Next Year... Moving Forward

[MDWingsFan]

Mixed emotions on seeing the season end. On one hand they didn't really earn their way in, but at the same time neither did anyone else. Caps got a hot goalie at the right time, and it didn't hurt that Ovi remembered he was chasing something. The only thing that bums me out is that my 11yr old daughter who has recently taken a liking to all things sports related and gives me play by play was bummed this morning. As a dad, it stings a little more, however she's an athlete herself, and knows that missing cuts/playoffs comes with the game. Now, with that out of the way I'm ready to move on to next season. Looking at CapFriendly here's where the Wings stand roster wise.

Forwards:

UFA
Perron.
Kane
Sprong
Fischer

RFA
Ray
Veleno

Defense:
UFA
Gost

RFA
Mo

Goal:

UFA
Reimer

Of the above UFA's only Kane deserves to come back. Listening to his comments post game, there were some "us/we" comments, but mostly it was a lot of "they" comments. As much as I want him back he's likely getting bigger $$$ and term elsewhere. Copp needs to be a buyout casualty or a trade with salary retention.
Raymond earned and deserves a big raise, 7-8yrs x 8 Million.
Veleno should be fairly cheap 2yrs maybe X 1.5 Million.

The D needs SERIOUS work. Stevie really created a shit sandwich that he's going to have to eat here. Mo/Walman, and Eddy/Chiarot is tenable as a top 4. One can argue that if we can get a young up and coming RD to replace Chiarot that would be best. After that you've got to eat 2 yrs on Holl, and one on Petry. Maatta is serviceable on the 3rd pair but if we can dump him as well it would be for the best. Mo is getting 8x9 at least. In essence Stevie needs to use picks and prospects to sweeten deals to dump at minimum 2, and maybe 3 D men.

Goalie needs a revamp too. Husso is a hurt locker, and Reimer's gone. Lyon is a good ++ backup/spot starter, but needs a 1a to his 1b.


With the above changes it looks like we have a LOT of holes to fill:

Cat/Lark/Ray
X/JT/X
Fabbri/X/Ras
X/Veleno/X

That's 5 spots that need to be filled either internally or with UFA/Trades

Mo/Walman
Eddy/X
Chiarot/X

Two more spaces on D need to be filled.

X/Lyon/

And another spot in Goal.

What's waiting in the wings? Kasper, Danielson, Mazur, Elmer at F. Maybe Nate makes them say no, maybe Kasper can nail down 4C and move Veleno up to 3C? D wise is ASP ready, or maybe Wallinder or Johansson? My guess is that maybe 1-2 between F & D can take a spot. Still need a scoring winger if Kane goes. 4th liners are a dine a dozen, maybe you fill in those 2 with UFAs and go hunting for a scoring winger? Same goes for 3rd pari D. Maybe Maata gets the 3rd pair D with Chiarot and the promote a D from within. Goalie, its gotta be a trade, Cossa needs another year, maybe as 1A in GR/3rd Goalie in Detroit with Bednar as the backup there? DO they go hunting for Markstrom? Lots of questions...