 contract limit. Having double digits draft picks will do that. So, making room for depth guys(Smith, Gallant) could be an issue. The one guy I haven't heard much about is Elfstrom, and seems he might still have upside but assuming he's not signed.

 

[ManwithNoIdentity]

I think he’ll come in and get properly conversed and familiarized with the entire structure before making any big office moves and he’ll probably be very focused on the draft a good amount of the time

I’m just curious what he does with the UFA and the cap space we’re going to have? A lot of you seem to think he’ll stand pat but I think he’ll be aggressive at possibly signing a FA D-man and maybe another piece

We only have one or two FAs that need to be resigned right?

I’m interested to see with what he does with or RFAs the next few seasons and how he handles our core that will need extensions

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

I don't think he should offload our dead contracts. Doing that will cost other assets, we are bad, there's no reason to do this. We need to be hoarding as many valuable assets as possible. There is no hurry in trying to unload Abdelkader. He's a negative asset.

Yzerman needs to improve our scouting a bit. And supplement our roster depth a bit to help our guys develop.

What do you mean by this?

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

What do you mean by this?

Our team is bad as hell and we are not going to be good any time soon. Trading Abdelkader will require us to add assets to make another team eat that shitty contract. We need to be hoarding young and valuable assets. Trading Abdelkader now is unnecessary. There's no need to rush.

 

[SCD]

What do you mean by this?

I think he means he would be too expensive in the way of draft picks, prospects, or additional players to move.

 

[Fynn]

I'm sure you're right. But I also do legit wonder how much he will shake things up the first year with Holland still there.

Not that Holland will be actively undermining him, but that it may be trickier politically to get rid of some people when Holland is still there in a Senior VP capacity.

Most of the current scouting department are Yzerman's friends and former team mates. Add to that the blind loyalty of the Ilitches and I can't say I'm seeing a huge change in the scouting department. Interestingly, when Joe McDonnell left for the Stars with Jim Nill, everyone expected catastrophe. But it seems as though the drafts have gone better since he left.

 

[NDetroitFan]

I’d really like to see Steve use the wings cap space as an asset to aquire more draft picks/ prospects. Pick up veteran, expiring contracts from teams in cap hell. Players who could then be flipped at the deadline for more assets.

Something like
Saarijarvi and a 5th to Tampa for Callahan and a 2020 1st or
Similar B level prospect and mid round pick to Toronto for Marleau and Lilgergen

Then flip the vets for more picks

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

I’d really like to see Steve use the wings cap space as an asset to aquire more draft picks/ prospects. Pick up veteran, expiring contracts from teams in cap hell. Players who could then be flipped at the deadline for more assets.

Something like
Saarijarvi and a 5th to Tampa for Callahan and a 2020 1st or
Similar B level prospect and mid round pick to Toronto for Marleau and Lilgergen

Then flip the vets for more picks

Yeah neither trade partner will go for those proposals IMO.

 

[Voodoo Glow Skulls]

Most of the current scouting department are Yzerman's friends and former team mates. Add to that the blind loyalty of the Ilitches and I can't say I'm seeing a huge change in the scouting department. Interestingly, when Joe McDonnell left for the Stars with Jim Nill, everyone expected catastrophe. But it seems as though the drafts have gone better since he left.

I can see him bringing in more talent into the scouting department. Poaching if you will.

Management doesn't have a cap hit. Sometimes people just quit their jobs.

 

[dragonballgtz]

I don't think there will be many changes in the front office this first year. But, I do think space will be made for Al Murray to join the organization sometime after this year's draft. Murray has an out-clause in his contract the kicks in if Yzerman leaves the Tampa organization. Since Yzerman wrote or approved the contract, I can't imagine it wasn't done for reason. In the interview yesterday, Yzerman said he would not expect people to leave one organization for another just for the same position. Murray may become another Assistant GM, until Martin moves on.

Is that even confirmed? I know Bob made a theory tweet about it but I haven't seen anything official.

But as far as my expectations go for the first year... I really dont expect that much to change. We are two months out from the draft so I don't think changes will come in the scouting department for 2019 draft. The players will get evaluated by Yzerman next season as well as the rest of the coaching staff.

 

[dj4aces]

I honestly have zero expectations for his first year. I think he'll be doing more analysis and trying to cover some of the more obvious problem areas we have, and I'm certainly not expecting playoffs for 2019-2020, that's for sure.

 

[Outl4w]

I am a fan of both teams. I grew up watching Yzerman wearing the winged wheel and always cheered for the wings. The Lightning were formed and sucked for a long time in my hometown. I always rooted for both because they were in different conferences. I had an idea that would benefit both teams. Callahan for Big Rid and/or Daley depends on what picks TBL adds. Would your team be interested in parting with Mantha + for Sergachev or Mantha for Cernark? The lightning need more size in their top 6/9 and the Wings need young D. A change of scenery may benefit both players.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

I’d really like to see Steve use the wings cap space as an asset to aquire more draft picks/ prospects. Pick up veteran, expiring contracts from teams in cap hell. Players who could then be flipped at the deadline for more assets.

Something like
Saarijarvi and a 5th to Tampa for Callahan and a 2020 1st or
Similar B level prospect and mid round pick to Toronto for Marleau and Lilgergen

Then flip the vets for more picks

That's the problem I always had with Holland spending to the cap and people saying it wasn't hurting us. It's not a gimme that an opportunity will arise but it'd be great to have the cap space to take on an overpaid vet if the team also throws in picks/prospects.

That's never been a possibility for the Wings because of their cap situation. Holland loaded up on overpaid vets as UFAs.

 

[Bondurant]

Larkin, AA, Mantha, Bertuzzi and Hronek were mentioned by name as the core in the presser. Outside of these 5 any move may be possible. Yzerman stressed it would take time. He'll focus on drafting and likely waiting out the albatross contracts.

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

I’d really like to see Steve use the wings cap space as an asset to aquire more draft picks/ prospects. Pick up veteran, expiring contracts from teams in cap hell. Players who could then be flipped at the deadline for more assets.

Something like
Saarijarvi and a 5th to Tampa for Callahan and a 2020 1st or
Similar B level prospect and mid round pick to Toronto for Marleau and Lilgergen

Then flip the vets for more picks

No. You need to get out of that frame of mind.

 

[jkutswings]

No. You need to get out of that frame of mind.

Why exactly? I don't think it should be a frequent option, but I wouldn't rule it out either, depending on how big the return is.

 

[DatsyukToZetterberg]

I honestly have zero expectations for his first year. I think he'll be doing more analysis and trying to cover some of the more obvious problem areas we have, and I'm certainly not expecting playoffs for 2019-2020, that's for sure.

That's how I'll be looking at next year as well. I think the 1st year we could consider to back to the playoffs would be 2021-2022 which gives Yzerman plenty of time to evaluate the current core as well as make any moves to address our needs.

One thing I've noticed from quickly looking through TB's moves since 2010-2011 is that Yzerman will move back in the draft if there is a deal to be made, but he'll also trade up if there is someone on the board that they like. He also has a tendency to stock up on picks/prospects and use those as assets to make package type deals and add a big name player. One other thing is that he learned to stay away from the big name UFAs after giving less than ideal contract to Carle, Callahan, and Filppula. It seems like TB has made it a focus to sign undrafted players as often as they can as a means to provide cheap depth to their NHL team, I'm hopeful that trend can continue with the Wings.

I think what we're going to see is the Wings take on a bunch of dead contracts to accumulate more picks. We don't have many attractive pieces to move at the next TD so this is really the only way we could get any more assets, aside from moving minor players for say 5ths or later picks. I would be calling Boston and offering to take on Backes' contract, TB and Callahan, Calgary and Stone, Leafs and Brown, Nashville and Bonino, and the Jets and Perreault/Kulikov. I think some of those teams would be willing to move 2nds or maybe a little more if they're really desperate. I think I'd like to see us go for Backes+2019/2020 2nd+Khokhlachev from the Bruins.

 

[Henkka]

We have enough of picks and bad contracts already. No need to take either more.

Build the team better, get better players. That's what we should do.

 

[DatsyukToZetterberg]

We have enough of picks and bad contracts already. No need to take either more.

Build the team better, get better players. That's what we should do.

I don't think a rebuilding team can ever have enough picks. If we're being objective about where the Wings rebuild currently is we are likely 2-3 years away from being able to get out of the bottom 10. That means we should still be trying to accumulate as many assets as we can in that time frame. The only bad contract that would still be on the books after 2021-2022 would be Adbelkader's and almost all of the contracts that I've seen suggested are up by the end of the 2020-2021 season. Given the youth wave that is going to happen over the next 2 years and the number of ELCs we will have we're going to have to meet the cap floor somehow, I think the best way to do that is by taking on unwanted players. Our biggest trade chip at the Trade Deadline next is a 34 year old Mike Green, who has a significant injury history at this point in his career, and then a bunch of role players that some team might give us 3rds-7ths for.

 

[avssuc]

I do wonder how much it changes things when players are having conversations with the GM and that GM is Steve Yzerman.

There's not gonna be a whole lot of players thinking "you don't know what it's like to play in the NHL."

I was wondering the same thing. I wonder how much direct contact the GM has with the player, not his agent, when it's time to talk $$$. There's also language barriers with some, but I still think a HoF former player should help.

 

[avssuc]

I’d really like to see Steve use the wings cap space as an asset to aquire more draft picks/ prospects. Pick up veteran, expiring contracts from teams in cap hell. Players who could then be flipped at the deadline for more assets.

Something like
Saarijarvi and a 5th to Tampa for Callahan and a 2020 1st or
Similar B level prospect and mid round pick to Toronto for Marleau and Lilgergen

Then flip the vets for more picks

I like the idea, but those proposals are bad

 

[DetroitRed]

I don't think Yzerman should give up on rebuilding. The arguments I hear for giving up are based on a 6-game win streak at the end of a 28th place season and/or hinge on Athanasiou becoming something akin to the next Brad Marchand. I sense a bit of wishful drinking going in that.

We're counting a lot of chickens before they've hatched. We don't know if we can count on Larsson yet. We don't know if our best defense prospects aren't guys who you'd rather have on a second pairing. Our best offensive player didn't rank in the league's top 40 for points, and some of the guys in supporting roles have nagging issues with things like competitiveness. Some of the forwards in Grand Rapids still have a ways to go if they're ever going to turn out. Plus we have some bad contracts that will be on the books for a while. We have players who don't cut it, who we wont be able to get rid of for years.

What I would like Yzerman to do is clean house, get rid of as many of the guys as possible who we've had from before the rebuild started. Also, the guys who aren't really a part of the rebuild, but who weren't around before the rebuild either, make some changes, upgrade them wherever possible. Yzerman should make the team his own as much as he can. And of course, get us some good draft picks. In short, what any GM should do here, especially if taking over a new team. I believe Steve will want to succeed or fail on his own terms, with his own team, not with Ken Holland's team, anyway.

 

[Claypool]

I don't think Yzerman should give up on rebuilding.

The exact opposite was indicated in the press conference yesterday. Did you watch it?

 

[DetroitRed]

The exact opposite was indicated in the press conference yesterday. Did you watch it?

I could not catch it.

 

[Claypool]

I could not catch it.

He stressed patience to the fan base and that he's not going to make any "quick fix" moves that only result in slight improvements. He wants to rebuild properly.