Bob Duff: Busy day lands eight picks The Detroit Red Wings traded one pick away on the second day of the NHL entry draft but were still left with eight picks to utilize.

High end puck moving D was not the most pressing need.

Good draft Detroit. It was a toss up between you and NY Islanders for the best.



Now suck it.

Best pick of the draft....Ryan O'Reily.

Do you know how much a ROR is worth? LOOOOOTS.

Great draft by Holland. Duff is a crap blogger. Feds for Detroit blogger.

Great draft by Holland. Duff is a crap blogger. Feds for Detroit blogger.
- RafiDRW

x2

Good draft. He needs to continue moving out the old garbage.

- Nyquist is the only noteworthy forward on a expiring deal and Frk looks to be gone. Booth is retired. This frees up some spots (Zadina + Rasmussen+ Svechnikov).


Defense is a different story. Ericsson, Dekeyser, Daley, Kronwall (last season/not trading him) and most likely Jensen are locked in. Horrible core there. Ouellet can be waived/traded. Interesting to see if they bring back Green. Depending on if they bring him back there looks to be one spot , 2 if they dont for (Hronek+Cholowski+Hicketts)

Will be interesting to see how the lines /defense pairings form!

Good draft. He needs to continue moving out the old garbage.

- Nyquist is the only noteworthy forward on a expiring deal and Frk looks to be gone. Booth is retired. This frees up some spots (Zadina + Rasmussen+ Svechnikov).


Defense is a different story. Ericsson, Dekeyser, Daley, Kronwall (last season/not trading him) and most likely Jensen are locked in. Horrible core there. Ouellet can be waived/traded. Interesting to see if they bring back Green. Depending on if they bring him back there looks to be one spot , 2 if they dont for (Hronek+Cholowski+Hicketts)

Will be interesting to see how the lines /defense pairings form!
- wingz4life

They will have 11 forwards that will be signed once their RFAs are re-signed. Holland has said he wanted Kovalchuk (no chance) or Vanek on the market so he is going to sign a vet scoring forward most likely. He has already offered a 2 and 3 year deal to Green and if he doesn't get him expect him to sign someone else like Jack Johnson or Enstrom (someone like that).

Hate to burst everyones bubble but there won't be as many prospects making the team as some seem to think. I see one forward and one defenseman at most...if that.

KH said he's seeking a G in free agency - who do you like? Perhaps Ward, Halak or Lehner?

Also if Green leaves, what do the wings do to replace him? Not much trade leverage and free agent D category looks awfully week assuming Carlson re-signs with the caps :S

They will have 11 forwards that will be signed once their RFAs are re-signed. Holland has said he wanted Kovalchuk (no chance) or Vanek on the market so he is going to sign a vet scoring forward most likely. He has already offered a 2 and 3 year deal to Green and if he doesn't get him expect him to sign someone else like Jack Johnson or Enstrom (someone like that).

Hate to burst everyones bubble but there won't be as many prospects making the team as some seem to think. I see one forward and one defenseman at most...if that.
- dcz28

why do we need Vanek?

why do we need Vanek?
- wingz4life

Because he is the new Samuelsson to Holland i guess. You know how much he likes to bring back players that aren't needed anymore and overpay them based on what they did years before for the Wings.

Holland doesn't want to bottom out again, wants to put butts in the seats and for some stupid reason he thinks Vanek is the answer along with re-signing Green. If he can't get those guys, i imagine he will be going after other guys.

Maybe we get lucky and the fact he was able to get Zadina changes his mind about the forward but i doubt it since he said he won't go into the season with a team full of kids. Maybe this is all just lip service to try and boost season ticket sales but knowing Holland, this just sounds too much like something he would do for it not to be true.

Because he is the new Samuelsson to Holland i guess. You know how much he likes to bring back players that aren't needed anymore and overpay them based on what they did years before for the Wings.

Holland doesn't want to bottom out again, wants to put butts in the seats and for some stupid reason he thinks Vanek is the answer along with re-signing Green. If he can't get those guys, i imagine he will be going after other guys.

Maybe we get lucky and the fact he was able to get Zadina changes his mind about the forward but i doubt it since he said he won't go into the season with a team full of kids. Maybe this is all just lip service to try and boost season ticket sales but knowing Holland, this just sounds too much like something he would do for it not to be true.
- dcz28

This is where i got this stuff from about Vanek and company:

https://www.mlive.com/red...o.html#incart_river_index

I think Zadina, Rasmussen and Hronek/Cholowski should be on the team.

2018 starting forwards: Helm, Zetterberg, Nielsen, Abdelkader, Nyquist, Glendening, Larkin, Mantha, Athanasiou, Bertuzzi, Zadina, Rasmussen

Reserve: Witowski, Turgeon

Defense: Ericsson, Kronwall, Dekeyser, Daley, Jensen, Hronek/Cholowski

Reserve: Ouellet, Hicketts

I think Zadina, Rasmussen and Hronek/Cholowski should be on the team.

2018 starting forwards: Helm, Zetterberg, Nielsen, Abdelkader, Nyquist, Glendening, Larkin, Mantha, Athanasiou, Bertuzzi, Zadina, Rasmussen

Reserve: Witowski, Turgeon

Defense: Ericsson, Kronwall, Dekeyser, Daley, Jensen, Hronek/Cholowski

Reserve: Ouellet, Hicketts
- wingz4life

You have too many players on the roster even if you only count one of Hronek/Cholowski. I also can't see Turgeon and Hicketts being kept as a spares when they can be sent to the AHL without waivers. They need to be playing regularly to improve and not be sat like they did with Ouellet.

Zadina and Rasmussen need to prove they belong in the NHL first. If they show they can contribute in camp/pre-season then yes they should be on. Same thing applies to Hronek and Cholowski since neither have even played 1 NHL game. Heck Cholowski has played 1 AHL game so far so he has a lot more to prove than Hronek who at least was an AHL all star. Hronek should have gotten some games at the end of last season but no they wanted the garbage vets to show what we already know they are not (any good) instead.

Like i said though, i only expect 1 forward and 1 defenseman prospect at best to have any chance of sticking with the Wings this season. I would be amazed if Holland allows more than that to stick even if a couple outplay the vets in camp/pre-season.

You have too many players on the roster even if you only count one of Hronek/Cholowski. I also can't see Turgeon and Hicketts being kept as a spares when they can be sent to the AHL without waivers. They need to be playing regularly to improve and not be sat like they did with Ouellet.

Zadina and Rasmussen need to prove they belong in the NHL first. If they show they can contribute in camp/pre-season then yes they should be on. Same thing applies to Hronek and Cholowski since neither have even played 1 NHL game. Heck Cholowski has played 1 AHL game so far so he has a lot more to prove than Hronek who at least was an AHL all star. Hronek should have gotten some games at the end of last season but no they wanted the garbage vets to show what we already know they are not (any good) instead.

Like i said though, i only expect 1 forward and 1 defenseman prospect at best to have any chance of sticking with the Wings this season. I would be amazed if Holland allows more than that to stick even if a couple outplay the vets in camp/pre-season.
- dcz28

I believe there was an issue with only allowing 4 call ups post trade deadline day? And they had to use multiple to cover mrazek trade and an injury to Howard with McCollum? Anyway, they did want to get Hronek some games but it wasn’t possible. I’m not defending the wings roster construction

You guys had a great draft.
Zadina, Veleno, Bergrenn and MacIsaac are all fine prospects, that should help you guys out.

If I was GM:

Fun and rebuilding team:

Trade Nyquist and Athanasiou for a D man: (Faulk, Montour, Dumba) Packages might get complicated

Bertuzzi - Larkin - Mantha
Svechnikov - Zetterberg - Zadina
Rasmussen - Nielsen - Veleno
Abdelkader - Glendening - Helm
Puempel

DeKeyser - (D acquired in trade)
Sulak- Hronek
Hicketts - Jensen/Daley
Kronwall - Ericsson

Howard
Johnson

KH said he's seeking a G in free agency - who do you like? Perhaps Ward, Halak or Lehner?

Also if Green leaves, what do the wings do to replace him? Not much trade leverage and free agent D category looks awfully week assuming Carlson re-signs with the caps :S
- wingfanto

I would be going cheap after Chad Johnson. Lehner is an okayish possibility if he signs cheap.

I think all the following prospects are NHL ready and here are little tid bits about them

Zadina: 82 points in 57gp at Halifax. Hischier had 86 in 57 the year prior.

Rasmussen: Dominant in WHL playoffs. Has nothing to gain from going back. Is either NHL or WHL.

Veleno: Better now than Larkin was after 1 year at UM imo

Svechnikov: Just simply ready. Don't overvalue the lack of AHL production last season. (likely screwed due to 1 year of waiver exempt status remaining)

Sulak: 24 years old not really a prospect anymore. Put up great numbers in Finnish Elite League and played well in World Championships

Hronek: AHL all rookie team. Played great in World Championships

If I was GM:

Fun and rebuilding team:

Trade Nyquist and Athanasiou for a D man: (Faulk, Montour, Dumba) Packages might get complicated

Bertuzzi - Larkin - Mantha
Svechnikov - Zetterberg - Zadina
Rasmussen - Nielsen - Veleno
Abdelkader - Glendening - Helm
Puempel

DeKeyser - (D acquired in trade)
Sulak- Hronek
Hicketts - Jensen/Daley
Kronwall - Ericsson

Howard
Johnson
- Feds91Stammer

Too many players. The problem with trying to move guys out (especially on defense) is that these guys are junk. At least Kronwall is gone after this. They are paying Ericsson/DeKeyser big money and they are barely top 4 defenseman themselves.

They will have 11 forwards that will be signed once their RFAs are re-signed. Holland has said he wanted Kovalchuk (no chance) or Vanek on the market so he is going to sign a vet scoring forward most likely. He has already offered a 2 and 3 year deal to Green and if he doesn't get him expect him to sign someone else like Jack Johnson or Enstrom (someone like that).

Hate to burst everyones bubble but there won't be as many prospects making the team as some seem to think. I see one forward and one defenseman at most...if that.
- dcz28

5x5 deal for Maroon coming your way.

5x5 deal for Maroon coming your way.
- Iggysbff

(frank) this.

Too many players. The problem with trying to move guys out (especially on defense) is that these guys are junk. At least Kronwall is gone after this. They are paying Ericsson/DeKeyser big money and they are barely top 4 defenseman themselves.
- wingz4life

Too many until you bury Jensen if nobody else is moved.

The future is actually promising for once. Lets not be so negative.

Svechnikov ++ for Faulk of interest or do you want a younger Dman?

Svechnikov ++ for Faulk of interest or do you want a younger Dman?
- DutchSenators

Depends on the ++