I think one of the worst things teams can do with their prospects is to hold spots open for them. Make them earn their roster spots. Yzerman said it last year after the FA signing period. The jobs for the people he had just signed were open for the taking. He has no problem waiving or trading players he just signed. If he has to waive a D he just signed for Edvinsson because he's the better player, that's a good thing. If he has to waive a forward he just signed because Kasper was the better player, that's a good thing.

Does anyone really think Yzerman is that stupid that he views the players he just signed as important cogs for the future of this team? He wants his prospects to work to earn their spots. If they are just given a spot, that doesn't benefit the team or the players.

I think one of the worst things teams can do with their prospects is to hold spots open for them. Make them earn their roster spots. Yzerman said it last year after the FA signing period. The jobs for the people he had just signed were open for the taking. He has no problem waiving or trading players he just signed. If he has to waive a D he just signed for Edvinsson because he's the better player, that's a good thing. If he has to waive a forward he just signed because Kasper was the better player, that's a good thing.

Does anyone really think Yzerman is that stupid that he views the players he just signed as important cogs for the future of this team? He wants his prospects to work to earn their spots. If they are just given a spot, that doesn't benefit the team or the players.
- bluelineenforcer

I agree. Come to camp hungry and send someone to waivers. Force your way into that job

Player interviews added to main page from Wings Youtube

I think that this was terrible off season so far. I don’t buy that free agents don’t want to come to Detroit it is an original 6 team with a supposed strong leader a respected guy in Yzerman and thirdly money talks. I believe Yzerman might have just did a bad job , we will see. R o Reilly. Signs in Nashville and Duschene in Dallas for much less than Compher. The question is was Yzerman even talking to these guys. Also when our pick came up at 9 and even 17 there was lots of high end scorers left Moore , Perrault etc yet we seem to constantly miss these players. And for people to still believe that rebuilds should take a century 10 years plus is crazy. If you are past 5-7 years and still terrible in a cap world it’s time to make some front office changes.

Am I thrilled? No, I guess not. But I'm also far from panicking about all of this.

Personally there are a few things I see here.... first being, remember that this is the last year we are expecting minimal gains to the salary cap, and by all accounts the number should go up significantly in each the next 2-3 years. Secondly, the deals for Copp and Compher aren't moveable in (literally) TODAY'S NHL landscape true, but here's the tricky part I see behind that, Copp is 28, and Compher 27, with 4 and 5 years each on their deals. That means both are gone by age 32, AND whether any of us like it or not, they are both useful players in the modern NHL, to most, if not all, teams. So I can see each of them being moved with 1-2 years left, after a few salary cap bumps.

I think SY also sees Compher as capable playing the wing too, perhaps with Copp even. If Kasper plays his way onto the roster, JT wont be blocking him. Same thing on Defense. Is Holl great? No, but he's what the NHL covets. A guy who can play 16-18 minutes a night, and is right handed. He's not blocking any prospect that earns their way onto the roster. I also think he was miscast in Toronto, kinda like Walman was in St Louis. Not predicting that big of a jump persay, but I think he'll be better. At the very least, he inproves the PK, and shot blocking. FWIW, this contract comes in BELOW what The Athletic projected for him. As for Ghost, well he's going wherever he wants for a 4th or 5th at the deadlone, so again, who cares?

Lastly, the Compher signing also signals something else to me, Larkin, Copp and Compher were all teammates at Michigan in 2014-15. I believe I recall them forming the top PP unit as well. There's familiarity there, and sometimes building a locker room culture is the beginning of a turnaround, hence the vetrans last year as well.

Basically all I'm saying is, with cap increases, plenty of space STILL, and not really blocking any prospects, this team may not be better, but it's also not doomed when they see all these top prospecrs make it over the next 2 years. Is is disappointing, yes, absolutely, we're all just champing the bit to make bigger strides. But overall, the future at LCA, still looks very, very bright, to me.

Bertuzzi to Toronto for 5.5? Is that really what turned off Boston and Detroit?

Bertuzzi to Toronto for 5.5? Is that really what turned off Boston and Detroit?
- Jeremy Laura

1 year Contract, that's crazy