Jeremy Laura: Why culture matters

I could see the Canucks going that buffalo route if that idiot Benning stays in charge. Loser can't negotiate a contract for poop. Signs 3/4th liners double market rate.

I could see the Canucks going that buffalo route if that idiot Benning stays in charge. Loser can't negotiate a contract for poop. Signs 3/4th liners double market rate.
- MisterBrown

It’s brutal. Guys have a career year or are part of a cup winning team and GMs lose their minds.

The point of high draft picks is trying to find an Eichel type player. If you can trade a few high picks and a prospect or two for a sure thing then you’re ahead of the game. I don’t feel this is something Detroit is in a great position to pull off, but Stevie is a magician.
I’m super bummed that Bernier appears to be leaving. Above everyone on the current team he was most responsible for the team’s improvement this year. If Bladhill inks an extension he should send Bernier a new car.

I’m more excited about this off-season than I have been in a long time. I believe somehow, somewhere Yzerman will find a way to fast track the rebuild. Something big is coming.

I am having RWWS, Red Wing Withdrawal Syndrome

Would love to see Stevie acquire Rhino from BS (pun intended), but not for a player, pick and a prospect. Maybe our 2 late 2nds and a 4th....and only if a 4 yr bridge of about $6.25M is negotiated first. If BS wanted to include KO that could be done:
Rhino + KO $2.5M retained for a Oilers 2nd and a 5th.
Stay away from Eichel til he has adequate recovery from his injury.

With their cap space, Detroit could try to poach a restricted free agent, but I can't see them giving up young assets yet to acquire a Eichel level player, especially one with potential health issues. If they gave up assets for Eichel and he didn't return to form, their rebuild would be set way back.

There are some team changing RFAs this year, and if there was ever a year to poach one, this would be the year. Yzerman would tick a lot of people off, but I'm wondering if he's ruthless enough to pull it off. Detroit owes Carolina some payback for the Federov situation, maybe they try to poach Svechnikov. They could try to pull one of the players they lost out on by dropping down in the draft from 2018 this year, or from 2019 next year.

With their cap space, Detroit could try to poach a restricted free agent, but I can't see them giving up young assets yet to acquire a Eichel level player, especially one with potential health issues. If they gave up assets for Eichel and he didn't return to form, their rebuild would be set way back.

There are some team changing RFAs this year, and if there was ever a year to poach one, this would be the year. Yzerman would tick a lot of people off, but I'm wondering if he's ruthless enough to pull it off. Detroit owes Carolina some payback for the Federov situation, maybe they try to poach Svechnikov. They could try to pull one of the players they lost out on by dropping down in the draft from 2018 this year, or from 2019 next year.
- bluelineenforcer

Oh man, that’s the open wound. The Fedorov situation. The reason there is no longer a “Jr Red Wings” team. Karmanos and Illitch were like warring mafia families!!!

I feel a bit like you. We’re not quite there yet to take the “big swing”, but with Yzerman who knows? I would like to see Fedorov get his jersey retired soon. That would be a killer night at LCA. Giveaways, old footage, things got so out of hand. He played some great hockey for us, a lot of good memories. Thanks for that, I needed a chuckle. God this franchise gave us some fun times

With their cap space, Detroit could try to poach a restricted free agent, but I can't see them giving up young assets yet to acquire a Eichel level player, especially one with potential health issues. If they gave up assets for Eichel and he didn't return to form, their rebuild would be set way back.

There are some team changing RFAs this year, and if there was ever a year to poach one, this would be the year. Yzerman would tick a lot of people off, but I'm wondering if he's ruthless enough to pull it off. Detroit owes Carolina some payback for the Federov situation, maybe they try to poach Svechnikov. They could try to pull one of the players they lost out on by dropping down in the draft from 2018 this year, or from 2019 next year.
- bluelineenforcer

I would give serious consideration to going after Elias Pettersson with an offer sheet.

Good grief, these kids. Nolan Patrick just fired his third agent in three years. He may be asking for a trade out of Philly. Eichel, Patrick, Laine - what is going wrong with these high picks?!! Your agent isn’t the problem

First off, stay the course, don't go swinging for the fences on players in the league that are unhappy with either their or the teams current situation. I highly doubt they are going to like coming to our rebuilding team, even if Yzerman is the one leading the way. They have poor attitudes already, doubt it'll change coming here.
Secondly the players Jeremy mentioned about getting rid of their agents, or having other issues. Notice how its a trend that the players mentioned are either on poor performing teams, coaches they have a problem with, have injury history, in some cases all 3. The problem isn't the agent, its the players think that they are worth more than they have proven so far. They have attitudes, which if I remember correctly the headline of this blog was about culture. We don't want their selfish, bad attitudes coming here and ruining the culture they are trying to build.
So really it all comes back to what I said in the beginning, stay the course. Great things come to those who wait!

Oh man, that’s the open wound. The Fedorov situation. The reason there is no longer a “Jr Red Wings” team. Karmanos and Illitch were like warring mafia families!!!

I feel a bit like you. We’re not quite there yet to take the “big swing”, but with Yzerman who knows? I would like to see Fedorov get his jersey retired soon. That would be a killer night at LCA. Giveaways, old footage, things got so out of hand. He played some great hockey for us, a lot of good memories. Thanks for that, I needed a chuckle. God this franchise gave us some fun times
- Jeremy Laura

I’m with you. 91 should be in the rafters.

I get that the way things ended with Fedorov left a bad taste in people’s mouths, but that was a long time ago. He was here for 13 years and was arguably the flat-out best player in the world not named Mario Lemieux for a chunk of that run.

You can talk about the holdout and the offer sheet, but he’s certainly not the first player to do either. It’s perhaps notable (at least to me) that, the same offseason before the Fedorov holdout, Joe Sakic signed an offer sheet with the NYR that included a $15 million signing bonus. I can’t say for certain whether this was on Fedorov’s mind or not (this is complete speculation), but both players were the same age and at that point Fedorov was arguably the more highly regarded player, with a Hart Trophy, two first-team all-star selections and two Selkes already on his resume. Sakic’s offer sheet paid $21 million over 3 years, while Fedorov’s paid $38 million over 6 years—more front-loaded, but ultimately a lower yearly average. Avs fans certainly don’t seem to hold any of this against Sakic, but a huge contingent of Detroit fans still haven't forgiven Fedorov.

As for choosing Anaheim over Detroit … I mean it was obviously disappointing, but also players leave good teams for lots of reasons. Datsyuk chose the KHL over staying in Detroit even though he was still under contract. Shanahan decided to leave Detroit even though he had just scored 40 goals on a 58-win team. Yet nobody bats an eye about these “defections.” I would have preferred that Fedorov stayed too, but the guy gave 13 seasons and 3 Cups to the organization, and played his ass off every night. What else did he owe us?

I’m with you. 91 should be in the rafters.

Give 91 to Mo(hitz) Seider, the next great Wings super star!

Bringing in a player like Eichel would be a step backwards for the organization. He's already sour about the situation in Buffalo, so why bring that attitude here to Detroit?

Yzerman felt it was best to move on from Mantha. A trade I wanted to see earlier in the season, didn't expect to happen until the off-season, but ultimately brought in a player at the trade deadline in Vrana who wants the role and wants to compete to be a better player for himself and the team. Let's not forget the draft picks acquired too.

I appreciate the article, as I know firsthand how a bad apple can ruin the attitude of the entire team. The griping in the background paired with alienation of teammates that don't want to listen to it can divide a locker room as easily as it can a company.

Create a culture that makes people want to stick around and you'll see results. Detroit will be back in contention again long before the likes of Buffalo will. Buffalo's lack of postseason importance started before Detroit started their rebuild. Detroit has already surpassed them because of the culture that's been here since the Ilitch family took over the team.

Thank you Mr.Obvious.

Bringing in a player like Eichel would be a step backwards for the organization. He's already sour about the situation in Buffalo, so why bring that attitude here to Detroit?

Yzerman felt it was best to move on from Mantha. A trade I wanted to see earlier in the season, didn't expect to happen until the off-season, but ultimately brought in a player at the trade deadline in Vrana who wants the role and wants to compete to be a better player for himself and the team. Let's not forget the draft picks acquired too.

I appreciate the article, as I know firsthand how a bad apple can ruin the attitude of the entire team. The griping in the background paired with alienation of teammates that don't want to listen to it can divide a locker room as easily as it can a company.

Create a culture that makes people want to stick around and you'll see results. Detroit will be back in contention again long before the likes of Buffalo will. Buffalo's lack of postseason importance started before Detroit started their rebuild. Detroit has already surpassed them because of the culture that's been here since the Ilitch family took over the team.
- Redman37

I would prefer Rhino to Eichel.
Raz and the Caps 2nd for Rhino