Who can help our defense long-term?

Mantha Poodoo

Playoff Beard
Jun 5, 2008
4,109
0
Some guys need their time to develop; see Ericsson. I think Sproul is the type of player that could use a couple more years to develop his game for us to see the best of him.

On the other hand, some players are just 'ready' for the next step due to playing style/etc. Oullett is of this mold. With how many questions marks the Wings have on the blue line, it'd make sense to me to give him a hard look at the NHL level next year before making a decision on whether to send him down. He could very possibly lock up a spot.
 

joe89

#5
Apr 30, 2009
20,313
174
Yep, totally agree. I wonder how different this year would be if Suter had signed with us? (or we had somehow gotten a player of his ilk for the blueline) I would typically think that 1 player doesn't make that much difference, but we clearly need a guy of his caliber in a bad way. I hope Ouellet can be a big minute player for us.

Probably the difference between being a playoff team and having home ice advantage. If the team would ever manage to stay healthy that is. A guy like Suter puts guys down a peg where they belong.
 

Henkka

Registered User
Jan 31, 2004
31,077
12,078
Tampere, Finland
Brent Seabrook (right-handed, physical and defensive guy with a booming point shot) would be the most perfect pair for Kronwall, but you just don't "brentseabrooks" from anywhere for free or cheap.
 

VM1138

Registered User
Apr 30, 2007
471
0
The system the Wings are currently using is going to stunt Smith's development, and that scares me a little.
 

jroc86

Registered User
Jun 12, 2012
344
1
Danny Dekeyser, Sproul, Oullette ... otherwise were going to have to pay out the ass for any trades.
 

TatarTangle

Registered User
Sep 28, 2011
4,453
500
Detroit
Well sadly holland has really painted himself in a corner right now giving out two year deals to Quincey and cola.. Quincey has played better of late but he's being paid nearly four mill a season which is top 4 money.. Going to be hard to get much better through fa this off season.

This is one of the worst assembled teams I've ever remembered the wings having.

If I was the wings I'd try to swing a deal for the Caps Green. Probably take a top prospect a pick and hopefully Quincey. The only d-man hitting the market I really want is Smid. Re sign white at the same price he's at and this is what we end up with.
And Ovechkin. He needs a change of scenery, that being watching Datsyuk set him up. Will never happen but one can wish of getting a Russian for Datsyuk.

Start with [signed] Filppula + Nyquist + Sproul + 1st for Ovechkin and Green and go from there. I know it's not very enticing but...
 

RedWingsNow*

Guest
There are no easy answers now.
But we need a legit first pairing defenseman to play the right side.

And we need a legit PK defenseman on the right side.

So wee need two defensemen. And we've already got eight.

This will involve shipping people out and bringing people in. Not Holland's Forte.
 

JmanWingsFan

Your average Jman
Aug 18, 2011
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Somewhere
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We aren't getting Seth Jones. We don't suck that badly. Frankly, if this team goes down the toilet, Rasmus Ristolainen is probably the most realistic target. That's still a decent consolation prize.
 

icKx

Vanek 4 Prez
May 7, 2010
3,483
2
Intertubes
I only see a few options. None are all that promising.

  • Trade for a top defenseman, shipping out top prospects in the process
  • Sit tight and see what Smith, Sproul, XO, Marchenko develop into
  • Make an RFA offer to Ekman-Larsson that Phoenix won't or can't match
  • Sign Smid, Scuderi or some other mediocre UFA
 

Ennui

I like our team?
Aug 13, 2008
1,332
0
Living in the past
www.fsb.ru
Wherever the Wings end up drafting, I would hope that they look for a solid defenseman over another puck moving defenseman. I would think that the team has ample puck moving defensemen/offensive defensemen making their way through the system at present with Sproul and Ouellet making solid progress and Smith making his NHL rookie debut.

Regarding Seth Jones, so long as the Wings finish in one of the 14 lottery berths they could potentially nab him, which would absolutely make everyone's day; I seem to remember hearing that the most a team has moved up in the draft lottery is 5 places, though anything is possible. I've heard a lot about Jones, but I have to admit that I haven't seen much of him and really am not very familiar with his style; if you had to pin him down as a specific kind of defenseman, what kind does he strike you as being?

Don't know what the consensus is around here, but given the rate of injury so far, the level of team performance to date, and the fact that the schedule only gets worse for the Wings, I would bet that the Wings will fall somewhere in place among the 14 lottery teams. I'd be willing to bet that they finish within 22-30, but that's just my pessimism of late.
 
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Kayluvsredwings

Registered User
Feb 20, 2013
68
0
Around Detroit, Mi.
In my opinion, Huskins and Lashoff have been Detroit's best defenseman thus far. I don't know what Kronwall's issue is.....but he certainly isn't playing like himself. Ericsson has surprisingly okay.....and Ian White now back from Injury has been steady too. Don't even get me started on that waste of space Quincey though......I don't know how and I honestly don't care if he leads our Defenseman in +/-......He absolutely sucks and he just needs to go! Huskins has been a solid pick up though. Doesn't take penalties, knows where to be usually, and you don't hear his name often. Which is a GOOD thing. Means he's doing it right.
 

The Zetterberg Era

Ball Hockey Sucks
Nov 8, 2011
40,957
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Ft. Myers, FL
In my opinion, Huskins and Lashoff have been Detroit's best defenseman thus far. I don't know what Kronwall's issue is.....but he certainly isn't playing like himself. Ericsson has surprisingly okay.....and Ian White now back from Injury has been steady too. Don't even get me started on that waste of space Quincey though......I don't know how and I honestly don't care if he leads our Defenseman in +/-......He absolutely sucks and he just needs to go! Huskins has been a solid pick up though. Doesn't take penalties, knows where to be usually, and you don't hear his name often. Which is a GOOD thing. Means he's doing it right.

Lashoff has been okay as a rookie, but the guy isn't really much and certainly shouldn't be trotted out on a pairing with Kronwall. That is too much to ask for either guy. Lashoff has been better than I expected all year going back to what I expected out of him on the Griffins. But that points to something entering the year I didn't want them to renew his contract and take up space on the Griffins as I assumed he would clear waivers next season, much less play on the Wings. I have never been his biggest fan and he has improved I will admit that. But he hasn't been great since his first couple of games and he really shouldn't be playing over some of the other guys and certainly not in the roles he does have. His numbers are pretty bad all over if you check the thread CB just put up.

Brian Lashoff is not better than Xavier Ouellet right now, as in today at this very moment and I say that with complete conviction. He has earned a chance to be a #6/7 in this league but that is all he will likely ever be and that improvement is up from a career AHL captain type guy, so he has improved. I just don't see where he is going to go up much from there, especially with Smith, Sproul, Ouellet, Marchenko and Backman hunting him in the organization.
 

RedWinger10

Registered User
Feb 11, 2013
946
2
Do you think the wings could go after David Booth? I realize that the price may be high but he has "wanted to play for the wings since he was a kid" (being a Detroit native). His parents for MANY years have had glass side season tickets at the joe and are colossal Wings fans. I can imagine he would jump at the chance to play for the wings. I realize he is injured but he has been pretty durable over his career.
 

The Zetterberg Era

Ball Hockey Sucks
Nov 8, 2011
40,957
11,577
Ft. Myers, FL
Do you think the wings could go after David Booth? I realize that the price may be high but he has "wanted to play for the wings since he was a kid" (being a Detroit native). His parents for MANY years have had glass side season tickets at the joe and are colossal Wings fans. I can imagine he would jump at the chance to play for the wings. I realize he is injured but he has been pretty durable over his career.

Don't need to put it in every thread and it really makes no sense in this one.
 

Vladdy84

L-O-Y-A-L-T-Y
Dec 1, 2011
10,675
12
Farmington
I know we need help back in the D. But as of right now, still think we need offense before D. If we had better goaltending the D wouldn't be such a glaring need.
 

Run the Jewels

Make Detroit Great Again
Jun 22, 2006
13,819
1,751
In the Garage
In my opinion, Huskins and Lashoff have been Detroit's best defenseman thus far. I don't know what Kronwall's issue is.....but he certainly isn't playing like himself. Ericsson has surprisingly okay.....and Ian White now back from Injury has been steady too. Don't even get me started on that waste of space Quincey though......I don't know how and I honestly don't care if he leads our Defenseman in +/-......He absolutely sucks and he just needs to go! Huskins has been a solid pick up though. Doesn't take penalties, knows where to be usually, and you don't hear his name often. Which is a GOOD thing. Means he's doing it right.

I'd argue Jonathan Ericsson has been our best d-man thus far. And the numbers back it up.

#2 in even-strength TOI.
#1 in even-strength points per 60 mins.
#1 in short-handed TOI.
Highest QoC short-handed among guys who actually PK.
#2 in QoC at even-strength
 

fimoknete

Registered User
Jun 4, 2006
860
0
Roesrath, Germany
to answer the question: non of detroits player, because we need at least 2 talented player on the d roster.
kronwall is a very good nr 3 but has nothing to do with the top line.
we are lacking 2 top line defense man.

would be jack johnson, victor hedman, slava voynov, karlsson etc.

but none of these player will wear a red wing unifom ever. unless a gm forces ken holland with a gun to take one of these guys.
 

Vladdy84

L-O-Y-A-L-T-Y
Dec 1, 2011
10,675
12
Farmington
to answer the question: non of detroits player, because we need at least 2 talented player on the d roster.
kronwall is a very good nr 3 but has nothing to do with the top line.
we are lacking 2 top line defense man.

would be jack johnson, victor hedman, slava voynov, karlsson etc.

but none of these player will wear a red wing unifom ever. unless a gm forces ken holland with a gun to take one of these guys.

One of these things is not like the other.....
 

The Zetterberg Era

Ball Hockey Sucks
Nov 8, 2011
40,957
11,577
Ft. Myers, FL
Most rankings have Ristolainen right after Jones on the D depth chart. I'm curious as to why you'd take Nurse or Zadorov.

Other than the fact they are both left handed which is a question mark but probably not as big when you think about how long off these guys are. I just enjoy watching both guys play a lot more. Nurse has a ton of raw ability as he fills out he will become a very exciting prospect. The Wings should know him well from keeping tabs on Sproul. Zadorov is the best stay at home guy for me in the draft, unless you want to consider Jones that but he is just complete all around, however on pure D, Zadorov is second for me. A massive guy that loves to play the body and at 6'5" 230 lbs right now skates pretty well. Is comfortable enough with the puck which probably comes from his Russian upbringing where they value the puck a little more.

Don't get me wrong I won't be upset about Ristolainen, I just like the other two slightly more. Ristolainen's stock is falling a little lately, he hasn't had a great go of it after the WJC's from the looks of things. Of course this is a moving target in terms of who we take if we start trading some of our prospects. It really depends on who is around and is hard to predict from here out. Will be curious to see what Nurse does at the combine as I expect some decent workouts because he looks very athletic when I have seen him. Guessing Zadorov will destroy the power workouts.

Ristolainen fell all the way to 20th in the last rankings by TSN.

http://www.tsn.ca/draftcentre/feature/?id=49649
 

Kayluvsredwings

Registered User
Feb 20, 2013
68
0
Around Detroit, Mi.

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