If we fail to reload with top UFAs we should?

[frankgrimes 1,836]

I know everyone is high on Parise and Suter, but lets assume we dont get them...the drop off is huge so wouldnt it be better to start the youth movemen? Next years UFA class is extremely loaded so I would prefer that even if our PO streak would come to an end ! Thoughts?

[number9 3,297]

At that point my guess would be Holland would bring back Hudler, sign someone Seminish, sign someone Widemanish, and add that #2 goaltender. Do I like this? No. Hudler will be overpaid, Semin will be Semin, and Wideman/Quincey/Smith < Lidstrom/Stuart. Holland's got the money though and he's not going to do nothing with it....And basically he's not going to go with a youth movement for the sake of going with a youth movement. I think our young players would be given a lot of chances to make the team though if this happened.

Maybe a trade....maybe

[MabusIncarnate 5,355]

At that point my guess would be Holland would bring back Hudler, sign someone Seminish, sign someone Widemanish, and add that #2 goaltender. Do I like this? No. Hudler will be overpaid, Semin will be Semin, and Wideman/Quincey/Smith < Lidstrom/Stuart. Holland's got the money though and he's not going to do nothing with it....And basically he's not going to go with a youth movement for the sake of going with a youth movement. I think our young players would be given a lot of chances to make the team though if this happened.

Maybe a trade....maybe

It's kinda shocking how close this is to what I was going to post. Plan B, Semin, Wideman, Hudler and youth. Bring in Josh Harding and potentially a grinder/goon like Prust that has some small level of hockey talent on top of the physical play. For this reason I'd pass on Konopka who i've seen mentioned before.

Good news is that it's now June 17th and we only have about two more weeks of this agonizing anticipation until we actually see what this team does/doesn't do to structure for the future.

[chrisdetroit 189]

It's kinda shocking how close this is to what I was going to post. Plan B, Semin, Wideman, Hudler and youth. Bring in Josh Harding and potentially a grinder/goon like Prust that has some small level of hockey talent on top of the physical play. For this reason I'd pass on Konopka who i've seen mentioned before.

Good news is that it's now June 17th and we only have about two more weeks of this agonizing anticipation until we actually see what this team does/doesn't do to structure for the future.

My bet is that he gets Suter but not Parise then signs somebody like Semin and makes a big trade later in the summer. Huds is not going to be back because he can get $4M+ elsewhere and Kenny has already hinted that he isn't going to offer him that kind of money. IF Hudler accepts Kenny's offer which will be only a little more than he makes now, Huds will stay but I don't see that happening.

I also expect 1 or 2 FA signings for middle of the road guys.

[pucktividi 472]

Sign Parenteau,Moen and one of Konopka/Prust,get both Wideman and Garrison and sign a backup goalie for cheap.

Not the best possible team on paper,but definitely much tougher and deeper than the last season roster

[Dabura 12,228]

I've gotta think we're gonna land at least one of them. (Suter.) But, yeah, I mostly agree with what's been said. I don't think Hudler will be back. Semin, Parenteau, Gaustad/Konopka/Prust/Moen, Wideman/Garrison...?

Edited June 17, 2012 by Dabura

[number9 3,297]

My bet is that he gets Suter but not Parise then signs somebody like Semin and makes a big trade later in the summer. Huds is not going to be back because he can get $4M+ elsewhere and Kenny has already hinted that he isn't going to offer him that kind of money. IF Hudler accepts Kenny's offer which will be only a little more than he makes now, Huds will stay but I don't see that happening.

I also expect 1 or 2 FA signings for middle of the road guys.

That's what I'd put my money on too. Suter and Semin. I don't like Semin but It's not about what I like.

[Dabura 12,228]

Thoughts on Jordan Staal?

[Buppy 1,720]

Sign Parenteau,Moen and one of Konopka/Prust,get both Wideman and Garrison and sign a backup goalie for cheap.

Not the best possible team on paper,but definitely much tougher and deeper than the last season roster

Wideman/Garrison in place of Nick/Stuie. Parenteau/Moen/Konopka or Prust in place of Hudler/Homer/two of Emmerton/Mursak/Miller/Eaves/Nyquist.

Tougher maybe, but certainly not deeper. If we had to settle for that, I'd be ok with it, but I think we'd need to look at our trade options. At least for help on defense.

[Dabura 12,228]

(Almost forgot: *obligatory Girardi mention*)

[St. Michael (the Red Wing) 422]

Thoughts on Jordan Staal?

Yes please. Best third line center in the game when healthy.

[redwingfan19 293]

Would Pittsburgh eve do a trade with the Wings?

[ogreslayer 1,069]

Would Pittsburgh eve do a trade with the Wings?

Sooner than they would with most teams in the East I would think. Maybe the lone exception to that would be with the Canes if they load up an offer in order to start collecting Staals.

[redwingfan19 293]

Sooner than they would with most teams in the East I would think. Maybe the lone exception to that would be with the Canes if they load up an offer in order to start collecting Staals.

This is true, I gotta get past the whole back 2 back finals thing and realize that the only way this trade comes into play is if the Wings and Pens make the finals.

Stall is one of the few guys I would sell the farm for, easily a 25-30 goal guy every year and is elite defensively. Hard to beleive he will be entering his SEVENTH season at 24 years of age.

[Carman 387]

Save up for Crosby.

I'd really like to trade everything it would take for a winger Rick Nash/Bobby Ryan seeing as we actually can take on cap space.

Other then that I'd like to see the other names Konopka/Moen/Garrison etc.

[Hockey13Playa 240]

Would Pittsburgh eve do a trade with the Wings?

Well they traded with Washington, so you never know! I wouldn't mind J. Staal at all if they;d actually trade with us.

But I like Garrison on the point or possibly Schultz. For a 4th line role I don't mind Prust. There aren't many players after Suter and Parise that I would be extremely happy about. There also is E. Kane (regarding the article about not wanting to sign) but realistically Detroit acquiring him isn't going to happen.

Also, I wouldn't mind the trading option to bring in some talent.

Edited June 17, 2012 by Hockey13Playa

[Z Winged Dangler 2,082]

Garrison, Schultz, DeKeyser, Wideman, Prust, Konopka...there's lots of guys that could make the Wings better.

[wingsfan4795 552]

Next years UFA class is extremely loaded so I would prefer that even if our PO streak would come to an end ! Thoughts?

Last summer, this years UFA class looked really loaded. most elite players get signed to contract extensions during contract years

Garrison, Schultz, DeKeyser, Wideman, Prust, Konopka...there's lots of guys that could make the Wings better.

Schultz will only go to a canadian team

[Guest Johnz96]

Yes please. Best third line center in the game when healthy.

I don't know if you can call someone who gets more ice-time than any of the Wings forwards a third liner

Last summer, this years UFA class looked really loaded. most elite players get signed to contract extensions during contract years

Schultz will only go to a canadian team

I never heard that anywhere

[Z Winged Dangler 2,082]

Last summer, this years UFA class looked really loaded. most elite players get signed to contract extensions during contract years

Schultz will only go to a canadian team

link to article stating this? news to me

[LeftWinger 5,068]

No matter the back up plan, he cannot include Hudler or Quincey. Hudler will garner way too much money and Quincey is worth more letting someone else sign him and getting the draft picks than what he brings to the Wings. I'd rather give Nyquist, Hudler's ice-time and re-tool the D entirely before overpaying Quincey, who at $3.125 he made last year was over-payment on this team. On the market, Hudler may be worth $5M and Quincey $4M, but not here. Let them go...We already are over-paying Ericsson for hopes he grows into his contract...

I'd rather go for Schultz (also would like to see where it is said he will only play for a Canadian team) and another proven player like Wideman or Carle than overpay Quincey...

Kronwall - White

Ericsson - Wideman(Carle)

Smith - Schultz

Kindl(or another #7 if you trade Kindl)

Obviously I'd rather see Suter there, but I do not want to see Quincey there no matter what. You couldn't trade him to a team for a 1st/3rd so why not let him sign somewhere and get them by default? Could be a very high 1st next year!

[GMRwings1983 8,802]

Maybe we can "Create a Player".

Kinda like you do in NHL 12.

[Hockey13Playa 240]

Maybe we can "Create a Player".

Kinda like you do in NHL 12.

Alright I think that would work! How about this for the created player?

Hometown: Vasteras, Sweden

Birthday: 4/28

Height: 6'2"

Weight: 192 lbs

Favorite Number: 5

Favorite Team: Detroit Red Wings

Shoots: Left

Attributes: All 99's

Welp, problem solved on defense!

[Dimaline312000 51]

I'm all for going with a youth movment if we can't who we need. Parise and Suter would be great to have but you've got to realize they are going to be pursued by a lot of teams as well as the teams they are currently on. We defintely need to constantly bring up players from GR and such but it has to be at the righ time. I'm even all for trading for a player that has either gone high in recent previous drafts that could possibly come in right away and help us or trading for a 1st Round Pick this Draft and bringing them up right away. I realize that our system develops players slowly and Holland likes his players over-ripe but forgive me when I say this but Holland is Stail and his way of thinking has been great for us in the past but the League is getting younger and we to try to keep up and do what we can to stay youthful, which I believe will give us a necessary spark on our team. Haven't really looked at the Free Agent Market to know who else is a UFA but if we can't get Parise or Suter I would imagine we could get someone or make a trade, that would be the way I'd go.

[Icesurfer 75]

Wings will be able to sign quality players but that is really not the problem..... whether they sign the top free agents or not.

Everyone knows by now that defense and goaltending win championships. I hate to say it but without Lidstrom Wings will have to eventually upgrade their goaltending. Wings must now win like everyone else... with top notch goaltending. I was one of Howie's biggest supporters. Last year I was expecting Howie to improve his rebound control, but what I saw was that it actually got worse. The difference was the defense was so focused on getting to his rebounds first that they left the opposing skaters unchecked and open. You can't keep plugging holes. Either Howie improves his rebound control or Wings will have to upgrade. There is no Lidstrom to mend the mistakes and the shots will not be kept low like they have been in the past. Teams got very smart against Howie.... they learned to just throw the puck at the net and play for the rebound. So how the Wings do in 2012-2013 will not depend on which defensemen and forward they sign but rather rest on the shoulders of Jimmy Howard. And for Pete's sake spend some of that money to get a decent backup, one capable of assuming a number one role.

Edited June 17, 2012 by Icesurfer