Forwards
I can easily see the following forward lineup next year for any number of reasons(no Dats, Richards and Helm)
The various line combinations are almost mind numbing so I'll do this alphabetically.
AA/Abby/Bert/Frk/Glen/Jurco/Larkin/Mantha/Nyquist/Pulk/Shea/Tats/Zetts.
I do admit that if Bert is only getting 4-6 min/g (or worse-in the press box as 13th.), he is much better getting top 6 mins. in GR.
I have been a Wings fan for 58 yrs. and have lived through the highs and lows of this franchise including the Dead Thing era of the late 60's to the early 80's(if nothing else, the Wings have taught me both loyalty and patience as I waited 39 years before I saw the boys win in'97). I really don't think we will be Cup competitive for the next 3 yrs as we transition from the older core of Dats, Zetts and Kronwall to our future with the likes of Mrazek, Larkin, Mantha and AA. Throw forward prospects in like Turgeon and Svechnikov as well as D prospects like Russo, Saarijarvi and Hicketts plus this yrs. first and come 19/20 I think this team will be young, talented and Cup competitive.
P.S. Hicketts is not very tall(5'8") but still manages to weigh a solid 190(so far). There are not many 5'8" dmen in the NHL that I am aware of, but he reminds me quite a bit of Ryan Ellis of the Preds who also is not very big. Hicketts was a ppg player for his junior team in the WHL and was on the last 2 Team Canada Junior World Championship teams. If he doesn't make as a dman, I'd love to see what he can do as a forward.