Another Mock has Michkov going 8

[Pop Zeus]

I would give up 9, 17 and a second for 5 to ensure we get one of Carlson, Smith or Michkov

I'm not as sure about Carlson. Even less so about Smith.
But that just might be me not looking at these guys enough.

[holytoledo]

Grab him for sure. But you mean ninth.

No, I mean, if he goes 8th, I'm gonna be fucking pissed.
After Bedard, Michkov is the one guy in this draft I would bet has a good chance to be the kind of world class player who turns a franchise around.

That's what David Perron costs you.

We were at most a David Perron & Husso away from a top 5 pick.

[DocBrown]

To all the tank-a-nistas......you can't be as bad as Wings, for as long as they have been bad, and tank even further without crushing morale. And the likelihood of Larkin leaving increases. Some of you are fine with that. But the timing of the continuing tank business is not there. Not to mention you've got to have some quality vets that serve as mentors.

[holytoledo]

To all the tank-a-nistas......you can't be as bad as Wings, for as long as they have been bad, and tank even further without crushing morale. And the likelihood of Larkin leaving increases. Some of you are fine with that. But the timing of the continuing tank business is not there. Not to mention you've got to have some quality vets that serve as mentors.

Dylan Larkin is not some franchise saving player. Building the roster around making sure Dylan Larkin sticks around is not a winning formula.

Say we don’t sign Husso, Perron and one of Maatta/Chiarot this year and we move Larkin at the deadline. We play Edvinsson all year.

We win 10 less games, finishing 3rd - where Chicago finished.

We win the lottery. We draft Bedard. We have 1 additional first this year, one additional first next year and a top 6 forward or a top 4 RD from the Larkin deal. Which scenario has the Wings competing sooner?

Raymond - Bedard - UFA
Rasmussen - Kasper - Kubalik
Berggren - Copp - Fabbri
Zadina - Veleno - Mazur

Wallman - Seider
Edvinsson - D man from Larkin trade
Johansson - Chiarot/Maatta

2023 17th pick (NYI pick)
2023 18th - 32nd pick from Larkin deal
All our seconds

2024 First
2024 Boston Pick (probably 11-24 range)
2024 11-32nd pick (From Larkin deal)

an ass ton of cap space

vs.

Raymond - Larkin - Perron
Rasmussen - Kasper - Kubalik
Berggren - Copp - Fabbri
Zadina - Veleno - Mazur

Wallman - Seider
Edvinsson - ???
Maataa - Chiarot

2023 9
2023 17

2024 First
2024 Boston pick

With the first option you go from an adequate 1C to a generational talent at C. You add another first in this year’s deep draft, another first in next year’s draft and another quality prospect. You have a star on his ELC for 3 years vs. a guy making 8.7 until he’s 34 or 35.

It’s a better formula for winning.

[Wizard of Corsica]

I think Pronman does more mocks than we do at this point. This is his third in the last month.

SERIOUSLY

[cska91]

No, I mean, if he goes 8th, I'm gonna be fucking pissed.
After Bedard, Michkov is the one guy in this draft I would bet has a good chance to be the kind of world class player who turns a franchise around.

That's what David Perron costs you.

Maybe 17 and 9 will fetch him if he is that close.

If he gets to 7, yep. Make that offer.
There's a time to be bold.
And let's be honest, Yzerman hasn't been very bold lately.

No doubt... Michkov looks like pure offense and that's what the Wings need. He also looks most ready to step into the NHL. He already played in the KHL for one of the worst clubs in the league and had great numbers. I don't think it's being bold. It's being smart and not following herd mentality.

[Wizard of Corsica]

Dylan Larkin is not some franchise saving player. Building the roster around making sure Dylan Larkin sticks around is not a winning formula.

Say we don’t sign Husso, Perron and one of Maatta/Chiarot this year and we move Larkin at the deadline. We play Edvinsson all year.

We win 10 less games, finishing 3rd - where Chicago finished.

We win the lottery. We draft Bedard. We have 1 additional first this year, one additional first next year and a top 6 forward or a top 4 RD from the Larkin deal. Which scenario has the Wings competing sooner?

Raymond - Bedard - UFA
Rasmussen - Kasper - Kubalik
Berggren - Copp - Fabbri
Zadina - Veleno - Mazur

Wallman - Seider
Edvinsson - D man from Larkin trade
Johansson - Chiarot/Maatta

2023 17th pick (NYI pick)
2023 18th - 32nd pick from Larkin deal
All our seconds

2024 First
2024 Boston Pick (probably 11-24 range)
2024 11-32nd pick (From Larkin deal)

an ass ton of cap space

vs.

Raymond - Larkin - Perron
Rasmussen - Kasper - Kubalik
Berggren - Copp - Fabbri
Zadina - Veleno - Mazur

Wallman - Seider
Edvinsson - ???
Maataa - Chiarot

2023 9
2023 17

2024 First
2024 Boston pick

With the first option you go from an adequate 1C to a generational talent at C. You add another first in this year’s deep draft, another first in next year’s draft and another quality prospect. You have a star on his ELC for 3 years vs. a guy making 8.7 until he’s 34 or 35.

It’s a better formula for winning.

There are so many ifs and buts in your alternate history, I am not sure where to start. I certainly think you are overvaluing the contribution of the free agent signings, and in fact there are at least a few people that think switching out Ben for Ed would have made the team better.

Realistically, Larkin was never getting traded. That probably went out the window when Yzerman decided to give him the C.

It is simply not possible for them to tank as hard as you would like, HT.

[Pop Zeus]

To all the tank-a-nistas......you can't be as bad as Wings, for as long as they have been bad, and tank even further without crushing morale. And the likelihood of Larkin leaving increases. Some of you are fine with that. But the timing of the continuing tank business is not there. Not to mention you've got to have some quality vets that serve as mentors.

This team has traded Larkin's three best friends.
You think Larkin stayed here because of David Perron helped them finish with 80 points instead of 74?

This team traded Bertuzzi and Hronek. Come on.

Larkin is here because he got paid.

And truthfully, we should have traded him too.
Exactly how many years of him not going anywhere with the team do you need to see?

I would have loved to have seen Larkin on L2 in Colorado this year... and what that might have done for the Avs.
Just like I loved seeing Bertuzzi play with the Bruins.

And then maybe you can sign them. Maybe not.

[wyrrlen]

I would give up 9, 17 and a second for 5 to ensure we get one of Carlson, Smith or Michkov

I'm not as sure about Carlson. Even less so about Smith.
But that just might be me not looking at these guys enough.

What I've seen of Carlsson and Smith both tell me that a team at 5, 6, 7, or 8 would not give up their spot for more picks if somehow those two fall out of the top 4. They would just pull the trigger and be excited about their pick. Michkov is the exception only because of the Russian KHL and Ukraine war issues.

[holytoledo]

Dylan Larkin is not some franchise saving player. Building the roster around making sure Dylan Larkin sticks around is not a winning formula.

Say we don’t sign Husso, Perron and one of Maatta/Chiarot this year and we move Larkin at the deadline. We play Edvinsson all year.

We win 10 less games, finishing 3rd - where Chicago finished.

We win the lottery. We draft Bedard. We have 1 additional first this year, one additional first next year and a top 6 forward or a top 4 RD from the Larkin deal. Which scenario has the Wings competing sooner?

Raymond - Bedard - UFA
Rasmussen - Kasper - Kubalik
Berggren - Copp - Fabbri
Zadina - Veleno - Mazur

Wallman - Seider
Edvinsson - D man from Larkin trade
Johansson - Chiarot/Maatta

2023 17th pick (NYI pick)
2023 18th - 32nd pick from Larkin deal
All our seconds

2024 First
2024 Boston Pick (probably 11-24 range)
2024 11-32nd pick (From Larkin deal)

an ass ton of cap space

vs.

Raymond - Larkin - Perron
Rasmussen - Kasper - Kubalik
Berggren - Copp - Fabbri
Zadina - Veleno - Mazur

Wallman - Seider
Edvinsson - ???
Maataa - Chiarot

2023 9
2023 17

2024 First
2024 Boston pick

With the first option you go from an adequate 1C to a generational talent at C. You add another first in this year’s deep draft, another first in next year’s draft and another quality prospect. You have a star on his ELC for 3 years vs. a guy making 8.7 until he’s 34 or 35.

It’s a better formula for winning.

There are so many ifs and buts in your alternate history, I am not sure where to start. I certainly think you are overvaluing the contribution of the free agent signings, and in fact there are at least a few people that think switching out Ben for Ed would have made the team better.

Realistically, Larkin was never getting traded. That probably went out the window when Yzerman decided to give him the C.

It is simply not possible for them to tank as hard as you would like, HT.

Man, seriously? Without Husso and running Ned back we might have lost 10 more games alone.