Jeremy Laura: Your picks and trades so far, Blashill decision looming

I'm going with Kent Johnson at 7th or 8th. While I wouldn't be surprised to see them go back to Sweden, I think Johnson is the exact type of player Stevie Y wants on his roster. He can be a sniper, he may have better hands than Beniers, he's a great passer and his motor never stops. Most importantly, he's already a 200 foot player.

I'm going with Kent Johnson at 7th or 8th. While I wouldn't be surprised to see them go back to Sweden, I think Johnson is the exact type of player Stevie Y wants on his roster. He can be a sniper, he may have better hands than Beniers, he's a great passer and his motor never stops. Most importantly, he's already a 200 foot player.
- bluelineenforcer

Very cool! I’ll book it. Thanks for jumping in

Do we really think that Tampa is that desperate to get rid of Stamkos? I know that they are in cap hell but to pay a 1st and 2nd to get rid of the heart and soul of your team feels wrong. I think they are much more likely to pay someone (Seattle) to take Johnson off their hands.

Do we really think that Tampa is that desperate to get rid of Stamkos? I know that they are in cap hell but to pay a 1st and 2nd to get rid of the heart and soul of your team feels wrong. I think they are much more likely to pay someone (Seattle) to take Johnson off their hands.
- zetterberg40

Win the lottery and take Owen Power at 1. Then the Caps lose in round 1 of the playoffs and we land a top 20 pick. That pick + Wings 3rd, 2022 2nd from Washington, and Fabbri to LA and we draft Jesper Wallstedt.

Do we really think that Tampa is that desperate to get rid of Stamkos? I know that they are in cap hell but to pay a 1st and 2nd to get rid of the heart and soul of your team feels wrong. I think they are much more likely to pay someone (Seattle) to take Johnson off their hands.
- zetterberg40

I just asked everyone to drop scenarios. The reader who came up with that did a “swing for the fences” setup. I have no idea if they’d consider it or no, just giving everyone a chance to put together some different scenarios.

Win the lottery and take Owen Power at 1. Then the Caps lose in round 1 of the playoffs and we land a top 20 pick. That pick + Wings 3rd, 2022 2nd from Washington, and Fabbri to LA and we draft Jesper Wallstedt.
- DRW1991

Wow, very cool scenario. Do you have thoughts on what position Wallstedt would be picked up in? I’ll go ahead and book it. Thanks for taking the time to put that together!

I just asked everyone to drop scenarios. The reader who came up with that did a “swing for the fences” setup. I have no idea if they’d consider it or no, just giving everyone a chance to put together some different scenarios.
- Jeremy Laura

Personally, I like the scenario. I think we should take on all the "bad" contracts we can stomach. Having Stamkos and Larkin down the center would be fun.

Personally, I like the scenario. I think we should take on all the "bad" contracts we can stomach. Having Stamkos and Larkin down the center would be fun.
- zetterberg40

It’s a wide open off season for sure. Stamkos has so much he can still bring on the ice, for sure. It would feel like a totally different team if a deal like that got pulled off

No prediction from me cause who knows what might happen but I really hope the Wings land the 1st overall pick!

1 & 2. Detroit drafts 9th, typical Yzerman move and shocks by picking C. Mason McTavish, Peterborough Petes. (Non shocking status qou pick will be Eklund or B.A.S. if Yzerman doesn't shock us.)

3. Blashill signs a 1 year deal. Yzerman has a plan, and isn't rushing it. Blashill had some effect and improvements. Yzerman hopes for either same progress or less to get another top 5 to 10 pick.

4. RFA deals. Vrana signs 3 year, 4 million per. Bertuzzi signs 1 year, 3.75 million prove it deal. Erne signs 3 year, 1.5 million per. Rasmussen signs 5 year, 2 million per avg. Hronek signs 5 year, 4 million per. Possibly others signed, but not overly noteworthy.

5. Current UFA deals. Glenny, comes back on a 4 year, 1.5 per avg. Ryan signs 1 year, 1 million, with incentives. Bernier signs 2 year, 3 million per. Anyone else is lower tier, and likely league minimum 1 year deals.

6 & 7. Buyouts & Expansion; More than likely Nielsen, for buyout, but we also know Yzerman plays everything close to the vest. He could surprise and work deal with Seattle, so they take Nielsen, for a pick or two as well. Then buys out Danny Deke. Honestly when it comes to Yzerman, anything is possible. If he works no deal, I think the only and obvious choice for Seattle is Svechnikov.

8. Market UFA'S. For new UFA's signed, mostly stop gap 1 year deals, on the cheap. Don't see big name, big deals happening. On a whim if by chance 2 or 3 bigger names did possibly happen my predictions are; 1. RNH signs 5 year, 7.5 million per, with great signing bonus and possible incentives. 2. Hynman signs 7 year, 4.5 million per. (Hate the Leafs so stealing him away brings pleasure,. As for Hyman as a player, love his game, and the jam and versatility he brings. Imagine him and Bert together.) 3. Savard signs 4 year, 5 million per. ( Right hand, shut down, pair with Stecher on 2nd pair. Hronek and Seider 1st pair, I'd be happy.)
Once again don't overly see big ufa deals, more just dreams and/or big ifs.

End of the day another year of growth, patience, great use of cap to help other teams for picks, and the Captain working towards the future.
Go Wings Go

Free Agency:

Could see Stevie Y Liking the Risk Reward model in Dreiger out of FLA.
3yrs/3.85aav/$11.55M
Gives a solid 1A/1B with Greiss and a pair of guys who can bail out this soon to arrive developing Blue Line who will need the pick me up now and again for mental development and confidence even more so than any “win-now” precepts. Also extends the runway to develop Larsson and Petruzelli properly.

Would Sign Undrafted NCAA Free Agent LW Jackson Niedermayer

Add Protection in RW Buddy Robinson 2yrs/800aav/$1.6M

Extensions:
Bertuzzi-3yrs/4.5aav/$13.5M
Erne-2yrs/1.15aav/$2.3M
Glendening-3yrs/2.2aav/$6.6am
Hronek-4yrs/4.575aav/$18.3M
QO’s to: Rasmussen, Pearson, Verbeek

TRADES

LW Givani Smith to NSH for RW Michael
McCarron

Helping Fix His Own Mess...
Even if SEA eats Johnson for TB, it won’t be enough to get them cap compliant. Could See Y doing something like: Veleno, Chowlowski, Svechnikov, van Pottelberghe+2021 2nd/EDM+2022 4th/TBL to TB for D Ryan McDonough+D Eric Cernak+C Anthony Cirelli+2022 1st+2021 7th/NJD+2023 7th/ANA.
Note: each of the contracts going out TB can bury off the salary cap roster unless called up; while also giving them breathing room to offer D Savard a Florida advantaged deal and depending on demand, maybe even keep a guy like Goodrow or less likely, maybe even a Coleman type; all while fitting Colton Ross and Mathieu Joseph in to round out their depth.


DRAFTS
2021 Draft Noteables
1st/DET-6th-C Kent Johnson
1st/WSH-24th-LW S. Roberttsson
2nd/DET-D Roman Schmidt
2nd/NYR-RW Chase Stillman
3rd-C/ LW Cameron MacDonald

2022 Draft Noteables
1st/DET-11th-RW Devin Kaplan
1st/TBL-26th-C Timothy Almgren
2nd-LD Joshua Niedermayer
3rd-RD Charlie Leddy

Rough Lineup and Pool

J. Vrana-D. Larkin-T. Bertuzzi
F. Zadina-A. Cirelli-M. Rasmussen
R. Panik-R. Fabbri-V. Namestnikov
A. Erne-L.’Glendening-M. McCarron
x F. Nielsen x B. Robinson

R. McDonough-F. Hronek
D. DeKeyser-M. Seider
A. Johansson-E. Cernak
x G. Lindstrom

C. Dreiger
T. Greiss
***************+++******
Partial (Notable) Prospect Pool

S. Roberttsson-T. Almgren-L. Raymond
Ja. Niedermayer-K. Johnson-D. Kaplan
C. MacDonald-J. Bertgenn-C. Stillman
H. Verbeek-C. Pearson-R. O’Reilly
C. Bradley-E. Phillips-K. Draper

D. Sebrango-R. Schmidt
W. Wallinder-S. Barton
J. Niedermayer-C. Leddy
J. McIssac-A. Cotton
K. Aucoin-G. Berglund

F. Larsson
K. Petruzzelli
J. Bednar
J. Eliasson

8. Market UFA'S. For new UFA's signed, mostly stop gap 1 year deals, on the cheap. Don't see big name, big deals happening. On a whim if by chance 2 or 3 bigger names did possibly happen my predictions are; 1. RNH signs 5 year, 7.5 million per, with great signing bonus and possible incentives. 2. Hynman signs 7 year, 4.5 million per. (Hate the Leafs so stealing him away brings pleasure,. As for Hyman as a player, love his game, and the jam and versatility he brings. Imagine him and Bert together.) 3. Savard signs 4 year, 5 million per. ( Right hand, shut down, pair with Stecher on 2nd pair. Hronek and Seider 1st pair, I'd be happy.)
Once again don't overly see big ufa deals, more just dreams and/or big ifs.

End of the day another year of growth, patience, great use of cap to help other teams for picks, and the Captain working towards the future.
Go Wings Go
- mplackitt

Stecher plays the right side. Sign a LD like Hjamalson for 2 x $3M.

Free Agency:

Could see Stevie Y Liking the Risk Reward model in Dreiger out of FLA.
3yrs/3.85aav/$11.55M
Gives a solid 1A/1B with Greiss and a pair of guys who can bail out this soon to arrive developing Blue Line who will need the pick me up now and again for mental development and confidence even more so than any “win-now” precepts. Also extends the runway to develop Larsson and Petruzelli properly.

Would Sign Undrafted NCAA Free Agent LW Jackson Niedermayer

Add Protection in RW Buddy Robinson 2yrs/800aav/$1.6M

Extensions:
Bertuzzi-3yrs/4.5aav/$13.5M
Erne-2yrs/1.15aav/$2.3M
Glendening-3yrs/2.2aav/$6.6am
Hronek-4yrs/4.575aav/$18.3M
QO’s to: Rasmussen, Pearson, Verbeek

TRADES

LW Givani Smith to NSH for RW Michael
McCarron

Helping Fix His Own Mess...
Even if SEA eats Johnson for TB, it won’t be enough to get them cap compliant. Could See Y doing something like: Veleno, Chowlowski, Svechnikov, van Pottelberghe+2021 2nd/EDM+2022 4th/TBL to TB for D Ryan McDonough+D Eric Cernak+C Anthony Cirelli+2022 1st+2021 7th/NJD+2023 7th/ANA.
Note: each of the contracts going out TB can bury off the salary cap roster unless called up; while also giving them breathing room to offer D Savard a Florida advantaged deal and depending on demand, maybe even keep a guy like Goodrow or less likely, maybe even a Coleman type; all while fitting Colton Ross and Mathieu Joseph in to round out their depth.


DRAFTS
2021 Draft Noteables
1st/DET-6th-C Kent Johnson
1st/WSH-24th-LW S. Roberttsson
2nd/DET-D Roman Schmidt
2nd/NYR-RW Chase Stillman
3rd-C/ LW Cameron MacDonald

2022 Draft Noteables
1st/DET-11th-RW Devin Kaplan
1st/TBL-26th-C Timothy Almgren
2nd-LD Joshua Niedermayer
3rd-RD Charlie Leddy

Rough Lineup and Pool

J. Vrana-D. Larkin-T. Bertuzzi
F. Zadina-A. Cirelli-M. Rasmussen
R. Panik-R. Fabbri-V. Namestnikov
A. Erne-L.’Glendening-M. McCarron
x F. Nielsen x B. Robinson

R. McDonough-F. Hronek
D. DeKeyser-M. Seider
A. Johansson-E. Cernak
x G. Lindstrom

C. Dreiger
T. Greiss
***************+++******
Partial (Notable) Prospect Pool

S. Roberttsson-T. Almgren-L. Raymond
Ja. Niedermayer-K. Johnson-D. Kaplan
C. MacDonald-J. Bertgenn-C. Stillman
H. Verbeek-C. Pearson-R. O’Reilly
C. Bradley-E. Phillips-K. Draper

D. Sebrango-R. Schmidt
W. Wallinder-S. Barton
J. Niedermayer-C. Leddy
J. McIssac-A. Cotton
K. Aucoin-G. Berglund

F. Larsson
K. Petruzzelli
J. Bednar
J. Eliasson
- 13of39

McDonagh has gotta want to come here, Full NTC. Would love to see this though. Maybe McDonagh will be a Kracken deal...... he is exposed, and Killorn is thrown in to make sure they pick McDonagh. But Killer has a partial NTC.....

6 & 7. Buyouts & Expansion; More than likely Nielsen, for buyout, but we also know Yzerman plays everything close to the vest. He could surprise and work deal with Seattle, so they take Nielsen, for a pick or two as well. Then buys out Danny Deke. Honestly when it comes to Yzerman, anything is possible. If he works no deal, I think the only and obvious choice for Seattle is Svechnikov.

- mplackitt

One small counterpoint here: I don't think there's a compelling reason to buy out DeKeyser. He's not good, but also who else are they even gonna play at LD? Djoos is not coming back, Staal is probably not coming back (and arguably not better than DeKeyser anyway). Cholowski is the only other really solid bet to be in the top six on the left side, at least before free agency.

The argument for buying out Abdelkader last year (and likely Nielsen this year) isn't about money IMO, it's roster space. They had reached the "healthy scratch" portion of their careers and somebody younger and better needed that spot. With DDK, though, I don't think there's an obvious upgrade available yet.

The biggest prediction I can see happening is that Blashill is brought back for two more seasons. Unpopular as that may be, Blashill has really developed players like Zadina and Rasmussen and Hronek.

Blashill has always been behind the 8 ball. We forget he was a rookie coach in the league. He's actually taken tremendous strides towards being a quality NHL coach. He's made plenty of mistakes. He's also learned from them.

Blashill offers consistency when most teams have already moved on from several coaches and GMs. If you haven't noticed teams like Buffalo and Ottawa, you're not paying attention to the sport.

Since this team won't be contending for the Cup anytime soon, retaining Blashill is the logical option. Let's see what he can do with the likes of a healthy roster, Seider, Veleno, Raymond and future picks coming into contribute.

That being said, Yzerman will probably bring back the likes of Bobby Ryan, Sam Gagner, Marc Staal and Jonathan Bernier. Watch for the Wings to push for a playoff spot as early as next season. Sounds crazy, doesn't it? Give us a healthy team and watch what can happen.

The biggest prediction I can see happening is that Blashill is brought back for two more seasons. Unpopular as that may be, Blashill has really developed players like Zadina and Rasmussen and Hronek.

Blashill has always been behind the 8 ball. We forget he was a rookie coach in the league. He's actually taken tremendous strides towards being a quality NHL coach. He's made plenty of mistakes. He's also learned from them.

Blashill offers consistency when most teams have already moved on from several coaches and GMs. If you haven't noticed teams like Buffalo and Ottawa, you're not paying attention to the sport.

Since this team won't be contending for the Cup anytime soon, retaining Blashill is the logical option. Let's see what he can do with the likes of a healthy roster, Seider, Veleno, Raymond and future picks coming into contribute.

That being said, Yzerman will probably bring back the likes of Bobby Ryan, Sam Gagner, Marc Staal and Jonathan Bernier. Watch for the Wings to push for a playoff spot as early as next season. Sounds crazy, doesn't it? Give us a healthy team and watch what can happen.
- Redman37

In terms of tenure with their current club, Jeff Blashill is the third-longest-serving coach in the entire NHL right now. Only Cooper and Maurice have been with their teams longer.

In terms of overall coaching career, at 399 games coached Blashill has the 14th-most experience of any current NHL head coach (16th if you also count the recently-relieved-of-their-duties Tortorella and Tocchet). Basically middle of the pack.

I don’t hate Blashill. I don’t think he’s a terrible coach, and I concede he’s been dealt a very tough hand in Detroit. If he got re-hired on another 1 or 2 year deal I would not be outraged.

On the other hand, I don’t think he’s an especially good coach either. I think if he really were a great coach with great ideas we would have seen it by now. He is well past the point where “coaching inexperience” would be a defensible excuse.

Interesting take, but I can't see Detroit giving up on Veleno yet.

I just hope Detroit is not in on the Eichel sweepstakes....maybe after he is given a clean bill of health.... but then will he still be sour apple and continue to whine? Let the Rags or the Kings have him.

You all have put some fantastic effort into this! Thank you so much for sharing your passion and creativity. This is a lot of fun for me.

Double down on goalies

With their 1st, at 8th Jesper wallstedt after Guenther goes early.
With Washington’s 1st... let’s say Sebastian Cossa, G, At 25

Double down on goalies

With their 1st, at 8th Jesper wallstedt after Guenther goes early.
With Washington’s 1st... let’s say Sebastian Cossa, G, At 25
- czahaluk

That would definitely be an eyebrow-raising gamble. I have to admit I would be very displeased with it.

If Cossa is still available by the middle of the second round, when we get to the pick we got from the Rangers, maybe. Otherwise I am strongly against drafting goalies.

Still no decision on Blashill, could mean he’s staying

That would definitely be an eyebrow-raising gamble. I have to admit I would be very displeased with it.

If Cossa is still available by the middle of the second round, when we get to the pick we got from the Rangers, maybe. Otherwise I am strongly against drafting goalies.
- Sven22

Cossa or Goodreau later yet.