Confirmed with Link: Walman signed to 3x3.4 extension

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

It's always awesome to watch a guy take a big developmental leap like Walman did from last season to this season. Good for him, good for the Wings, and now a good deal for both sides.

That Nick Leddy signing keeps looking better and better. Remember when people were gloating about how bad of a signing that was? Haha. Fools.

That Leddy trade got us…

St. Louis 2nd in a great draft AND will be at least 8 spots better than the 2nd we traded for Leddy.
Sunny who has been key depth this year and looked realgud.
Walman who has looked even more realgud.

Hell, I only thought that if Leddy didn’t work out we could re-flip him for a 2nd. I didn’t expect the extras to be so solid.

 

[PelagicJoe]

Stevie is doing captain things again. Geat deal

 

[Henkka]

So Yzerman overpaid Chiarot for bigger money to play in front of these other LHDs, Lalonde overused him, to limit Walman/Määttä icetime, to push their caphits down.

And next season or some day Yzerman is gonna trade Chiarot away.... when it's time to open slots for kids.

 

[norrisnick]

So Yzerman overpaid Chiarot for bigger money to play in front of these other LHDs, Lalonde overused him, to limit Walman/Määttä icetime, to push their caphits down.

And next season or some day Yzerman is gonna trade Chiarot away.... when it's time to open slots for kids.

So... Yzerman wasted $4.75M AAV for 4 years on Chiarot to shave a few hundred K off of Maatta and Walman's contract extensions. And you think that's 4D chess somehow?

 

[Henkka]

So... Yzerman wasted $4.75M AAV for 4 years on Chiarot to shave a few hundred K off of Maatta and Walman's contract extensions. And you think that's 4D chess somehow?

That's what has happened.

And if next move at defence is moving Chiarot, maybe next year. It's what happened and we are just adding assets all the time and finding better caphits on certain positions.

 

[norrisnick]

That's what has happened.

And if next move at defence is moving Chiarot, maybe next year. It's what happened and we are just adding assets all the time and finding better caphits on certain positions.

I understand you think that's what the intention was. What I don't get is why you think signing a $19M contract to save, at most $5M ($1M/yr for Olli and Jake) is smart. The Wings would have saved $14M by just not signing Chiarot and adding $1M to each year of those two new contracts.

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

Love this guy, one the great revelations of the Yzerman era. I hope his play isn’t just a flash in the pan, because he’s been fantastic this year.

 

[Go Wings]

Love this deal he has been a big bright spot on the Blueline this year.

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

Dear Steve,

Mucho kudos on all the improvements and team-friendly deals on defense. Thumbs up for overhauling the blue line.

Now please work similar miracles to add some real potency to the offense.

Or at a minimum play your most offensively gifted forward....

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Love this guy, one the great revelations of the Yzerman era. I hope his play isn’t just a flash in the pan, because he’s been fantastic this year.

Everything he's doing is completely sustainable though. He's using strong mobility and anticipation of plays to disrupt and move the puck up ice and hold the line.

This is a contract for a #5 defenseman and we're getting #3 quality play out of him. This is incredible value.

 

[lhsgolf19]

Or at a minimum play your most offensively gifted forward....

Did Larkin die?

 

[KJoe88]

I think I’m buying his jersey

 

[Frk It]

I have seen a lot of discourse on LD/RD or LHD/RHD in various threads, and just a few thoughts there.

Having 3 LH/RH pairing is secondary to having 6 good defenseman.

Last time we won a Cup I believe we only had 2 RHD on the roster, and we had predominantly LD on the team.

I think somehow we have become too tunnel-visioned as a board with LD/RD where we should just be focusing on building our blue line with as many good players as possible.

 

[norrisnick]

I have seen a lot of discourse on LD/RD or LHD/RHD in various threads, and just a few thoughts there.

Having 3 LH/RH pairing is secondary to having 6 good defenseman.

Last time we won a Cup I believe we only had 2 RHD on the roster, and we had predominantly LD on the team.

I think somehow we have become too tunnel-visioned as a board with LD/RD where we should just be focusing on building our blue line with as many good players as possible.

Just @jaster

 

[Henkka]

I have seen a lot of discourse on LD/RD or LHD/RHD in various threads, and just a few thoughts there.

Having 3 LH/RH pairing is secondary to having 6 good defenseman.

Last time we won a Cup I believe we only had 2 RHD on the roster, and we had predominantly LD on the team.

I think somehow we have become too tunnel-visioned as a board with LD/RD where we should just be focusing on building our blue line with as many good players as possible.

It is a very meaningful thing at hockey. Not maybe as a team on a rise on the top like Wings are now. We can develop guys on their off-side during some years, but at some point, you have find the right trades to complete that perfect L-R.

What comes to winning, and when the margins are close, it matters.

Think all latest Cup winners have had perfect L-R pairs. Pittsburgh was latest to win without perfect pairs as Ron Hainsey playing the off-side.

St. Louis was all L-R
Washington was all L-R
Tampa has been all the time L-R
Colorado was L-R

It's just automatic less mistake-prone hockey, when the D-man hadnesses are prone for an off-side giveaway. And the passing lanes are more natural etc.

 

[Frk It]

It is a very meaningful thing at hockey. Not maybe as a team on a rise on the top like Wings are now. We can develop guys on their off-side during some years, but at some point, you have find the right trades to complete that perfect L-R.

What comes to winning, and when the margins are close, it matters.

Think all latest Cup winners have had perfect L-R pairs. Pittsburgh was latest to win without perfect pairs as Ron Hainsey playing the off-side.

St. Louis was all L-R
Washington was all L-R
Tampa has been all the time L-R
Colorado was L-R

It's just automatic less mistake-prone hockey, when the D-man hadnesses are prone for an off-side giveaway. And the passing lanes are more natural etc.

I don’t think it’s make or break for your 3rd pairing.

Our top 4 should be LH-RH for the foreseeable future with Seider/Hronek and their current ages. They will be out there most of the game. I think we’re fine.

 

[TheOtherOne]

Finally, our leader is locked up. Hopefully the little guys like Larkin follow suit and sign contracts for...

... Less than Jake

 

[norrisnick]

Finally, our leader is locked up. Hopefully the little guys like Larkin follow suit and sign contracts for...

... Less than Jake

Had to do some youtubing to refresh the memory as I could not place them. I'm not sad that I don't have them saved to the ol' brain.

 

[Ezekial]

What a team friendly deal. A dman who can play on the first pair for 3.4m?

A potential top 4 of Walman, Seider, Edvinsson and Hronek sounds nice, and that's without considering someone like Wallinder who's been killing it with Rögle... that defense is starting to look realgud.

I mean when consider that he's 27 years old and has played 116 career NHL games and his 40 this season are the most he's ever played in a single season it makes more sense.

 

[14ari13]

I have seen a lot of discourse on LD/RD or LHD/RHD in various threads, and just a few thoughts there.

Having 3 LH/RH pairing is secondary to having 6 good defenseman.

Last time we won a Cup I believe we only had 2 RHD on the roster, and we had predominantly LD on the team.

I think somehow we have become too tunnel-visioned as a board with LD/RD where we should just be focusing on building our blue line with as many good players as possible.

I think Babcock was obsessed with it.


Congratulations to Windman, well earned.

 

[Ricelund]

 

[Claypool]

He better buy Seider a watch or a car or something. Walman probably wouldn't be in the league if not paired with him.

 

[norrisnick]

He better buy Seider a watch or a car or something. Walman probably wouldn't be in the league if not paired with him.

You sure it's not the other way round when Mo gets his big deal this summer? (EDIT to clarify, the buying the watch part. Mo would be in the league regardless)

Pre-Walman - Mo

Post-Walman - Mo

 

[jaster]

I have seen a lot of discourse on LD/RD or LHD/RHD in various threads, and just a few thoughts there.

Having 3 LH/RH pairing is secondary to having 6 good defenseman.

Last time we won a Cup I believe we only had 2 RHD on the roster, and we had predominantly LD on the team.

I think somehow we have become too tunnel-visioned as a board with LD/RD where we should just be focusing on building our blue line with as many good players as possible.

Teams should always strive for L-R pairings in the modern NHL, and that's what they do. But, the reality is that there are more LH NHL-caliber defensemen in the world than there are RH. And, yes, there are a few lefties who prefer to play the right side. So yes, it's often that teams have only 2 righties, because ultimately you're right, you're not going to dress a shitty righty over a serviceable lefty, if the only penalty is having the lefty play his off-side.

Right now, the Wings have 5 worthwhile NHL defensemen on the roster. Three lefties and two righties. If they were trying to upgrade on the trio of misfit toys currently occupying the 6th spot, they should try to add a righty. But if a lefty were the best option, so be it.

Also, last time we won the Cup we absolutely had three righties. Rafalski, Cheli, and..... Garret Stafford played 2 games

 

[norrisnick]

Teams should always strive for L-R pairings in the modern NHL, and that's what they do. But, the reality is that there are more LH NHL-caliber defensemen in the world than there are RH. And, yes, there are a few lefties who prefer to play the right side. So yes, it's often that teams have only 2 righties, because ultimately you're right, you're not going to dress a shitty righty over a serviceable lefty, if the only penalty is having the lefty play his off-side.

Right now, the Wings have 5 worthwhile NHL defensemen on the roster. Three lefties and two righties. If they were trying to upgrade on the trio of misfit toys currently occupying the 6th spot, they should try to add a righty. But if a lefty were the best option, so be it.

Also, last time we won the Cup we absolutely had three righties. Rafalski, Cheli, and..... Garret Stafford played 2 games

Not in the Final. Only Rafalski.