GDT: NHL Free Agency Meeting period

[wingfan]

It’s extremely bizarre. People bring up Holland, and it’s like, it was good when’s Holland signed cheap depth to one or two year deals in the last two years too? I do not understand at all.

This. I never had a problem with the Vanek signing, Daley signing, etc. My problem with Holland was signing Samuelsson and peddling him as a top 6 scoring winger fix or some of his extensions like DDK's, Abdelkader's, Helm's. It was never the depth signings that were just that, depth. It was his other terrible deals.

 

[obey86]

honestly considering that how bad these moves are depends entirely on whether or not the Wings are willing to bench vets to make room for prospects down the line i'd say that Holland hypothetically getting bashed more for making them is entirely justified in a way that's not even "lets give some slack to the new gm"

Holland didn't make the lineup decisions, that's on the coach.

There were plenty of times in the past where Holland publicly said he was willing to keep a young guy up in the NHL but he wasn't going to do it if that player wasn't going to get a sufficient amount of ice time or was often going to be a healthy scratch......because that wouldn't have been good for his development.

 

[obey86]

It’s extremely bizarre. People bring up Holland, and it’s like, it was good when’s Holland signed cheap depth to one or two year deals in the last two years too? I do not understand at all.

You should read the Filppula thread from last offseason. Hell, even the Datsyuk one from this season before Yzerman was hired. General consensus was that we shouldn't bring back old former Red Wings as stopgaps and that it would be a dumb move. It was seen as a negative and Holland was just being too nostalgic with players he was familiar with because they played here before. Now that Yzerman brings back a former player, it's all good though and none of that matters anymore.

 

[Frk It]

It is seriously time to move on from what you think the reaction would be if Holland made the moves. He isn't our GM anymore.

Would be a lot more productive if nothing else. It’s about as enjoyable as dating someone who constantly brings up their ex.

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

''For a rebuilding club with a new GM we didnt pckg picks to move up at the draft, didnt sell cap space for picks or prospects, didnt take a swing at signing a young guy with upside looking for a new enviroment nor did make a trade whatsoever and steal a guy from a cap desperate team.
Not what I was hoping to see to be honest.''
i call that pissing and moaning , what do you call it positive comments ? as opposed to respecting yzermans proven prowess as an nhl gm and dealing in the reality that he knows more than you about the nhl and that those manuevers you wanted him to do werent what is currently best for the red wings . then instead of filling this forum up with more wrongly based complaints focusing on the positives of whats going on with the red wings . yes its your right to criticize but try running your statement by an nhl insider and theyll repeat my original comment on the matter .

I call it honest reflection.

I have not called for Sys head nor his resignation
I have not said I do not support his plan and call for patience
I have not said I disagree with building via the draft

I simply and only said I am surprised he hasent been more proactive while still not jeopardizing the longterm plan, ie perhaps trading up at the draft to add another 1st, taking a cap dump for a pick(like a marleau for a 1st), trading for peanuts from a cap crunched team(like subban for a 2nd).

I think that is fair. That is not pissing and moaning. That is a valid and fair reflection on what I had hoped to see from him as our new GM.

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

You should read the Filppula thread from last offseason. Hell, even the Datsyuk one from this season before Yzerman was hired. General consensus was that we shouldn't bring back old former Red Wings as stopgaps and that it would be a dumb move. It was seen as a negative and Holland was just being too nostalgic with players he was familiar with because they played here before. Now that Yzerman brings back a former player, it's all good though and none of that matters anymore.

I have, and those posts were dumb too.

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

You should read the Filppula thread from last offseason. Hell, even the Datsyuk one from this season before Yzerman was hired. General consensus was that we shouldn't bring back old former Red Wings as stopgaps and that it would be a dumb move. It was seen as a negative and Holland was just being too nostalgic with players he was familiar with because they played here before. Now that Yzerman brings back a former player, it's all good though and none of that matters anymore.

It was seen as a negative because people wanted to find things to hate about Holland's moves. And hell, Yzerman signing Filppula is an okay move. It isn't being viewed as some master stroke, just an "okay". Kind of like what the Daley, Ott, etc. contracts were usually or should have been seen as.

The history of things like giving Abby WAY too much money or signing Helm to his ludicrous deal or fulfilling a cap-circumvention contract with Dan Cleary also played into that. Sure it got overblown, but there were serious worries about Holland's objectivity after the Helm and Cleary deals.

And the Datsyuk one? The guy is in his 40s. It would have been a ludicrously stupid move for either GM to countenance it for a second.

Yzerman stood down Steven Stamkos and MSL who were both higher profile guys than damn near EVERYONE on the Wings from the time Lidstrom left. So if he's signing Filppula, it's a "hey, this cat can help us" not a "I love Val "

 

[InjuredChoker]

i'd have like one year deals, esp. for flip. easier to sell contract like that at the deadline.

 

[raymond23]

You should read the Filppula thread from last offseason. Hell, even the Datsyuk one from this season before Yzerman was hired. General consensus was that we shouldn't bring back old former Red Wings as stopgaps and that it would be a dumb move. It was seen as a negative and Holland was just being too nostalgic with players he was familiar with because they played here before. Now that Yzerman brings back a former player, it's all good though and none of that matters anymore.

I think we've all heard your point by now. What's the end goal here dude?

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Words from the (Yzer)man himself:

“We were looking at doing shorter term deals with everyone we spoke with,” Yzerman said. “Being new to the organization, I wanted to proceed somewhat slowly and kind of get to know what we have within the organization. I think I have a good handle on the NHL team, but the kids, the prospects we have coming, the players we have in Grand Rapids, I want to balance the flexibility of providing opportunity for our young players, but also try to help the Detroit Red Wings immediately as much as possible.

“The shorter term deals made the most sense for us at this stage, hence we signed three players on two-year contracts. They are all designed to help us immediately, but our hands aren’t necessarily tied to long-term contracts.”

Filppula:

“We had a hole in the middle, we felt. With Dylan Larkin, Frans Nielsen, Luke Glendening down the middle, potentially (Jacob) de la Rose can play there, Abby (Justin Abdelkader), Darren Helm could play there. We have options, but we’re looking for someone – playmaking, can play on the power play. We wanted to add another centerman and that allows the coach to put Andreas Athanasiou back on the wing. We know late in the season he played some center and looked good there, but the natural position is on the wing and that allows us to put him back on the wing. Fil is a very good two-way centerman, he can win faceoffs, he can play in all situations. We really felt we were going to plug a hole by plugging him in.”

Nemeth:

“He’s a big, strong, solid defensive defenseman. He kills penalties well, defends well. He’s a heavy body and we felt whether playing with Mike Green or Filip Hronek, he’s going to be a very good partner for that type of player – a puck-mover, offensive, right-handed shot guy. We felt with the uncertainty of Nik Kronwall, and Trevor Daley and Jonathan Ericsson’s time with injuries, and going into the last year of their contracts, it was important to bring in a defenseman that can play now on the left side, and help us in the future as well.”

Detroit Red Wings' Steve Yzerman explains how their prospects impact free agency

So basically he made short term deals to give him and Blashill flexibility as they evaluate the young talent on the team.

 

[Gniwder]

in first place none of the big names were going to sign here .

THIS ^

Why the heck would any elite (or even marginal top line) player want to sign with a dumpster fire team in a dumpster fire city? Did all of you suddenly forget that the team plays in Detroit?

Niskanen did a radio interview in DC (was traded last month), said a team offered more money than the Caps but he didn't sign with them because the team didn't have enough cap space to be competitive if he signed the contract.

There's not a star player in the NHL that will sign with the Wings right now, that's why the GM is forced to sign has beens and overpaid 3rd pair D. Hopefully the situation improves as the prospects mature. When the time comes where the team is missing only one or two pieces, that when Stevie should hit the FA market hard. That's what the Caps did.

Also, signing middle pair D or middle 6 forwards to long term contracts wouldn't make any sense anyways. We have those developing in the system, save the cap space for top line players 2 to 4 years from now.

 

[Hammettf2b]

 

[raymond23]

Wonder if Pat Maroon is an option? On a 1 or 2 year then flip at the deadline

 

[ShelbyZ]

I would, for the right price, and given Vegas's cap situation, the price might be right.

Especially since the Wings have the space to take on Clarkson's contract as well.

Gusev
Clarkson

for

Daley (50% retained)
A pick

 

[SimonEdvinssonAtSix]

THIS ^

Why the heck would any elite (or even marginal top line) player want to sign with a dumpster fire team in a dumpster fire city? Did all of you suddenly forget that the team plays in Detroit?
.

This narrative needs to die. These guys are not slumming it on 8 mile, they live in wealthy neighborhoods.

 

[izlez]

Words from the (Yzer)man himself:

"I think I have a good handle on the NHL team..."

"We had a hole in the middle...Abby (Justin Abdelkader)... could play there"

I think Yzerman might need to do some brushing up on his NHL team again.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Wonder if Pat Maroon is an option? On a 1 or 2 year then flip at the deadline

He is pretty close friends with Larkin if I remember right.

 

[Christien]

Wouldn't be surprised to see us sign Tkachyov, right handed skilled winger that's more of a playmaker. I guess he has some NHL teams interested in signing him.

 

[datsyukfan]

Wouldn't be surprised to see us sign Tkachyov, right handed skilled winger that's more of a playmaker. I guess he has some NHL teams interested in signing him.

Wouldn't hate at all if we get him or Gusev. Would make sense with Stevie's RW comments from yesterday

 

[NickH8]

This narrative needs to die. These guys are not slumming it on 8 mile, they live in wealthy neighborhoods.

But you can't deny Detroit isn't the ideal place for a young multimillionaire. These guys want to have fun, and cities like Tampa Bay, New York, LA, and Nashville provide that more than Detroit. They will come when we're competitive again because of history and all that, but we're not going to sign a guy like Panarin while we're rebuilding like the Rangers just did.

 

[SimonEdvinssonAtSix]

But you can't deny Detroit isn't the ideal place for a young multimillionaire. These guys want to have fun, and cities like Tampa Bay, New York, LA, and Nashville provide that more than Detroit. They will come when we're competitive again because of history and all that, but we're not going to sign a guy like Panarin while we're rebuilding like the Rangers just did.

Sure, and I never said otherwise.

 

[ShanahanMan]

THIS ^

Why the heck would any elite (or even marginal top line) player want to sign with a dumpster fire team in a dumpster fire city? Did all of you suddenly forget that the team plays in Detroit?

Niskanen did a radio interview in DC (was traded last month), said a team offered more money than the Caps but he didn't sign with them because the team didn't have enough cap space to be competitive if he signed the contract.

There's not a star player in the NHL that will sign with the Wings right now, that's why the GM is forced to sign has beens and overpaid 3rd pair D. Hopefully the situation improves as the prospects mature. When the time comes where the team is missing only one or two pieces, that when Stevie should hit the FA market hard. That's what the Caps did.

Also, signing middle pair D or middle 6 forwards to long term contracts wouldn't make any sense anyways. We have those developing in the system, save the cap space for top line players 2 to 4 years from now.

Stings to hear but you’re probably right. Holland said himself a few years ago no one wanted to sign here.

That’s why I said a while ago, should have moved the team to Novi or something.

 

[Larkin2AA]

Stings to hear but you’re probably right. Holland said himself a few years ago no one wanted to sign here.

That’s why I said a while ago, should have moved the team to Novi or something.

This is a lazy take. Detroit may not match up with the top cities in America (duh), but its still a cool city with great suburbs. Most of the younger players hang around Royal Oak, Rochester, Birmingham, Ferndale, Troy, etc. Downtown Detroit is growing and there is plenty to do down there for a young player.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

This is a lazy take. Detroit may not match up with the top cities in America (duh), but its still a cool city with great suburbs. Most of the younger players hang around Royal Oak, Rochester, Birmingham, Ferndale, Troy, etc. Downtown Detroit is growing and there is plenty to do down there for a young player.

As someone who grew up in Michigan and moved away more recently... people from other states don't feel this way. When I mention I'm from Michigan, I have about 2 minutes until somebody makes a Flint water comment. If I bring up Detroit, the first thing I'll have to explain is that it's not a warzone. That's the prevailing narrative in other states.

I wouldn't be surprised if guys who aren't from here have this same perception, that Michigan is poor, violent, and badly run.

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

Stings to hear but you’re probably right. Holland said himself a few years ago no one wanted to sign here.

That’s why I said a while ago, should have moved the team to Novi or something.

The team being in Novi wouldn't do a G-D thing to improve anything. The guys all live in Novi and West Bloomfield and Birmingham anyway. If anything, it being in Detroit makes the team money. Why do you think the Pistons jumped at the chance to come back downtown even though the Palace was a beautiful building? It isn't convenient for people to head out to the suburbs for games.

And nobody wanted to sign here because it was plain as day that we had a reckoning coming with the cap. Datsyuk and Z were going to drop off... and we didn't have the cap flexibility to do the sweeping changes to actually make it worthwhile to come here.

God I hate being a rebuilding team. It's even worse than when you're good and have bandwagon fans. You have the crazies feel free to come out and throw outlandish ideas over the place and piss and moan over us signing depth veterans for depth veteran prices so we aren't just going to toss our prospects into the fire come hell or high water.