Speculation: Young "Unqualified" Free Agents

Boomhower

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Aug 23, 2003
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Maybe the brass look to take on a young project that another team gave up on?
Shouldn't cost an arm and a leg and would fit in with the 'rebuild on the fly'.

Meh, Free agency has started (kind of) and it seems unnatural for Wings fans not to be talking about it at all.
So Anybody of interest?

RW Nail Yakupov (23)
C Mikhail Grigorenko (23)
D Adam Clendening (24)
D Joe Morrow (24)
RW Seth Griffith (24)
LW/RW Emerson Etem (25)
C Alexander Burmistrov (25)
C Jordan Weal (25) *technically group 6 UFA, nobody gave up on him


I would love to give Seth Griffith an honest shot. We lack a setup man for our shooters and he would be just that.
I know his skating is an issue... but we have some serious burners up front to pair him with. Griffith has golden hands and A+ hockey IQ.

During his last two stints in AHL:
34 G 87 A 121 PTS in 95 Games.
Who else is putting up those type of numbers down there?
 
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Hatter of the Beach

I’m the real hero
Jun 26, 2017
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Parkland Estates, Florida
Maybe the brass look to take on a young project that another team gave up on?
Shouldn't cost an arm and a leg and would fit in with the 'rebuild on the fly'.

Meh, Free agency has started (kind of) and it seems unnatural for Wings fans not to be talking about it at all.
So Anybody of interest?

RW Nail Yakupov (23)
C Mikhail Grigorenko (23)
D Adam Clendening (24)
D Joe Morrow (24)
RW Seth Griffith (24)
LW/RW Emerson Etem (25)
C Alexander Burmistrov (25)
C Jordan Weal (25) *technically group 6 UFA, nobody gave up on him


I would love to give Seth Griffith an honest shot. We lack a setup man for our shooters and he would be just that.
I know his skating is an issue... but we have some serious burners up front to pair him with. Griffith has golden hands and A+ hockey IQ.

During his last two stints in AHL:
34 G 87 A 121 PTS in 95 Games.
Who else is putting up those type of numbers down there?

Burmistrov or Grigorenko for under 1.5 wouldn't be the worst thing. I think Grigs still has some 35-40 point potential in there. Burmistrov also had 14 points in 26 games with the yotes to finish the year. Wouldn't mind either as depth. Neither will ever live up to their potential, but still would be better than our 4th liners.

As an interesting note, Burmistrov got into hockey due to Pavel Datsyuk. He wrote to Pavel during the 03-04 season, saying he idolized him but couldnt afford equipment. Datsyuk sent him some, and even gave him some lessons during the lockout year. From Pen Pals to the NHL.
 
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Spitfire11

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Jan 17, 2003
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Unless Holland can actually learn to trade roster players there simply isn't any room for project players. There's barely room for their own prospects to get a chance, they just have to wait until the old guys start getting hurt.
 

HIFE

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May 10, 2011
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Detroit, MI
Thanks for informing us of other options. If the Wings truly wanted to build a contender instead of insisting on maintaining the legacy these are the type of guys you take a gamble on increasing their value. 23-25 y.o.'s have room to grow. If they fail miserably then waive the guy and try out a new project we've scouted. Make trades like we did for Sadowy. If they deem we need a spot filled for a year or two while y prospect develops then at least be cunning in the execution.

What other options do we have to fill roster spots, especially on D? European leagues or college? Can we offer sheet RFA's? **** any young player is a smarter move than signing a faded out roll of duck tape.
 

golffuul

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Oct 24, 2011
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Thanks for informing us of other options. If the Wings truly wanted to build a contender instead of insisting on maintaining the legacy these are the type of guys you take a gamble on increasing their value. 23-25 y.o.'s have room to grow. If they fail miserably then waive the guy and try out a new project we've scouted. Make trades like we did for Sadowy. If they deem we need a spot filled for a year or two while y prospect develops then at least be cunning in the execution.

What other options do we have to fill roster spots, especially on D? European leagues or college? Can we offer sheet RFA's? **** any young player is a smarter move than signing a faded out roll of duck tape.

Offer sheeting is out of the question. Because we would lose First Round picks as compensation. We tried getting Spencer Foo from college, but he decided Calgary is more of a playoff team (they might be..but they still have to prove it). Our best hope is to bottom out and sign some UFA's to 1-year deals and hope they have good years so we can trade them to contenders at the deadline.

I'm still hoping that Holland will trade one of our goaltenders to at least get their cap hit off of our books. I don't care what we get for Mrazek, so long as it is to a Western Conference team.
 

Hatter of the Beach

I’m the real hero
Jun 26, 2017
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Parkland Estates, Florida
Thanks for informing us of other options. If the Wings truly wanted to build a contender instead of insisting on maintaining the legacy these are the type of guys you take a gamble on increasing their value. 23-25 y.o.'s have room to grow. If they fail miserably then waive the guy and try out a new project we've scouted. Make trades like we did for Sadowy. If they deem we need a spot filled for a year or two while y prospect develops then at least be cunning in the execution.

What other options do we have to fill roster spots, especially on D? European leagues or college? Can we offer sheet RFA's? **** any young player is a smarter move than signing a faded out roll of duck tape.

Agreed. At this point I'd rather take a risk on Grigerenko than sign some has been UFA that will net is a 6th rounder at the deadline.

Do any of these guys have Star potential? No. Could a lot of them still be quality, everyday NHLers? Yes.

I'd take Burmistrov and Grigs over Nosek who everybody was clamoring for prior to Vegas taking him 11/10 times
 

Debrincat93

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Dec 4, 2002
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if you give Morrow a chance at 20 mins a night with the right person, like Ouellet maybe... he could probably redevelop some confidence and show the skill he was drafted with.

he was completely misused in Boston, whether their fan base will say it or not. When he played, he wasnt awful and when you dont put players in the right roles to fulfill their assets, no **** they'll fail and look bad. If you can play this kid 20 mins, 2nd PP time.. he would probably show you a solid 20-25 pts in year 1.
 

Debrincat93

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Dec 4, 2002
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Yakupov needs to go somewhere where he can be sheltered, such as the pens or hawks.

I wouldnt mind giving a chance to Grigorenko but only a 1 year deal. He's so lazy and such an enigma. He has maybe 2 good games out of every 15-20.
 

njx9

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Feb 1, 2016
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I wouldn't mind Grigorenko... I have a hard time imaging he'd be worse than Sheahan.
 

Beltv

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Apr 13, 2017
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Burmistrov will get a deal somewhere. I'd take a waiver on him here. Added C depth is always nice.

Yakupov is probably better fit for the KHL but I could see a team taking a waiver on him. He is only 23 and has like 5 NHL seasons now. Gosh, I still remember the "Fail for Nail" slogans that teams adopted his draft year.
 

SirloinUB

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Aug 20, 2010
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Personally I have not followed any of these guys enough to supply my own opinion on there game. In theory they could be solid additions but I just question how much upside any of these guys actually have.

Honest question: Are we talking about any of these guys for reasons other than their unfulfilled draft pedigree?
 

RedWingzz

Everybody loves Raymond
Apr 14, 2009
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Not like we need anymore small skilled players, but I've always liked Burmistrov, and would be ok if we took a chance on him.
 

Beltv

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Apr 13, 2017
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Personally I have not followed any of these guys enough to supply my own opinion on there game. In theory they could be solid additions but I just question how much upside any of these guys actually have.

Honest question: Are we talking about any of these guys for reasons other than their unfulfilled draft pedigree?

I think mostly talking to them because they can be had for cheap, possibly as a reclamation project to build a core later. These guys are still relatively young. Where as spending bigger money on UFA guys who are old and slow would hurt way more. Going after these guys would put a better direction on where the DRW should be heading. Younger, Faster, cheaper.
 

SirloinUB

Registered User
Aug 20, 2010
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I think mostly talking to them because they can be had for cheap, possibly as a reclamation project to build a core later. These guys are still relatively young. Where as spending bigger money on UFA guys who are old and slow would hurt way more. Going after these guys would put a better direction on where the DRW should be heading. Younger, Faster, cheaper.

Oh I get the logic/Strategy and I like the theory. I'm just wondering if these specific guys still have legit NHL upside or are they just some shiny new (to us) toys ultimately destined for the K/AHL.

In other words, is the perceived upside based on draft pedigree/age resulting in an overly inflated potential? By and large they haven't accomplished much.
 

Beltv

Registered User
Apr 13, 2017
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Oh I get the logic/Strategy and I like the theory. I'm just wondering if these specific guys still have legit NHL upside or are they just some shiny new (to us) toys ultimately destined for the K/AHL.

In other words, is the perceived upside based on draft pedigree/age resulting in an overly inflated potential? By and large they haven't accomplished much.

I think that's based more so on the player and the teams direction of where they are headed.

Yakupov, most likely suited for KHL at this point IMO, but a guy like Burmistrov could be to some use in the NHL. He had a good finish to the season as pointed out above.

If we are signing any UFA or RFA guys, I think they all need to be under 27 years old. We have enough players on the team on old nasty contracts who bring "veteran leadership, slow, useless, etc"
 

Syckle78

Registered User
Nov 5, 2011
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Redford, MI
I'd take a flier on any of them what's there to lose? Sure as hell beats the list of free agents Holland is reportedly interested.
 

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