To Protect or Not to Protect: Red Wings Expansion Draft Series

[Vatican Roulette]

For the record, I think if MAF comes to Vegas, he stays in Vegas.

I think we're a little more "win now" here in Vegas than the experts think.

Didn't McPhee say that as well?

 

[Winger98]

Maybe that explains why we are a bad team with no cap space and a gloomy forecast for the foreseeable future.

Yeah, this is what I was leaning towards, too. It can be read that we just complain too much, but it can also be read that our GM has a pretty roughly constructed roster with a number of questionable deals.

 

[BattleBorn]

Didn't McPhee say that as well?

McPhee hasn't said much that I know of in regards to MAF. I wouldn't expect him to considering the fact that MAF isn't a Knight yet.

A lot of people expect us to draft him and send him somewhere for assets. I don't think that will happen. Could be wrong, but I think he stays.

 

[Ezekial]

Brendan Smith will retire a player with more offensive upside than Dekeyser could ever dream of having and likely zero 20+ point seasons. Dekeyser will retire with no offensive upside and plenty of 20+ point seasons. I know which player I'd rather have. But that upside though! So valuable!

You tells it like it is.

 

[Boomhower]

As I go to bed tonight, I'm left with an unsettled feeling.

I think something is going to haywire with the protection list.

Maybe Athanasiou is going to be left exposed?
I just think back to all the times he has been held down by the organization and question whether they actually believe in him. Hopefully my gut feeling is just gas and there is no imminent departure of the real AA.

 

[HIFE]

I can't wait to see that list on Sunday. While either extreme (protecting all the expensive veterans, versus steering Vegas toward taking a bad contract) would lead to the highest intensity of discussion here, I'm guessing Detroit will be somewhere in the middle. But which shade of gray do they move in? Curious indeed...

The lists will be telling. Definitively exposes Holland's thought process. Will there be any surprises? Pretty fun to witness the draft though I think it's amusing the ED will probably garner more viewers than a SC final game.

 

[HIFE]

As I go to bed tonight, I'm left with an unsettled feeling.

I think something is going to haywire with the protection list.

Maybe Athanasiou is going to be left exposed?
I just think back to all the times he has been held down by the organization and question whether they actually believe in him. Hopefully my gut feeling is just gas and there is no imminent departure of the real AA.

Yes I hope it's just indigestion as well, haha. Hmm for forwards it does really boil down to Helm vs. AA. One thing for sure this board will erupt if AA is unprotected then taken.

 

[waltdetroit]

Haha, amazing post.
Too true.



Well Howard would be much harder to flip and they may get stuck with his contract... so that would be very, very, very risky.
I don't think they will be flipping Fleury. He has a no movement clause and only agreed to waive it for Vegas (so far anyways).

LVK has to take on the minimum cap salary

It was reported that Fleury has waived his NMC in many news outlets last week. Some stated that he would only include LVK if he went to a contender, so I would expect a flip.

https://lasvegassun.com/news/2017/jun/12/report-marc-andre-fleury-waives-no-movement-clause/

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

I think people complain too much.

Ex. Mike Green is a great contract.
Kronwall has been a great contract overall, maybe next few years will hurt but he has been underpaid forever.
I think Nyquist's contract is just fine.

Sure it would be nice if we massively underpaid these players, but i think majorly complaining about their current contracts is pointless and wrong.

Do we have legit bad contracts based on term mostly... yes, for sure.

I am not saying there is no one to complain about, but I am saying we are overdoing it.

I think people need to stop complaining about posters who rant against bad contracts and actually redirect their complaining against the players who choose not to fulfill the expectations of the contracts THEY demanded in the first place.

 

[Wingsfan 4 life]

LVK has to take on the minimum cap salary

It was reported that Fleury has waived his NMC in many news outlets last week. Some stated that he would only include LVK if he went to a contender, so I would expect a flip.

https://lasvegassun.com/news/2017/jun/12/report-marc-andre-fleury-waives-no-movement-clause/

I don't think he'll be flipped, but either way, the question still begs to be asked.......What contenders are realistically looking for a Fleury?

 

[Tatar Shots]

Ouellet not protected. Let's see what else we can find

 

[Jon Cusack]

I know they wouldn't do it but it is disappointing they didn't leave DDK exposed. There's no chance Las Vegas would have picked him up for 5 years, 25 mil. Same goes for Abdelkader which I assume will also be protected. We could have really shed a bad deal (likely Helm) but now we will lose a young player and still be saddled with many bad contracts.

 

[crashnburnluder]

Is there anyway in hell they take helm from us

Also with that news does that mean it's green, dekeyser and kronwall/jensen

 

[Henkka]

I know they wouldn't do it but it is disappointing they didn't leave DDK exposed. There's no chance Las Vegas would have picked him up for 5 years, 25 mil. Same goes for Abdelkader which I assume will also be protected. We could have really shed a bad deal (likely Helm) but now we will lose a young player and still be saddled with many bad contracts.

MOD Dekeyser has good long-term value (which Vegas is seeking) and has second most trade value of our Defenceman after Green.

Las Vegas would take him instantly and rest of the league would laugh us that what was Holland thinking.

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

Is there anyway in hell they take helm from us

Also with that news does that mean it's green, dekeyser and kronwall/jensen

Probably DeKeyser, Green and Jensen Holland would be a fool to protect Kronwell seeing that he's probably more or less only going to play a half of a season over these next 2 years any ways with his ailing knees and all.

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

I know they wouldn't do it but it is disappointing they didn't leave DDK exposed. There's no chance Las Vegas would have picked him up for 5 years, 25 mil. Same goes for Abdelkader which I assume will also be protected. We could have really shed a bad deal (likely Helm) but now we will lose a young player and still be saddled with many bad contracts.

No way would McPhee not take DeKeyser, DeKeyser by far would be Vegas best D man looking at what D would be available to Vegas no way would McPhee not take DeKeyser if he was left unprotected. DeKeyser is a 3/4 D man at best and i've got news for you 3/4 D men make $5 million per year rather easily. Holland would be a fool to leave Dekeyser unprotected our D is already bad enough as it is.

 

[jaster]

I know they wouldn't do it but it is disappointing they didn't leave DDK exposed. There's no chance Las Vegas would have picked him up for 5 years, 25 mil. Same goes for Abdelkader which I assume will also be protected. We could have really shed a bad deal (likely Helm) but now we will lose a young player and still be saddled with many bad contracts.

Yeah, I liked LastWordOnHockey's analysis in which Dekeyser and Abdelkader should be left exposed, but that of course was never going to happen with Holland. Local boys who recently signed long-term contracts.... he wants to keep them, as we know (or should know, in the case of some on this board). As a result, Ouellet and Sheahan will be exposed and one will surely be taken.

 

[vladdy16]

If Jensen is so valuable to the Red Wings, why didn't he play in a single meaningful game last year?

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

Bullschit. Dekeyser has good long-term value (which Vegas is seeking) and has second most trade value of our Defenceman after Green.

Las Vegas would take him instantly and rest of the league would laugh us that what was Holland thinking.

long term value?

no they wouldnt

just cause he is from Michigan dosent make him good

 

[ZDH]

Cant wait to see this list tomorrow morning (for every team but obviously especially us).

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

No way would McPhee not take DeKeyser, DeKeyser by far would be Vegas best D man looking at what D would be available to Vegas no way would McPhee not take DeKeyser if he was left unprotected. DeKeyser is a 3/4 D man at best and i've got news for you 3/4 D men make $5 million per year rather easily. Holland would be a fool to leave Dekeyser unprotected our D is already bad enough as it is.

Have you seen the list of potential available D-man?

DeKeyser has been lousy for two years and has a ridiculous contract with term for a guy whose progress is stuck in neutral or more appropriately declining. He is a bad second pairing D-man right now, hopefully he puts in the work this summer, but they are going to draft at least a couple players better than DeKeyser.

Heck if Ouellet makes marginal gains in his skating he is likely to pass DeKeyser this summer. Assuming DeKeyser comes back the same powder puff with no offense he was the last couple of years. He needs a big summer, he was awful last year.

 

[LeighDx59]

Really hoping they dont pick Ouellet, he is one of my favorites on the team and he is one of our better defensemen.

 

[vladdy16]

He needs a big summer, he was awful last year.

Yep, athletes re-invent themselves all the time, but Dekeyser is absolutley in the the position where he needs to do so or he's getting lapped by the field.

My untrained eye/intuition has me hoping that, Dekeyser being a skinny late bloomer resulted in him continuing to bulk up beyond what was necessary and that if he sheds 10 lbs this summer he'll regain some of his rangyness. He was a better athlete early in his career.

 

[Oddbob]

I can't believe anyone is worried about losing Ouellet. From what I have seen, he is at best a 6th defenseman on a weak team. 7/8/9 on a good team. He is not a good skater, not physical, and doesn't provide offense, he is just so average at everything.

While he improved quite a bit from, 15-16 to last year, he still is nothing exciting, and really shows how weak a defense, we have, that him and Jensen are in the lineup.

 

[silkyjohnson50]

You tells it like it is.

Yeah, if there was never a cloud in the sky.