Would you trade Zetterberg if you can?

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

Which is why the general manager of a team is paid to determine when a window of contention has ended, and ideally get something in exchange for any remaining assets while they still have value.

I know all this is probably moot, since it would hinge on Zetterberg wanting to be traded in the first place, but it's still been incredibly frustrating - and a giant waste of an opportunity - to see everything falling apart in slow motion for so long, and a couple of 2nd/3rd rounders is all they have to show for it (thus far).

Until he doesn't get enough for a legend like Z and the average fan (who is already flagging in interest towards this team) sees that we dealt a star for Riley Sheahan and Kerby Rychel (#20-30 first and a decent prospect). Because I remember Frk It's data saying that Sheahan was actually a pretty successful late first.

Z will not draw anywhere close to what he is worth on the market and when the most likely return is an alright 3C and a lottery ticket on an okay prospect who probably has second line upside, I'd much rather keep him and his 60-70 points and ability to verbally knock some sense into a Larkin, AA, or Mantha or allow them the success to build their confidence to take over for him.

Your frustration should be with holding onto and giving awful deals to Abby, Helm, Ericsson, etc. Not with them not moving a face of the franchise, superstar in the limelight of his career for a couple of kinda shoddy magic beans. I mean, you're not pulling a lottery pick, let alone a lottery pick + anything from 37-40 year old Zetterberg at 6M cap hit.

Find me a top ten pick and a bluechip prospect and I'm interested in moving Z. For what he'll actually draw as a 37 year old owed 6M for 4 more years and we're still on the hook for 3-5M for an empty roster space if he quits early... I have negative interest in moving him.

And while you and a growing subset of fans might be alright with tossing even a stud like Z into the blender to see if you can pull out something younger and better... a vast majority of those who feed the Wings money making machine would demand something worthy of their time to move a player like Z. Not "a remote chance to be something good" or "we need five years to see if they're any good".

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

Nashville
Edmonton
Calgary
Washington
St Louis
Tampa
Columbus

These are decent teams who could or would consider trading for him.

The benefit to us and this mat be clear is this, we can and would take a cap dump back. Why, because the cap space would be irrelevant to us at that point, we would be embracing the full rebuild.

Zetterberg would easily fetch a first plus decent prospect on top of the cap dump.

 

[jkutswings]

Until he doesn't get enough for a legend like Z and the average fan (who is already flagging in interest towards this team) sees that we dealt a star for Riley Sheahan and Kerby Rychel (#20-30 first and a decent prospect). Because I remember Frk It's data saying that Sheahan was actually a pretty successful late first.

Z will not draw anywhere close to what he is worth on the market and when the most likely return is an alright 3C and a lottery ticket on an okay prospect who probably has second line upside, I'd much rather keep him and his 60-70 points and ability to verbally knock some sense into a Larkin, AA, or Mantha or allow them the success to build their confidence to take over for him.

Between how badly the team needs to rebuild, and how good this draft class is shaping up to be, I'm taking more/better draft picks any way I can get them. If Z lands a late first and a middle round pick, I also try to package those (possibly with other assets) into getting another top 10 pick.

If Detroit somehow manages to deal away multiple veterans, and parlay that collective action into 2 picks in the top 10 - or higher - that's a huge win.

Your frustration should be with holding onto and giving awful deals to Abby, Helm, Ericsson, etc. Not with them not moving a face of the franchise, superstar in the limelight of his career for a couple of kinda shoddy magic beans. I mean, you're not pulling a lottery pick, let alone a lottery pick + anything from 37-40 year old Zetterberg at 6M cap hit.

Find me a top ten pick and a bluechip prospect and I'm interested in moving Z. For what he'll actually draw as a 37 year old owed 6M for 4 more years and we're still on the hook for 3-5M for an empty roster space if he quits early... I have negative interest in moving him.

And while you and a growing subset of fans might be alright with tossing even a stud like Z into the blender to see if you can pull out something younger and better... a vast majority of those who feed the Wings money making machine would demand something worthy of their time to move a player like Z. Not "a remote chance to be something good" or "we need five years to see if they're any good".

Clearly we value different things, which is fine. Personally, I don't even like Larkin, and I've always thought Zetterberg was a tad overrated. Do I acknowledge those as tremendously unpopular opinions? Sure, but it doesn't change my mind. Blow this thing up, eradicate the front office, and get a real plan in place to get a product worth watching for a change.

 

[Frk It]

I know all this is probably moot, since it would hinge on Zetterberg wanting to be traded in the first place, but it's still been incredibly frustrating - and a giant waste of an opportunity - to see everything falling apart in slow motion for so long, and a couple of 2nd/3rd rounders is all they have to show for it (thus far).

Teams don't have this view that they only need to be at one extreme end of the spectrum or the other. Not all teams are just going to blow things up the second they feel like they aren't contending, and sometimes for some good reasons. I know that you would like to see it happen that way, but that's just not a very realistic ask.

I understand why the Wings held onto the streak for as long as they did. But now there is no excuses for not aggressively re-building. I'd try and focus more on what they are doing right now.

 

[jkutswings]

Teams don't have this view that they only need to be at one extreme end of the spectrum or the other. Not all teams are just going to blow things up the second they feel like they aren't contending, and sometimes for some good reasons. I know that you would like to see it happen that way, but that's just not a very realistic ask.

I understand why the Wings held onto the streak for as long as they did. But now there is no excuses for not aggressively re-building. I'd try and focus more on what they are doing right now.

Fair enough, but the thread isn't based on whether the Wings would trade him. It's based on what you the fan would do. Just because the Wings will likely continue to bury their head in the sand, doesn't mean I should alter my priorities accordingly.

 

[SirloinUB]

Now? No.

At the Trade Deadline? I suppose I would listen to offers if we are out of the playoff race. My issue is that, realistically, I don’t see anything worthwhile being offered. A late 1st and prospect like Caleb Jones doesn’t do much for me and frankly, that's probably a best case scenario as far as offers go.

 

[Bench]

Now? No.

At the Trade Deadline? I suppose I would listen to offers if we are out of the playoff race. My issue is that, realistically, I don’t see anything worthwhile being offered. A late 1st and prospect like Caleb Jones doesn’t do much for me and frankly, that's probably a best case scenario as far as offers go.

If Z wants to take a shot on a contender, you take whatever decent offer floats your way. It's been said a dozen times since the first page, but any trade should be entirely up to him.

If he's happy riding out his deal (or whatever the retirement plan is) in Detroit, cool. If he wants to chase another Cup, also fine.

 

[SirloinUB]

If Z wants to take a shot on a contender, you take whatever decent offer floats your way. It's been said a dozen times since the first page, but any trade should be entirely up to him.

If he's happy riding out his deal (or whatever the retirement plan is) in Detroit, cool. If he wants to chase another Cup, also fine.

Well if it's up to Zetterberg we can drop the "if" statements.

“No, no, no,” Zetterberg said. “Red Wings is the last team I’m going to play [with]. Unless they force me out. I’m not going to ask for a trade or get moved or anything like that. I’m going to, as long as I can, be a Red Wing.”

 

[Syckle78]

Yea not surprising. Dudes been part of the organization for over 15 years. Would be weird to pick up and go at this point.

 

[jkutswings]

Well if it's up to Zetterberg we can drop the "if" statements.

Unfortunate, but it is what it is.

 

[Henkka]

If somebody will offer a pair of 1sts for him, just pull the trigger. That would be great move for the future.

Management controls this. No NTC or NMCs in the mess, when player could decide the destiny.

 

[Giacomo]

More like buyout because no one will pay for that salary. Larkin will want 5 mill per, AA 3.5 mill per, Mantha 5mill per, frk?,Wilson? and only mrasek, green and booth' salary gone. still not enough for everyone

 

[newfy]

Or 2016 when the Rangers did the same for Smith.

Yeah or when Paul Gaustad got like a 1st and a third. A guy like Zetterberg for 2 playoff runs would be worth a lot to a team like Edmonton who doesnt need to rebuild anymore but needs to start winning. Zetterberg also has a little bit of that playoff stud aura around him that teams would recognise. I would be ok with not trading him but unlike a lot of people here I'm not super attached to older players who were helping the wings compete ten years ago now.

Look at the Leafs trading Kessel. I think the wings could get a first and a Kapanen level prospect for Zetterberg. I would be ok with doing that because once the wings bottom out, a Kapanen and another 1st miht not put the team over the top but theyw ill be those awesome cheap depth peices that allow you to pay a first overall pick more money

 

[DetroitRed]

Would I trade him if I could?

I think you probably want a guy like him around to help develop the young guys if you are rebuilding. Also, a guy like him, with his strong leadership, is very rare. So if I traded him, I would want to know that one of the kids is ready to step into his role -ready now, not ready to just be given the role and then learn as they go. Probably the one guy who can teach that kind of leadership, who we have, is Zetterberg.

If I felt like everything was in place as far as having a new captain in waiting, then I might trade him to a contender out of respect to Zetterberg, so that he could go win another championship, but only then if he was okay with the idea. Where him being okay with idea is concerned, I doubt he wouldn't want to retire with the Wings whatever the situation here, and I think, with the effort he's given Detroit, if that's the case, you have to respect that and not treat him like the typical piece of property.

As far as what they could get for him, a lot, yeah. Trading him to a contender would likely mean that you are trading for high picks though, whether a future first round pick or whatever. In a lot of cases, for a lot of Wings, that would be fine in the name of rebuilding, but I'm not sure when it comes to Zetterberg.

 

[TheMule93]

If his slump continues for an extended period of time we might not be even get a first

No reason to trade unless you get a first or more

 

[Shoalzie]

I don't think you just trade him for the sole purpose of tanking. You only trade him if he wants to go somewhere else and you get full value for him. Otherwise, you keep him around for the leader that he is and hope that whomever the next captain will be will learn from him like he learned from Nick and Stevie.

He serves a greater purpose while he's still here. You might not win with him but he's a great example of past success for this organization and I think a guy that plays his ass off whether or not he's on a contender sends a message to the young players.

 

[obey86]

hasn't looked very good lately after a nice start to the season

 

[Redder Winger]

Until he doesn't get enough for a legend like Z and the average fan (who is already flagging in interest towards this team) sees that we dealt a star for Riley Sheahan and Kerby Rychel (#20-30 first and a decent prospect). Because I remember Frk It's data saying that Sheahan was actually a pretty successful late first.

Z will not draw anywhere close to what he is worth on the market and when the most likely return is an alright 3C and a lottery ticket on an okay prospect who probably has second line upside, I'd much rather keep him and his 60-70 points and ability to verbally knock some sense into a Larkin, AA, or Mantha or allow them the success to build their confidence to take over for him.

Your frustration should be with holding onto and giving awful deals to Abby, Helm, Ericsson, etc. Not with them not moving a face of the franchise, superstar in the limelight of his career for a couple of kinda shoddy magic beans. I mean, you're not pulling a lottery pick, let alone a lottery pick + anything from 37-40 year old Zetterberg at 6M cap hit.

Find me a top ten pick and a bluechip prospect and I'm interested in moving Z. For what he'll actually draw as a 37 year old owed 6M for 4 more years and we're still on the hook for 3-5M for an empty roster space if he quits early... I have negative interest in moving him.

And while you and a growing subset of fans might be alright with tossing even a stud like Z into the blender to see if you can pull out something younger and better... a vast majority of those who feed the Wings money making machine would demand something worthy of their time to move a player like Z. Not "a remote chance to be something good" or "we need five years to see if they're any good".

I don't get that logic.
Sure, a later first is not going to be McDavid.
But there's a chance it could be Mantha, Kuznetsov or whatever.

From 2004 to 2014, here are some picks between 20 and 31.

Travis Zajac
Mike Green
Tuuka Rask
TJ Oshie
Matt Niskanen
CLaude Giroux
Semyon Varlamov
Patrik Berglund
Nick Foligno
Max Pacioretty
Mikeal Backlund
Jordan Eberle
John Carlson
Marcus Johansson
Evegeny Kuznetsov
Brock Nelson
Charlie Coyle
Connor Murphy
Vladislav Namestnikov
Rickard Rakell
Olli Matta
Mike Matheson
Anthony Mantha
Andrew Burakovsky
Shea Theodore
David Pastrnak
Jared McCann

Plus a bunch of kids still looking to prove themsevles
Not many franchise guys in there.
But there are good hockey players in there.

You get a first for Z and Green, you double your chances of hitting on one of those picks.

 

[Redder Winger]

hasn't looked very good lately after a nice start to the season

I don't think he liked it when Blash questioned the leadership of the team after the stinker against Vancouver.

 

[inthe6ix]

Now? No.

At the Trade Deadline? I suppose I would listen to offers if we are out of the playoff race. My issue is that, realistically, I don’t see anything worthwhile being offered. A late 1st and prospect like Caleb Jones doesn’t do much for me and frankly, that's probably a best case scenario as far as offers go.

So, fast forward to today on the eve of the deadline - is he still off the table???

 

[Frk It]

So, fast forward to today on the eve of the deadline - is he still off the table???

He's going to retire a Red Wing.

 

[Winger98]

So, fast forward to today on the eve of the deadline - is he still off the table???

If he wants to be off the table, he's off the table.

 

[WingsMJN2965]

Realistically you're not going to get a king's ransom for him, and you could still get seriously screwed by cap recapture...

At the end of the day, Holland still believes in keeping veteran leaders around to mentor the young guys. Say what you will but it did seem to work with Datsyuk and Zetterberg. If it works with Larkin, it's worth keeping Z around.