The only UFA LD i want is Zadorov. Big, mobile, physical and mean defensive defenseman. I think the Wings need another beside Seider that can play a nasty physical game. Plus i think he would be good to pair with Hronek. I think a pairing of Hronek and Johansson would be horrible defensively. Seider and Edvinsson would probably be fine due to Seider. Hronek needs a solid stay at home type and Zadorov would fit the bill perfectly. Johansson (if he makes the team) would likely be fine with Lindstrom to provide offense from that pairing and play sheltered minutes.holytoledo wrote: ↑Wed Jun 08, 2022 5:02 pmI’m totally fine going with that roster and seeing what happens. Just based on the teams you mentioned, I think there’s still a good chance they finish bottom 5. If they don’t, so be it. I don’t see an LD on the market I’d want more than Johansson on the team next year. If we can get Trocheck, Copp or some other actual 2C fine, but I don’t want another marginal placeholder there. Hell maybe #8 actually makes the team. Kasper is fairly close to ready.dcz28 wrote: ↑Wed Jun 08, 2022 4:00 pmI have a hard time seeing both Johansson and Edvinsson making the team. That being said, how much worst could they possibly over DeKeyser playing top pair minutes? Or Leddy for that matter? If anything, they should at least be able to move the puck better than DeKeyser and might generate a bit more offense. Even if they struggle defensively, it's not like DeKeyser and Leddy were actually good defensively either.holytoledo wrote: ↑Wed Jun 08, 2022 2:52 pm
IDK
Bertuzzi - Larkin - Raymond
Vrana - Suter - Berggren
Soderblom - Rasmussen - Sundquist
Fabbri - Veleno - Zadina
Smith
Edvinsson - Seider
Johansson - Hronek
Staal - Lindstrom
Oesterle
That D could really struggle and after the first line we’re still very weak down the middle.
The center position would still be weak just like this season was but a healthy Vrana sure could help a bit with some offense if he can keep up the pace he has had when he has played. Wings would have a bit more scoring depth than this season even without adding a 2nd line center.
The final thing is the coach. I've made it no secret of how bad i thought Blashill and his systems were so unless the next coach brings in equally bad systems, we should see some improvements with the team even if the pressing needs at C and LD aren't addressed with UFAs or trades and they just go with prospects.
Arizona is sure to be a bottom feeder again. Montreal, Seattle, Philly and Chicago too. The next tier of teams you have Devils, Buffalo, Ottawa, Ducks, Jackets, Sharks and the Wings. This tier could see some teams get better, stay the same or worst...hard to predict since most are young building teams aside from the Sharks. Then you have teams like Islanders, Jets, Vancouver and Vegas who could get better or get worst. The others look like they might be playoff teams but some might fall and have a bad season (or regress if they lose key players like Nashville with Forsberg or Boston without Bergeron). Boston might also start the season missing a bunch of key players and with a new coach who knows. So yeah i could see the Wings out of the top 10 draft even with that roster especially considering they finished 8th worst this season. I just think the time for the Wings getting top 5 picks is now over and if you have no shot at the top players in the draft, you might as well be as competitive as possible so the young players can learn to win and not be dejected by constant losing. I expect Yzerman to try and improve this roster this summer and not just wait on prospects to fill holes.
I agree, i don't want another Pius Suter/Filppula/Nielsen experiment at center again. Either get a proven 2C or don't bother. I'm not really sold on Copp as a 2C though. He was mainly a 3C for the Jets and i think has mostly played wing for the Rangers. We'll see what happens in the draft but my expectation is that whoever we get is likely a year or more away. Yzerman doesn't have a track record of rushing drafted players right into the NHL.