Who is the off-the-radar free agent signing this year?

[Frk It]

it's why not signing Abdelkader and signing Okposo would have been a better course of action.

Signing Abdelkader was fine. Signing him for 7 years was not fine.

I'd like both Abby and Okposo on this team, personally.

 

[Probie]

To the folks who say okposo won't sign here, has he come out and said that it is there other info that indicates such? Just wondering, thanks

Want him and Martin on the team, amongst others.....

 

[Dead Thing Fan]

Nah, he's not getting 6 years at age 32, as a non-elite player. Nor is he going to get $5M. If his price tag were indeed $30M for 6 years, then obviously we don't want him (no one would, he'd be out of an NHL job). But I think that's a completely unrealistic expectation.

You put him on this roster and he's immediately one of our 3 best forwards. That's plenty enough value to trump his age. Given our need at center, the experience of Datsyuk and Richards walking out the door, and the extreme unlikelihood we sign Stamkos, he's an almost perfect fit.

What need at centre?? Even with the loss of Datsyuk and Richards, we still have Zetts(albeit with a diminished role), Sheahan(who, as an RFA, will be reassigned) Glendening, Larkin and AA. Not to mention resigning UFA Helm. We don't need to sign an outside forward let alone a centre. Larkin has been playing centre for the Americans at the World Championsh and playing very well. He is taking both offensive and defensive zone draws and is killing penalities. Tied with Matthews in team scoring.
I can see both Larking and AA developing into players that play a solid two game like Toews, Kopitar and Bergeron.

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

[/B]

What need at centre?? Even with the loss of Datsyuk and Richards, we still have Zetts(albeit with a diminished role), Sheahan(who, as an RFA, will be reassigned) Glendening, Larkin and AA. Not to mention resigning UFA Helm. We don't need to sign an outside forward let alone a centre. Larkin has been playing centre for the Americans at the World Championsh and playing very well. He is taking both offensive and defensive zone draws and is killing penalities. Tied with Matthews in team scoring.
I can see both Larking and AA developing into players that play a solid two game like Toews, Kopitar and Bergeron.

You see both of them becoming the elites of the elites in two way play? Sorry, I just can't see that. Larkin has a chance, but has a very long way to go and AA has virtually no chance of ever being on that level. He would have to develop things in his game that he's just never done for it to happen.

That is not a comparison that I'm okay with. I love Larkin and I love Athanasiou, but they aren't THAT good.

 

[Frk It]

I know that we are spoiled having Z and Datsyuk the last decade who were great on both sides of the puck, but I don't think you have to be great defensively to be an effective center, necessarily.

There's some highly regarded centers in the league that aren't that great defensively.

 

[jaster]

Frans Nielsen will get at least 5 million. Filppula got 5 mil, 2 or 3 years ago, after putting up 19 pts in 41 games. Nielsen will likely get 5-5.5 over 4-6 years from someone.

Filppula was 29 when he got his 5 year deal. Nielsen is 32. His current contract, signed as a 28yo UFA, is 4 years, $11M, and he signed it after putting up 47 points. There is not a chance in hell that he gets a 6 year deal for upwards of $5M this off-season.

 

[jaster]

[/B]

What need at centre?? Even with the loss of Datsyuk and Richards, we still have Zetts(albeit with a diminished role), Sheahan(who, as an RFA, will be reassigned) Glendening, Larkin and AA. Not to mention resigning UFA Helm. We don't need to sign an outside forward let alone a centre. Larkin has been playing centre for the Americans at the World Championsh and playing very well. He is taking both offensive and defensive zone draws and is killing penalities. Tied with Matthews in team scoring.
I can see both Larking and AA developing into players that play a solid two game like Toews, Kopitar and Bergeron.

Zetterberg is, at best, a middle-6 center at this point. Sheahan is a bottom-6 center. Glendening is a 4th-line center. Larkin and Athanasiou have a good chance at becoming legit centers, but they are not there yet (especially not Athanasiou), and the Wings are not going to go into next season leaning on them in that role. They'll have them grow into it. Helm, if they choose to use him as a center again, would be a bottom-6er. Datsyuk leaves a tremendous hole, and Richards exasperates it.

So, yes, the Wings have a very serious need for a top-6 center. They have one who is hanging onto that role by a thread and one knocking on the door....that's not nearly good enough to forgo further depth at the position.

 

[jaster]

I know that we are spoiled having Z and Datsyuk the last decade who were great on both sides of the puck, but I don't think you have to be great defensively to be an effective center, necessarily.

There's some highly regarded centers in the league that aren't that great defensively.

Like Stamkos (fingers crossed in sad desperation).

But those are guys who are usually offensive elites. We don't have those and it's very doubtful we get any. It's easier to get a hold of a good center who can play good D than an offensive elite whom you don't need to be defensive because he drives so much possession.

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

[/B]

What need at centre?? Even with the loss of Datsyuk and Richards, we still have Zetts(albeit with a diminished role), Sheahan(who, as an RFA, will be reassigned) Glendening, Larkin and AA. Not to mention resigning UFA Helm. We don't need to sign an outside forward let alone a centre. Larkin has been playing centre for the Americans at the World Championsh and playing very well. He is taking both offensive and defensive zone draws and is killing penalities. Tied with Matthews in team scoring.
I can see both Larking and AA developing into players that play a solid two game like Toews, Kopitar and Bergeron.

this team under KH has always prided itself on two way centres (and elite defence) so ignoring the 2nd part of that equation do you really think we will go into next season running
zetterberg
larkin
sheahan
glenny

that would be the worst centre group in the entire nhl

its why we WILL go hard after stamkos should he make it to free agency but will likely land eric staal should datsyuk not come back

 

[KasperTheGrittyGhost]

I want two of Stamkos, Nielson, and Yandle.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

this team under KH has always prided itself on two way centres (and elite defence) so ignoring the 2nd part of that equation do you really think we will go into next season running
zetterberg
larkin
sheahan
glenny

that would be the worst centre group in the entire nhl

its why we WILL go hard after stamkos should he make it to free agency but will likely land eric staal should datsyuk not come back

You're joking right? That's the worst center core in the nhl? Guess we're never winning a cup ever

 

[TCNorthstars]

You're joking right? That's the worst center core in the nhl? Guess we're never winning a cup ever

Point out the worse ones.

 

[Bench]

Point out the worse ones.

It all swings on Larkin. If he's as good as we hope, it's not so bad. If he's not, ehhhh, it's dicey.

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

I want two of Stamkos, Nielson, and Yandle.

Stamkos and Yandle would be pretty expensive together, Most likely $17.5M combined $11M per long term for Stamkos and $6.5M per long term for Yandle. We would definitely need to move both Datsyuk and Howard without retaining any salary on Howard to afford both Stammer and Yandle. But if we can't make the trade deals for either one of Fowler/Shattenkirk and or Trouba Yandle might be my next choice or maybe Demers.

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

this team under KH has always prided itself on two way centres (and elite defence) so ignoring the 2nd part of that equation do you really think we will go into next season running
zetterberg
larkin
sheahan
glenny

that would be the worst centre group in the entire nhl

its why we WILL go hard after stamkos should he make it to free agency but will likely land eric staal should datsyuk not come back

If that's our center core for the foreseeable future you can forget about any cup runs for us for a long time.

 

[Retire91]

I don't see Neilsen getting singed as center, there won't be room for another center with Holland re-signing Richards.

 

[Frk It]

It all swings on Larkin. If he's as good as we hope, it's not so bad. If he's not, ehhhh, it's dicey.

Dylan Larkin has everything you need to become a #1 center. Including being ultra competitive and a great work ethic. I feel really good about his future as a top line center.

Ideally one of AA/Svech can become a 2nd line center, but even if not, finding a 2C by trade or FA isn't that hard.

 

[SimplySolace]

I don't see Neilsen getting singed as center, there won't be room for another center with Holland re-signing Richards.

Richards isn't coming back

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

It all swings on Larkin. If he's as good as we hope, it's not so bad. If he's not, ehhhh, it's dicey.

Absolutely, but he is not ready for that role yet and zetterberg is no longer a first line center for all 82 games

If datayuk retires stamkos will be our top target but most likely will have to sign someonw else and eric staal screams ken holland.

 

[Frk It]

Richards isn't coming back

Every single person on here said the same thing about Quincey when his last contract was running out. You never know with Holland.

Absolutely, but he is not ready for that role yet and zetterberg is no longer a first line center for all 82 games

If datayuk retires stamkos will be our top target but most likely will have to sign someonw else and eric staal screams ken holland.

Outside of faceoffs, I don't really think Larkin is that far off.

 

[MTU hockey]

Dylan Larkin has everything you need to become a #1 center. Including being ultra competitive and a great work ethic. I feel really good about his future as a top line center.

Ideally one of AA/Svech can become a 2nd line center, but even if not, finding a 2C by trade or FA isn't that hard.

I like Larkins chances of becoming a #1 center too, but I don't think he'll be one next season (or at least an above average one). I think it's going to take a couple seasons before it all clicks for him, especially since not every player progresses linearly. So in the meantime Z and Larkin as top six centers doesn't look to promising right now, Larkin doesn't look out of place playing against other top centers at the world championships but can he go head to head against other top NHL centers for an 82 game schedule and still come out on top? I think he'll get there eventually but currently I don't think he's there yet

 

[Tatar]

Anyone 29 and older would be dumb and short sighted.

Wings played the short game over the past six seasons and lost. Time to play the long game.

Yandle wouldn't be a dumb signing

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

Yandle wouldn't be a dumb signing

Exactly Yandle has Holland written all over it. Holland had strong interest in Yandle back in his days with Arizona/Phoenix if something happens where Holland doesn't make a trade to upgrade the D. I wouldn't be surprised if Holland doesn't target Yandle at free agency.

 

[Frk It]

I like Yandle the player a lot. But I don't love the fit.

If we're adding a LD/LHD, we need someone that is going to bump down Kronwall and Dekeyser (Fowler).

With Yandle, you're either paying a lot for Kronwall or Yandle on your 3rd pair.

 

[Tatar]

I like Yandle the player a lot. But I don't love the fit.

If we're adding a LD/LHD, we need someone that is going to bump down Kronwall and Dekeyser (Fowler).

With Yandle, you're either paying a lot for Kronwall or Yandle on your 3rd pair.

Yandle-Green
Kronwall-DeKeyser
Smith-Marchenko
Ouellet

No you're not. That's not to say we couldn't get Fowler or Trouba via a trade for the plethora of wingers we have.


Fowler/Trouba-Yandle
Kronwall-Green
DeKeyser-Marchenko
Smith/Ouellet

Then we could start talking about a playoff run