This. I look at the teams that made the playoffs last season and how many of them would you say the Wings have a better group of defensemen than them? Carolina lost some but i still think their 6 is better than the Wings 6. Maybe Tampa but they still have Hedman and a top end goalie to make up for their defense a bit.
Then you have a team like the Devils who should be a lock for the playoffs now with an even better defense and 2 actual NHL goalies.
Ottawa improved their goalie. Not much improvement with swapping Chychrun for Jensen for offense but i doubt Jensen will be as bad defensively as Chychrun was. Still not sure about their choice of coach though.
Buffalo did nothing really and they didn't improve their goalies. They better hope Levi is ready to take over and that Ruff has one hell of a defensive system planned if they hope to improve.
I just don't see enough improvements to the team (especially defense) to leapfrog some of the playoff teams or maybe even stay ahead of teams looking to make the playoffs. They needed that solid top 4 RHD more than anything this off-season.
- dcz28
THIS. THIS. Did I say "This"????
Trouba would've been an awesome move. I understand why he rejected it, his wife's in her final year of residency. Maybe he'll come next year. Wasn't a huge fan of Chychrun. Replacing 56pts is gonna be hard for a defenseman.....But the defensive side of Ghost was, well.......untenable. Lotsa folks were so excited to see him go to CAR, but they have the depth to cover for him being an O-dude on the D-line; we don't.
Unless there's a trade coming up for a stud D, we're gonna have hard time. Feds n I chatted about Klingberg, could be viable. Eddy's a LOT better than folks give him credit for, I think he's gonna be just fine. Not sure about Johansson, but everything I've read n heard about him (Winged Wheel Pod, Silky Mitten, 32 Thoughts, etc...) indicates the kid thinks the game WAY quicker than his contemporaries and many younger kids in the NHL right now..... If anyone's watched sustained play for him, would be interested in hearing your thoughts.... I'm excited to see how he does, being honest.
The kids need to step up. The players we lost will have some impact (Face it, Perron was a solid on-ice example of positioning, grinding, anticipating lanes, etc...), but for Perron, he was compensating his declining game w/dumb plays.....Ghost on the PP, etc...
IF I were back in MI, you bet I'd buy tickets, just not season tix....I'll watch instead. The needle moves for me with the play of the kids, Tarasenko & Kane, and if The Cat can play a consistent game....... And the simple fact that the Wings are an iconic team with a VERY bright future.
