Looking at the Red Wings FA signings this season, I don't have the same angst as some, in part because for both KH and the Red Wings organisation the word 'rebuild' was never going to be synonymous with 'tank'.
We know this because Holland has always maintained that a competitive environment with as few 'dead' games as possible is vital for player development and avoiding the decade plus slumps of Edmonton, Arizona and others. I suppose the altered odds of the lottery system make this an easier view to take. Certainly the only teams for who the fire-sale tank has worked have been those who have augmented existing top 10 picks with a generational or similar level prospect.
While I suspect most of us would fancy chasing Jack Hughes, there are other factors at play...
- empty seats at LCA...no concourse is so interesting for 6 months.
- Trying to convince Zetterberg to stay at least until Ras or Veleno are ready to be NHL centers
- The team's contractual situation going forward.
The latter situation is the most interesting. The summer of 2019 will be the first one where the Wings start to climb out from under poor value contracts. It also gives more possible trading assets if the season mirrors the previous one.
Sure Kronner won't get traded, but Bernier's term greatly increases the chance of losing Howard as a rental if this team remains as far away as we think. Nyquist's situation is also interesting. We know Vanek has limited trade value at the deadline, but having seen the return for Tatar, the prospect of getting a late first or a second and a third for even a rental Nyquist is not implausible.
Much depends on the decision of our Captain. One has to assume that a decision not to return, or a mid season decision to call time on things come the summer would have several impacts.
Quite apart from it representing, along with the end of Howard, Nyquist and Kronwall's contracts, the dying embers of the Swedish dominated team of perennial contenders, it would also enforce a sea change.
With those departing it becomes the team of Larkin, Mantha, and which ever kids convince most this season. It also forces questions to be asked about those other guys, nearer the end than the start of their careers, who will never be team leaders. Helm, Abby, Ericsson, Daley.
Even without Z hanging up his skates, much of this potential roster change will be natural wastage given the contract situations, which is exactly why Wings fans need not panic about these signings. While it's likely that only 1 or 2 youngsters make the line-up on opening night, as Holland suggests, there is a good chance several see good NHL exposure this season, with 3-4 being regulars at the season's end. Unless the team shows major improvement and is clear into the playoffs, there is a good chance 2-3 established roster players will not be at the club in April. There's no way the wings re-up Howard or Nyquist on their current salaries, and Jensen will be looking over his shoulder too.
And that's ignoring the significant potential for injury on this roster given its age and the injury records of a number of the players.
I DO agree that Ras and Zadina, injury permitting should get at least the 9 games to be looked at, which should give us a good indication of their readyness, and if Z doesn't return, it gets easier to trade Nyquist from the organisation's standpoint.
I also think it's vital that Hronek and Cholo get at least a look, as come the summer of 2020 it might only be DDK of our current back line on the roster.
I am confident, however, that both these things will happen.
. The next 1-2 years we have to go hard after top 2 potential pairing defenders. Though the one good thing is if some of the newly drafted centers get to a top 6 or better level we can then potentially package 1, plus a pick, plus a salary offset for a guy like Faulk, Doughty or similiar veined defender.
