Jeremy Laura: On the outside looking in, Wings slip from wild card with Isles win

its over. they dont have it yet. Larkin goes down and Joe Veleno is your #1c...
but whats the point of making the playoffs? get hammered by the Rangers.
call up Edvinsson and play Bergren and call it a season.

It's not looking good right now, but even if the Red Wings sneak into the playoffs they will be crushed in the first round for sure.

I'd certainly rather watch them lose in the playoffs than fall right out of the picture here.

I'd certainly rather watch them lose in the playoffs than fall right out of the picture here.
- tmanv

+1 agree

I'd rather watch them lose in the first round with a caveat that some of the UFA players resign (really 3 of 4). I think the TDL strategy right or wrong is only successful if some stick around after the season. If the likes of Kane, ghost, sprong and perron all walk at the end of season and had expressed this intent last week it's a giant miss for the organization. Thinking positively, I will assume these conversations happened in which case kindly sign some extensions asap.

Still on my wish list is a 1B C. I would have been fine going into the playoffs with our D had we added that center that could play line 1 or 2 equally to Larkin. While not a McDavid or Crosby, he can handle his own and I would be happy rolling 2 Larkins haha. I like the Compher signing, can certainly play the second or third line, not sure first is the right fit.

I'd rather watch them lose in the first round with a caveat that some of the UFA players resign (really 3 of 4). I think the TDL strategy right or wrong is only successful if some stick around after the season. If the likes of Kane, ghost, sprong and perron all walk at the end of season and had expressed this intent last week it's a giant miss for the organization. Thinking positively, I will assume these conversations happened in which case kindly sign some extensions asap.

Still on my wish list is a 1B C. I would have been fine going into the playoffs with our D had we added that center that could play line 1 or 2 equally to Larkin. While not a McDavid or Crosby, he can handle his own and I would be happy rolling 2 Larkins haha. I like the Compher signing, can certainly play the second or third line, not sure first is the right fit.
- czahaluk

I have to agree especially on Sprong. Would really like to see him extended. I hope Kasper is developing and can be a solid add at some point. Not sure Copp has been what they’d hoped, but the decision to throw JV up on the top line feels like an indictment on not having hit the center position hard enough. With the cap and raises needed it’s not going to be easy without moving money out to get a center to fill that 1B gap. Frustrating but part of the building process I guess.

Like many, I've questioned the talent level over the past few weeks, and I've grown tired the lengthy debate about which marginal third-liners should be re-signed.

The largest dilemma with the roster seems to be a lack of elite talent. Yzerman has assembled a team with a handful of very-good players, but each of the top six teams in the East has at least 3 players which I doubt they would consider individually trading straight-up for any single Wings player. These players would include (but not limited too):

FLA - Barkov, Ekblad, Reinhart, Tkachuk
BOS - Marchand, McAvoy, Pasternak, Swayman
NYR - Fox, Kreider, Panarin, Shesterkin, Zibanejad
CAR - Aho, Svechnikov, Burns
TOR - Marner, Matthews, Nylander
TBL - Hedman, Kucherov, Point, Vasilevski

Elite talent is no guarantee of playoff success (see Leafs) but it has been an essential element of most Stanley Cup winning teams.

With a roster too good to be awarded top draft picks (without lottery luck), light on top-tier prospects, and not good enough to convince top players to sign/waive no-trade clauses, I am curious if Yzerman has a workable plan to acquire the elite players needed to contend?

Like many, I've questioned the talent level over the past few weeks, and I've grown tired the lengthy debate about which marginal third-liners should be re-signed.

The largest dilemma with the roster seems to be a lack of elite talent. Yzerman has assembled a team with a handful of very-good players, but each of the top six teams in the East has at least 3 players which I doubt they would consider individually trading straight-up for any single Wings player. These players would include (but not limited too):

FLA - Barkov, Ekblad, Reinhart, Tkachuk
BOS - Marchand, McAvoy, Pasternak, Swayman
NYR - Fox, Kreider, Panarin, Shesterkin, Zibanejad
CAR - Aho, Svechnikov, Burns
TOR - Marner, Matthews, Nylander
TBL - Hedman, Kucherov, Point, Vasilevski

Elite talent is no guarantee of playoff success (see Leafs) but it has been an essential element of most Stanley Cup winning teams.

With a roster too good to be awarded top draft picks (without lottery luck), light on top-tier prospects, and not good enough to convince top players to sign/waive no-trade clauses, I am curious if Yzerman has a workable plan to acquire the elite players needed to contend?
- Jackie Daytona

Remember, the year they got Raymond they finished dead last and were bumped 3 spots. Each year for a few they kept getting bumped back until a rule change limited it to 2 and teams can’t move up more than 7. Reinhart. That one hurts. They should have come up with a package. Probably no way to get him, but Zach Hyman could have been a nice add too. You are really smart to focus on those 3 or 4 talents that you build around. Lots of revolving doors. The key is figuring out how many forwards, how many D and what do you pay to put in net. I really like where you’re at. For drafting, the Euro scouts still seem to be the better go to. Sandin Pelikka lit up the radars this year and should have some GR time. Bringing in Debrincat brought goals but Kane just blew things up. I don’t know if they can get him back but boy would I like to see it

Remember, the year they got Raymond they finished dead last and were bumped 3 spots. Each year for a few they kept getting bumped back until a rule change limited it to 2 and teams can’t move up more than 7. Reinhart. That one hurts. They should have come up with a package. Probably no way to get him, but Zach Hyman could have been a nice add too. You are really smart to focus on those 3 or 4 talents that you build around. Lots of revolving doors. The key is figuring out how many forwards, how many D and what do you pay to put in net. I really like where you’re at. For drafting, the Euro scouts still seem to be the better go to. Sandin Pelikka lit up the radars this year and should have some GR time. Bringing in Debrincat brought goals but Kane just blew things up. I don’t know if they can get him back but boy would I like to see it
- Jeremy Laura

Re-signing Kane should be the priority. He would be a draw for elite or very good talent to come to Detroit. And Y should make some moves to dump salary to make room for them. Not re-signing Perron, trading or buying out Holl, trading Copp. Sprong is on the bubble. Then, of course bringing up Eddy, Berggren and one other from GR.

Like many, I've questioned the talent level over the past few weeks, and I've grown tired the lengthy debate about which marginal third-liners should be re-signed.

The largest dilemma with the roster seems to be a lack of elite talent. Yzerman has assembled a team with a handful of very-good players, but each of the top six teams in the East has at least 3 players which I doubt they would consider individually trading straight-up for any single Wings player. These players would include (but not limited too):

FLA - Barkov, Ekblad, Reinhart, Tkachuk
BOS - Marchand, McAvoy, Pasternak, Swayman
NYR - Fox, Kreider, Panarin, Shesterkin, Zibanejad
CAR - Aho, Svechnikov, Burns
TOR - Marner, Matthews, Nylander
TBL - Hedman, Kucherov, Point, Vasilevski

Elite talent is no guarantee of playoff success (see Leafs) but it has been an essential element of most Stanley Cup winning teams.

With a roster too good to be awarded top draft picks (without lottery luck), light on top-tier prospects, and not good enough to convince top players to sign/waive no-trade clauses, I am curious if Yzerman has a workable plan to acquire the elite players needed to contend?
- Jackie Daytona

FL:
Barkov #2 pick
Ekblad #1 pick
Tkachuk Traded for with a #3 pick
Reinhart #2 Pick

The last time Detroit had a top 3 pick in the draft, only four of their current rostered players were born.