Bob Duff: Expectations will only grow for Wings' Larkin Dylan Larkin is the future of the Detroit Red Wings but that future may not come as early as next season.

It's time for these kids to start getting more minutes IMO. Larkin points started to tail off when his minutes dropped so that to me isn't a huge concern. The older guys just aren't getting it done anymore and we gotta see what we have in the future. I'm glad we made it again and I think we played well enough to earn a couple more games but it is what it is.

Besides Larkin, Mantha played really well when he was up. If not for a few posts he could have had 3 or 4 goals with the chances he was creating. As a fan it is exciting to watch these talented young kids and we need that and we need to trust them I think with bigger roles. AA keeps the defense honest and playing him for 6-7 minutes a game is too short.

14-40-8
X-71-21
39-15-72

The one intriguing player to me is Sheahan. When that guy is playing with confidence and taking players on he can be pretty fast and shows some really nice hands. There are some games where he is really going and I think...why not all the time? When he wants to he can really play some good hockey and we need that consistently.

I think it's also time for Oulette to get a chance. (Should have played over Ericsson after game 4 but..) also Sproul, Russo and Jensen. We gotta see what we have even if that means dropping some games. I wanna know what these kids can do when given a chance. On defense besides kronwall (barely anymore) DD and Green its a toss up. Smith looked better at the end but that wasn't how he played all year so this will be an interesting off season.

Ken Holland has a lot to answer for:

-why is the defense in the shape it is? and theres little/no help coming in GR
-how has he been unable to make franchise altering trades as other GMs have done?
-his failed trades where he gave a way good young prospects for nothing
-his failed free agent signings. (i can only think of a handful over the years that have worked)

i can think of so many players that are contribute nothing or close to nothing to this team. Kenny has shaped this roster, its on him!

-Blashill too

-outside of some younger players, the whole roster for the most part had poor seasons.
-his failure to give AA more minutes in the playoffs
-special teams a disaster


In closing this team right now reminds me of the Pistons under Joe Dumars. Just kind of going with the flow, going through the motions while the league passes it by.

It's time for these kids to start getting more minutes IMO. Larkin points started to tail off when his minutes dropped so that to me isn't a huge concern. The older guys just aren't getting it done anymore and we gotta see what we have in the future. I'm glad we made it again and I think we played well enough to earn a couple more games but it is what it is.

Besides Larkin, Mantha played really well when he was up. If not for a few posts he could have had 3 or 4 goals with the chances he was creating. As a fan it is exciting to watch these talented young kids and we need that and we need to trust them I think with bigger roles. AA keeps the defense honest and playing him for 6-7 minutes a game is too short.

14-40-8
X-71-21
39-15-72

The one intriguing player to me is Sheahan. When that guy is playing with confidence and taking players on he can be pretty fast and shows some really nice hands. There are some games where he is really going and I think...why not all the time? When he wants to he can really play some good hockey and we need that consistently.

I think it's also time for Oulette to get a chance. (Should have played over Ericsson after game 4 but..) also Sproul, Russo and Jensen. We gotta see what we have even if that means dropping some games. I wanna know what these kids can do when given a chance. On defense besides kronwall (barely anymore) DD and Green its a toss up. Smith looked better at the end but that wasn't how he played all year so this will be an interesting off season.
- HomestyleMelt

u want Nyquist and Tatar back on this team? for me u need to seriously look at moving one of them. time is over for (frank)ing around with this roster and little chinsy changes Kenny has made. also, i dont consider nyquist to be a top line player.

When Steve Yzerman left the front office to manage the Lightning, Mike Ilitch said he had approached Holland about moving up in the front office to make room for Yzerman as general manager.

Ilitch said Holland declined.

Now, Holland’s tasks are formidable and mounting, and his joke several seasons ago that Lidstrom’s retirement might hasten his own is less humorous.

He faces fierce urgency in a hot kitchen, likely to get only hotter.


So yes, its ALL on Kenny and it starts this offseason.

u want Nyquist and Tatar back on this team? for me u need to seriously look at moving one of them. time is over for (frank)ing around with this roster and little chinsy changes Kenny has made. also, i dont consider nyquist to be a top line player.
- Jurco_28

I would trade nyquist in a package deal i agree. Just working wit what i have and what i think will be there next year. I think its far too soon to just move on from those two with nothing to replace them unless you're just admitting you wanna tank.

Holland hasnt been able to swing trades because whos valuable that we can lose. Cant just make trades where there are none. I do agree that more substatial changes need to be made even to just the general philosophy of the team. Couple dmen look like they coiuuuld be 3-4 guys but we will never know if guys like mantha get buried behind guys like andersson

I would trade nyquist in a package deal i agree. Just working wit what i have and what i think will be there next year. I think its far too soon to just move on from those two with nothing to replace them unless you're just admitting you wanna tank.

Holland hasnt been able to swing trades because whos valuable that we can lose. Cant just make trades where there are none. I do agree that more substatial changes need to be made even to just the general philosophy of the team. Couple dmen look like they coiuuuld be 3-4 guys but we will never know if guys like mantha get buried behind guys like andersson
- HomestyleMelt

The first thing they need to address is landing a top notch Dman. Obviously those aren't easy to come by. That's when you get into package deals--gotta give up to get back.

I was ok with Holland doing nothing this past deadline, because the Wings weren't 1 or 2 pieces away from the cup. So standing pat made sense imo

The first thing they need to address is landing a top notch Dman. Obviously those aren't easy to come by. That's when you get into package deals--gotta give up to get back.

I was ok with Holland doing nothing this past deadline, because the Wings weren't 1 or 2 pieces away from the cup. So standing pat made sense imo
- Bren4Wings

I agree we do need top pairing defensemen on this team, but packaging nyquist or tatar will not get that.

From what I'm hearing, Hamonic who IMO isn't a top pairing guy (a solid 2nd pairing guy) would fetch a Nugent-Hopkins or Eberle +.

If that's the price for Hamonic, there is no way Tatar or Nyquist (or even both together) is going to land us a top pairing Dman unless he's in his last year of his contract on a team with no chance for the playoffs. Fans would complain if we traded away Tatar or Nyquist for a UFA.

I think we need to keep Nyquist and Tatar and hope that in a few years that Larkin and Mantha are legit first line guys.

The only way to improve our defense quickly is with a UFA signing, there's none this year but Hedman will be UFA in 2017 (I wish)

I agree we do need top pairing defensemen on this team, but packaging nyquist or tatar will not get that.

From what I'm hearing, Hamonic who IMO isn't a top pairing guy (a solid 2nd pairing guy) would fetch a Nugent-Hopkins or Eberle +.

If that's the price for Hamonic, there is no way Tatar or Nyquist (or even both together) is going to land us a top pairing Dman unless he's in his last year of his contract on a team with no chance for the playoffs. Fans would complain if we traded away Tatar or Nyquist for a UFA.

I think we need to keep Nyquist and Tatar and hope that in a few years that Larkin and Mantha are legit first line guys.

The only way to improve our defense quickly is with a UFA signing, there's none this year but Hedman will be UFA in 2017 (I wish)
- porkchops1977

In regards to packaging, I wasn't trying to infer that Nyquist and/or Tatar would get it done alone. For a top tier Dman, you have to think 1st rounders, top prospect(s), and a combo of known NHL'ers. It's normally a combo-- but it comes down to you have to give up to get.

Hamonic is a special case in regards to him wanting to go to a specific area that includes only 1 or 2 teams-- not a lot of wiggle room to come back and say they got a better offer etc. from team C or D. dmen always come with a higher price. Sometimes you can do a 1 for 1 trade if it's quality and fits the needs ie Nashville trading Seth Jones for Johansen from Columbus.

In regards to packaging, I wasn't trying to infer that Nyquist and/or Tatar would get it done alone. For a top tier Dman, you have to think 1st rounders, top prospect(s), and a combo of known NHL'ers. It's normally a combo-- but it comes down to you have to give up to get.

Hamonic is a special case in regards to him wanting to go to a specific area that includes only 1 or 2 teams-- not a lot of wiggle room to come back and say they got a better offer etc. from team C or D. dmen always come with a higher price. Sometimes you can do a 1 for 1 trade if it's quality and fits the needs ie Nashville trading Seth Jones for Johansen from Columbus.
- Bren4Wings

Perhaps jimmy and gus for someone like giordano could work.