MBH
Players Play
I don't think its fair to compare the Wings to LA with a still very productive Kopitar and Doughty on the team. When Z and Kronner fell apart we really had no workable vets left.
As for NYR and Panarin, you need the players to want to sign here. NY has a certain draw even when a team is bad that Detroit lacks. Its not going to draw in a lot of youngish guys looking to party and live it up. Early 30s guys with kids and wives is a whole other scenario, but we don't really want or need those guys right now.
I do agree that we are tanking, just not full tanking. Yzerman is making sure the team is driven by the skills of our young players for better or worse while bringing in some vets to prevent a young team from spiraling. We aren't going to be artificially propped up by one or two players in their late prime years.
Yzerman knows that a bad cap situation can mess up your cup window. You have to commit to the right guys. I'd hate to have to potentially trade a Seider in a few years because we signed a Tyler Johnson esque player. In a flat cap world people will eventually not have money to spend.
It's not a comparison.
It is what it is.
Some bad teams spend money. Some don't.
That's a choice.
A couple years ago, Buffalo traded for Ryan O'Reilly. They signed Jeff Skinner. They signed Okposo.
They f***ed up.
Do you want Yzerman to do that?
Probably not (though Ryan O'Reilly is great).
But what about Panarin?
Personally, I like Panarin, but I don't think he makes much sense.
Again, the Rangers made a choice.
Yzerman is making his choice.
He'd rather finish bottom five than with fillers and prospects than spend a lot of money and flirt with a playoff spot.
And we all f***ing know it.
Now, I think the day is soon coming when he'll change his mind.