GDT: NHL Free Agency Meeting period

[Larkin2AA]

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.

I get the perception because its something I understood when I moved to Michigan from Washington back in 2010. I almost moved to Michigan in 2009 but it didn't work out. Visiting here and driving from the airport to Rochester you could see how bad Detroit looked, but now, damn near 10 years later, its definitely changed, and its beautiful down there. I'd say in the next 10 years, Detroit will be a destination city.

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

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.

Yeah, that's reasonable. However... it isn't like guys in the NHL aren't familiar with the cities and what's around them. Guys in the league talk. Teams fly into Metro (likely) and around Metro and the trip to downtown is nice. Plus, you have several elder statesmen of the league (Yzerman, Shanahan, Chelios, etc) and current or recently retired players (Zetterberg, Nyquist, Holmstrom, etc) who all would have sang the praises of Metro Detroit.

And ****ing hell, we literally have the USNDT playing in Plymouth, a growing number of guys from Ann Arbor and East Lansing making the league, and Oakland County where they all live is one of the richest counties in the country.

The public at large and the guys in the league are two very different subsets of people. Obv Detroit doesn't compare with the hugest markets in the league like NY, but Detroit also would not carry the same scarlet letter with professional athletes as it does with Joe Schmo.

Edit: Further, you have Larkin orchestrate the Jim Johannson memorial game in Plymouth that had every single American hockey star in town. And if you think Larkin didn't talk up the city and the surrounding area, you're crazy.

 

[ZDH]

Canes to match offer sheet according to TSN.

How shocking.

I can't believe that they are not giving up one of the best centers in the game in their low 20s at a cap hit 2 million less per year than they were envisioning paying in the first place for a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd? Like wtf Waddell?

Anyone who thought this attempt wasn't a pretend offer is completely out to lunch.

Oh let's front load the shit out of it that'll get them. No it f***ing wont Dundon just drop kicked $70,000,000 into an incinerator a month prior. Dude had a 1.1 billion dollar net worth 5 f***ing years ago he could drop kick 70 million a year for the next 20 years straight and still match...

 

[ShanahanMan]

Canes to match offer sheet according to TSN.

How shocking.

I can't believe that they are not giving up one of the best centers in the game in their low 20s at a cap hit 2 million less per year than they were envisioning paying in the first place for a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd? Like wtf Waddell?

Anyone who thought this attempt wasn't a pretend offer is completely out to lunch.

Apparently there were rumors that ownership is under financial distress and trying to avoid any big contracts. Maybe they were relying on that.

 

[Snuggs]

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.

Pistons jumped shipped and there attendance went down even more... I forget where I read it but they literally have less fans going to games and a ton of those fans that quit going were from Oakland County,(Auburn Hills area). * Same story says the ticket sales didn't go down because of corporate sponsors/help.

They moved because the ultimate play is to get a new arena (paid for) like the Red Wings did in the city and the owner to gain more value in the Pistons franchise. Nothing the Pistons are doing is/are about winning, it's all a reality/investment play. (Which is why they're unwatchable to most fans)

I don't think it matters if Red Wings or any of our teams played in the City or in the Suburbs, there's just some-things Michigan can't sell someone with choices/money. Lions did well in the Silverdome too, that was in Pontiac.

Roads suck, taxes are high for a small market, insurance is high, weather is not great. It's basically the equivalent to going and playing in the Twin Cities/Milwaukee/Buffalo/Columbus. I can understand why players, given that they have choices would choose other teams/places than the Red Wings if money is equal. I can really understand when we're not even in contention for a championship why they would choose other places, which is what I think you're eludding to here and I'm going to piggy-back. No one wants to sign with a bad team if they have the choice to sign with good teams.

It's not a hell-hole either though I do get upset when people act like they're stepping into Mexico City or Juarez for the first time or something.

 

[ZDH]

Apparently there were rumors that ownership is under financial distress and trying to avoid any big contracts. Maybe they were relying on that.

Yea I edited my post for that reason.

I see that line of thought but I'm not buying it.

 

[Gniwder]

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.

You're right about relocating to a suburb, it won't help. The perception is that the whole entire SE Michigan area is a dump anyways. Mind you I lived there 3 times, didn't really like the area until the third time when I lived in Brighton. I've also lived in 7 different states (but 2 of them don't have hockey teams). I know how people outside of Michigan perceive the state.

The team won't have the cap flexibility to do anything significant until next season. That was my point with the Niskanen story, which I think was actually about the Wings.

Anyways, at least someone understood the "narrative".

 

[Snuggs]

Not super thrilled with the signings but I'm not like, outraged either.

I want Jake Gardiner, If we can land him I'll be happy with the offseason. I didn't expect a major signing really other than the outside shot of Gardiner coming here for money/term. Yzerman said he didn't want to give anything beyond 3 years... but, we'll see what happens.

Nemeth/Filppula didnt/don't make me mad for 2 years, would of rather had 1 year deals, but Yzerman also has said he's not going to block any young players and he'll deal with that situation if it presents itself. Which to me, means, he's not afraid to let go and waive/trade veteran players.

I'd of like to seen a guy at RW that can nestle in the 2nd line unit. Outside of Mantha, Red Wings are struggling from the RW.

 

[Snuggs]

* Edit * Double post *

 

[ShanahanMan]

Pistons jumped shipped and there attendance went down even more... I forget where I read it but they literally have less fans going to games and a ton of those fans that quit going were from Oakland County,(Auburn Hills area). * Same story says the ticket sales didn't go down because of corporate sponsors/help.

They moved because the ultimate play is to get a new arena (paid for) like the Red Wings did in the city and the owner to gain more value in the Pistons franchise. Nothing the Pistons are doing is/are about winning, it's all a reality/investment play. (Which is why they're unwatchable to most fans)

I don't think it matters if Red Wings or any of our teams played in the City or in the Suburbs, there's just some-things Michigan can't sell someone with choices/money. Lions did well in the Silverdome too, that was in Pontiac.

Roads suck, taxes are high for a small market, insurance is high, weather is not great. It's basically the equivalent to going and playing in the Twin Cities/Milwaukee/Buffalo/Columbus. I can understand why players, given that they have choices would choose other teams/places than the Red Wings if money is equal. I can really understand when we're not even in contention for a championship why they would choose other places, which is what I think you're eludding to here and I'm going to piggy-back. No one wants to sign with a bad teams if they have the choice to sign with good teams.

It's not a hell-hole either though I do get upset when people act like they're stepping into Mexico City or Juarez for the first time or something.

Not sure. I’ve known a fair amount of people, especially those with family, who live in Oakland County and gave up their season tickets cause they refused to drive to Detroit anymore. I was all for the new arena, but I think more people would have been attracted to it if it wasn’t Detroit. Unfortunately, most people just don’t want to go to the city for any reason. The ones that do go to games, don’t stick around once the games are over.

 

[ShanahanMan]

Yeah, that's reasonable. However... it isn't like guys in the NHL aren't familiar with the cities and what's around them. Guys in the league talk. Teams fly into Metro (likely) and around Metro and the trip to downtown is nice. Plus, you have several elder statesmen of the league (Yzerman, Shanahan, Chelios, etc) and current or recently retired players (Zetterberg, Nyquist, Holmstrom, etc) who all would have sang the praises of Metro Detroit.

And ****ing hell, we literally have the USNDT playing in Plymouth, a growing number of guys from Ann Arbor and East Lansing making the league, and Oakland County where they all live is one of the richest counties in the country.

The public at large and the guys in the league are two very different subsets of people. Obv Detroit doesn't compare with the hugest markets in the league like NY, but Detroit also would not carry the same scarlet letter with professional athletes as it does with Joe Schmo.

Edit: Further, you have Larkin orchestrate the Jim Johannson memorial game in Plymouth that had every single American hockey star in town. And if you think Larkin didn't talk up the city and the surrounding area, you're crazy.

In small does I’m sure players don’t mind being there (away games, exhibition matches), but no players in their prime want to be there, especially when the team is a bottom feeder. They might as well play for Florida.

 

[Snuggs]

Not sure. I’ve known a fair amount of people, especially those with family, who live in Oakland County and gave up their season tickets cause they refused to drive to Detroit anymore. I was all for the new arena, but I think more people would have been attracted to it if it wasn’t Detroit. Unfortunately, most people just don’t want to go to the city for any reason. The ones that do go to games, don’t stick around once the games are over.

I think people would love it if the team was good, they actually put the Red Wings logo on the top with LED lights like that artist rendering had instead of the stupid "Little Ceasers" crap. They're not exactly developing the area like they said they would outside of the new arena, either. But most importantly of all... People want to root for winners!

Basically, all's I'm saying, is people would come watch the team(s) if either team, any team (Tigers/Pistons/Red Wings) were actually good/competitive. It's just not worth it to drive down and pay up on everything that entails going to a game, (Food/drink/ticket/parking). It's cheaper to do other things and frankly more entertaining to invite your friends over for the game(s), food, drink... than a night out watching the team at the arena/ball-field.

Lions are a different case because it's football and well... footballs king in America.

 

[ShanahanMan]

I think people would love it if the team was good, they actually put the Red Wings logo on the top with LED lights like that artist rendering had instead of the stupid "Little Ceasers" crap. They're not exactly developing the area like they said they would outside of the new arena, either. But most importantly of all... They want to root for winners!

Basically, people would come watch the team(s) if either team, any team (Tigers/Pistons/Red Wings) were actually good/competitive. It's just not worth it to drive down and pay up on everything that entails going to a game, (Food/drink/ticket/parking). It's cheaper to do other things and frankly more entertaining at the moment with most of the above teams games.

Lions are a different case because it's football and well... footballs king in America.

Meh, up until 2011 or so I’d agree, but even while the team was still very competitive, around this time I started noticing the arena becoming more and more empty. Being competitive I’m sure would help, but I just don’t think people want to go into the city. I mean, I found it embarrassing that even during the inaugural games, there were tons of empty seats (and i don’t buy that “exploring the concourse” excuse they still use for one minute).

 

[Ezekial]

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.

Hell, 2 weeks ago some guy at work said the entire city of Chicago is a war zone. I live in the city but right on the NW outskirts and go out to the burbs for work for now, that guy lives about 35 mins away from there, closer to Wisconsin than downtown Chicago. People are stupid. A few bad neighborhoods you would never possibly find yourself in.

 

[smtevo]

What does everyone think about this offer sheet....

Mitch Marner 9.9million x 5 years.

 

[Bigslow]

So how do we get Stevie to ship a left handed dman to Montreal ? Or do they still need a left handed dman?

 

[A II R]

What does everyone think about this offer sheet....

Mitch Marner 9.9million x 5 years.

Matched in less than 5 seconds. He wants more money than that and could get that deal from TO now.

 

[Oddbob]

Hell, 2 weeks ago some guy at work said the entire city of Chicago is a war zone. I live in the city but right on the NW outskirts and go out to the burbs for work for now, that guy lives about 35 mins away from there, closer to Wisconsin than downtown Chicago. People are stupid. A few bad neighborhoods you would never possibly find yourself in.

This kind of stuff always bugs me with regards to calling this place or that place a dump. Far as I can tell, every city, town or whatever has really nice areas, decent areas, middle ground areas and dumpy areas. I have only visited Detroit maybe 10-12 times, and right near the Detroit/Windsor border there is some scary looking areas where I wouldn't want to be alone at night, but then there are other areas, that look fantastic and like everywhere else you see. I think that is how it is, everywhere has a little bit of everything, and people for whatever reason just call certain cities on the whole as dumps when they are probably all the same.

 

[ZDH]

What does everyone think about this offer sheet....

Mitch Marner 9.9million x 5 years.

Mitch wouldn't sign that

 

[lhsgolf19]

Come on Jake, just sign a 1 year deal

 

[kliq]

Come on Jake, just sign a 1 year deal

Everything Trouba has ever done has indicated that he wants to hit UFA status. This could be a negotiation tactic (I think Tatar did this a couple years go) but, if he ends up with a 1 year deal, I will be ecstatic!

 

[obey86]

Everything Trouba has ever done has indicated that he wants to hit UFA status. This could be a negotiation tactic (I think Tatar did this a couple years go) but, if he ends up with a 1 year deal, I will be ecstatic!

If he gets a 1 year deal through arb how soon can he sign a contract extension with NY?

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Everything Trouba has ever done has indicated that he wants to hit UFA status. This could be a negotiation tactic (I think Tatar did this a couple years go) but, if he ends up with a 1 year deal, I will be ecstatic!

If memory serves filing for arbitration is more about the deadline to file paperwork more than an indication of anything about re-signing.

Like you have to file the paperwork by a certain date to ever have the option of arbitration if things get to that point, so might as well do it.

 

[kliq]

If memory serves filing for arbitration is more about the deadline to file paperwork more than an indication of anything about re-signing.

Like you have to file the paperwork by a certain date to ever have the option of arbitration if things get to that point, so might as well do it.

That is true, but if he didn’t file it would indicate that he is on the verge of signing. This guarantees nothing, but is a good sign for the wings.

 

[kliq]

If he gets a 1 year deal through arb how soon can he sign a contract extension with NY?

That I’m not sure of, but I would imagine if he signs a one year deal that he waits to see what is out there when he becomes a UFA.