Should the Wings move Tootoo this offseason?

[Brick Top]

Curious to hear what everyone thinks about Tootoo and his role or importance to the team heading into next season.

I'm taking all factors into consideration- cap hit, energy guy role, the way Babs uses him (or doesn't), avg TOI, to PK or not PK, etc...

IMO, the Wings should look to deal him if possible. He wasn't given much TOI during the regular season, and didn't see the ice in the playoffs. His cap hit is too high to have him in the press box during crucial regular season and post-season games. I wonder if Babcock lobbied to get him signed, then wasn't thrilled with the present he seemed to have hand-picked.

And it's not that I don't like him as a player- I like the idea of having a guy on the Wings who has some speed, hits like a truck, agitates the opposition, stands up for his guys and chips in a little offensively. Tootoo seems to have carved out a similar role to Shawn Thornton, except that Thornton continues to get 4th line mins in playoff games, often sparking his team with a hit or challenge to an opponent, while 22 sits them out.

I think he may as well be moved this offseason if his role and IT will remain the same into next season- any opinions?

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[Henkka]

He's fine. Overpaid but worth it. We need his kind of guy at East. Cap-savings will come from Sammy buyout.

 

[MBauer]

He's fine. Overpaid but worth it. We need his kind of guy at East. Cap-savings will come from Sammy buyout.

Why is everyone banking on Holland buying out Sammy/Bert, cmon this is Ken Holland, he has even said he looks forward to them being healthy for next season.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

As soon as Cleary is signed I really do think Sammy is going to be bought out. Especially if they work Brunner in too.

In any event, have seen a lot of Tootoo, going back to his days in Milwaukee. I used to say back then when he was a fan favorite he needed to learn how to pk. He never did and it has cost him at this level. If he could just do that I would be so much higher on him.

Tootoo is paid too much for his role, but I do think they need him. They just needed to make something clear in exit meetings. He needs to come in with the best shape of his life and he needs to study pk films and work on start and stop skating like his roster spot depends on it. Someone will claim Tootoo if he hits the waiver wire, so no worry about his salary if it comes to that.

But it would seem for a couple years of Babcock requesting just this player he got him and then completely misused him. The Tootoo situation is on Babcock in my opinion, he requested this and needs to find a solution. Tootoo also needs to look at what will lengthen his career and expand his role at this point in his career and put in the work and request to be given that chance.

I think Glendening will overtake Callahan in our system, but that is at least one thing Mitch has going for him. The Wings are developing him right to be a pest and player at the same time. Milwaukee and Nashville bought into selling tickets and ignoring some of the important development areas and growing pains Tootoo really needed to go through and he has paid the price for it.

He has speed and is willing to sacrifice his body, need to teach him shooting lanes and how to not always hunt the hit for 30 seconds on the pk three times a game. Would really help him and this team a ton.

 

[Henkka]

Why is everyone banking on Holland buying out Sammy/Bert, cmon this is Ken Holland, he has even said he looks forward to them being healthy for next seasons.

Bertuzzi is a lock for next season. He will play for us. They wont throw the biggest body out, when they are saying they want to get bigger.

Simple logic 1.

But Sammy gives us capspace to get better UFA's.

Simple logic 2.

 

[MBauer]

Bertuzzi is a lock for next season. He will play for us. They wont throw the biggest body out, when they are saying they want to get bigger.

Simple logic 1.

But Sammy gives us capspace to get better UFA's.

Simple logic 2.

I agree that it is the best option, but I still have my doubts that Holland will buy Sammy out.

 

[newfy]

I agree that it is the best option, but I still have my doubts that Holland will buy Sammy out.

Last lockout Holland bought out guys with a lot more history than Sammy.

As for the question, everyone was fine with how he was used and liked him out there during the regular season. Sure he didnt play playoffs but I think thats why these threads are popping up. Its a what have you done for me lately type thing and especially in that division next year it will be good to have him

 

[Chris 84]

we don't need tootoo. i never wanted him and he hasn't proved to be anything other than a waste of a roster space. if we can get anything for him (and maybe even if we can't) i'd ditch him.

 

[bababooeyII]

As soon as Cleary is signed I really do think Sammy is going to be bought out. Especially if they work Brunner in too.

In any event, have seen a lot of Tootoo, going back to his days in Milwaukee. I used to say back then when he was a fan favorite he needed to learn how to pk. He never did and it has cost him at this level. If he could just do that I would be so much higher on him.

Tootoo is paid too much for his role, but I do think they need him. They just needed to make something clear in exit meetings. He needs to come in with the best shape of his life and he needs to study pk films and work on start and stop skating like his roster spot depends on it. Someone will claim Tootoo if he hits the waiver wire, so no worry about his salary if it comes to that.

But it would seem for a couple years of Babcock requesting just this player he got him and then completely misused him. The Tootoo situation is on Babcock in my opinion, he requested this and needs to find a solution. Tootoo also needs to look at what will lengthen his career and expand his role at this point in his career and put in the work and request to be given that chance.

I think Glendening will overtake Callahan in our system, but that is at least one thing Mitch has going for him. The Wings are developing him right to be a pest and player at the same time. Milwaukee and Nashville bought into selling tickets and ignoring some of the important development areas and growing pains Tootoo really needed to go through and he has paid the price for it.

He has speed and is willing to sacrifice his body, need to teach him shooting lanes and how to not always hunt the hit for 30 seconds on the pk three times a game. Would really help him and this team a ton.

Glendening is not Wings property and there is no room for him, as for him over taking Callahan, since the Wings love small players that may indeed come to pass but Callahan is the only real prospect who plays a Matt Cooke, mean hard game.

 

[Big Poppa Puck]

No. Slightly overpayed, but he's fine. People are overreacting to him not playing in the playoffs. I think he'll be more useful in the East.

 

[Brick Top]

No. Slightly overpayed, but he's fine. People are overreacting to him not playing in the playoffs. I think he'll be more useful in the East.

I don't think I want a guy costing $1.9M per that the coach doesn't trust when the season is on the line. And unless Babs changes his view on Tootoo, I don't see why he'd be more likely to him play in a PO series next season in the East than he was this season.

Again, I really like that role on this team, and think they need a little backbone like that on the forward lines. I don't care that he doesn't PK as the Wings should have enough forwards on the team to nail that down. But if the PK thing, bad penalties, or something else has cause Babs to not want Tootoo on the ice in big games, just move him to use the cap space on someone else.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Glendening is not Wings property and there is no room for him, as for him over taking Callahan, since the Wings love small players that may indeed come to pass but Callahan is the only real prospect who plays a Matt Cooke, mean hard game.

Still hopeful that Glendening will be Wings property here shortly, and he plays a pest role just fine with better skating and better defense. Be nice if both of them made it, real buzz saw line with absolutely no back down.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

Glendening is not Wings property and there is no room for him, as for him over taking Callahan, since the Wings love small players that may indeed come to pass but Callahan is the only real prospect who plays a Matt Cooke, mean hard game.

There absolutely is room for Glendening if the Wings want him. They could buy out Aubry and some of the other AHL guys.

 

[Frk It]

I don't think I want a guy costing $1.9M per that the coach doesn't trust when the season is on the line. And unless Babs changes his view on Tootoo, I don't see why he'd be more likely to him play in a PO series next season in the East than he was this season.

Again, I really like that role on this team, and think they need a little backbone like that on the forward lines. I don't care that he doesn't PK as the Wings should have enough forwards on the team to nail that down. But if the PK thing, bad penalties, or something else has cause Babs to not want Tootoo on the ice in big games, just move him to use the cap space on someone else.

Then what do you think of Gustavsson?

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Then what do you think of Gustavsson?

Honestly I don't think much of Monster other than I do believe he is an upgrade over Joey MacDonald and Ty Conklin.

Babcock seems to do a horrible job of managing backup netminders at least he has in Detroit. In any event we will have to see what he is next year. He needs to stay healthy and get sharp and then be managed properly. None of that really happened this year, very hard to grade him as a lot of that was out of his control.

 

[Brick Top]

Then what do you think of Gustavsson?

Tbh, I really haven't thought about him much at all this season. He didn't play much, wasn't great when he was in, got hurt, and then it seemed like Howie played a ton of games in a row.

I did think he'd be an upgrade over the previous few backups, and he's getting paid about what other former starters seem to get in backup roles (Steve Mason also gets $1.5M per).

To your point, I suppose that I prefer $1.5M tied up in a backup goalie in the event that Howard suffers a serious injury as opposed to $1.9M for 2 more years for guy like 22 that the coach doesn't seem to trust, even though he's playing the same brand of hockey that Babs coached in Anaheim.

 

[Frk It]

I guess I just really don't have an issue with Tootoo. I like the energy and grit he brings to the team, whether he plays in the playoffs or not.

What I do I have an issue with having 2 guys under contract for another year that played a combined 11 regular season games (Bert and Sammy). At least 1 needs to be bought out, and ideally neither play a game for the Wings next year. They are 38 and 36.

Also there's Cleary. Just don't even get me started with that one.

 

[Gyldenlove]

I don't mind Tootoo, he surprised me this season and actually contributed positively in several games with some very strong forechecking and much less idiocy and fewer bad penalties than I expected.

Tootoo is actually I guy I think will be worth more next season when we play in the East. The EC is home to more goons and idiots like Marchand and Cooke who definitely needs a solid helping of knuckle sandwich in their life.

If we assume nobody is bought out and all RFAs are resigned then we end up with a roster of:

Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Franzen, Samuelson, Helm, Bertuzzi, Tootoo, Abdelkader, Miller, Eaves, Emmerton, Tatar, Andersson, Nyquist (14 forwards)
Kronwall, Ericsson, Quincey, Cola, DeKeyser, Kindl, Smith, Lashoff (8 backs)
Howard and Gustafson (2 goalies)

That is 4 more than we can dress and I believe some of them would be exposed to waivers.

Several players can put on the list of guys who are definitely returning unless they are subject to a trade:

Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Franzen, Helm, Abdelkader, Miller, Tatar, Nyquist, Andersson, Tootoo
Kronwall, Ericsson, DeKeyser, Cola, Kindl, Smith
Howard and Gustafson

Bertuzzi and Samuelson may be bought out and I believe there is a possibility that Eaves gets waived - I think he could be picked up by another team midseason once injuries begin piling up. There is a chance Quincey could be bought out, but I don't believe he will - he does qualify for a compliance buyout.

If the team adds any free agents from outside the organization or retains one or more UFAs there will need to be trades or buyouts as there are simply not sufficient roster spots. One thing that is clear is that there is a lack of secondary scorers on the team, outside of Datsyuk and Zetterberg there are no reliable point getters, the group of top 6 forwards who is not a euro-twin is hopeless with Franzen being the only proven option despite his unstable play. There are several people who only fit the role of grinding or checking (Helm, Eaves, Miller, Emmerton, Andersson, Abdelkader) there are a few young talented players who may not be ready for top 6 duty (Nyquist and Tatar) and Samuelson and Bertuzzi who are too slow, not skilled enough and lack useful special skills to be relied on to score points or play defense.