With Bertuzzi and Hronek gone and Rasmussen injured, added to the absolutely brutal remaining schedule, we may end up back in the lottery.
Which is good if they're not going to make the playoffs anyway.
I’m confused. All teams who miss the playoffs are in the lottery.
With the recent changes to the lottery teams can only move up 10 spots max. Only the bottom 11 teams are in the running for the top pick. The worst a team can drop now is two spots.
Yes, but that has nothing to do with what he said. He said “in the lottery.” Everyone who misses the playoffs are in the lottery. He didn’t say “in the running for #1 overall.”
I've not been following the Wings that closely this year but I get a sense they're on the periphery of the playoffs but have been making some moves like a team that isn't necessarily trying to make a run this year. Do people see this move + the Hronek trade as moves a team that isn't shooting for the playoffs make or are they trades you make to open up roster spots/still take a run this year?
I think a case of them capitalizing on a hot trade market and getting tremendous value on two guys that they didn't envision as cornerstones of the rebuild.
I don't think they had the juice to get into the playoffs and definitely not to advance. Without 'the streak' there's no impetus to make the playoffs if you can't compete.
They are still a ways away and lack the elite top of roster types in the forward ranks. Goalie has been standing on his head but probably headed for burnout with all the games he is playing. Defensive corps they are resigning some nice 2-3 year contracts to "steady" types and have been drafting some guys who could be elite ceilings. It's still a ways away and we have to find a way to get 2 or so "it players" in the forward ranks. Need more size up front as well.
Sounds like Steve tried with a guy the Islanders traded for. Maybe he is stocking up picks so that next time that (rare) opportunity comes around he has the draft capital to pull it off.
The Hronek trade was a clear signal that the playoffs are not a concern this season. Interestingly, the Ottawa B2B was probably the catalyst for the Wings to turn into (mainly) sellers. It clearly proved that the team, as constructed, is no threat to anyone in the playoffs. That was playoff hockey, and it was called that way by the refs. Sadly, the Wings got beat physically and skill-wise. It was good that the series happened before the deadline.
My head-scratcher was the Larkin signing. Maybe he's a top-line center for a middle-of-the-pack team, but he's not top-line caliber for the kind of team the Wings want to be in a few years. He's a second-liner on an elite team. I would not have been upset to see him dealt as well.
I still trust the Yzerplan, but -- gun to my head -- I'd say that's the first real mistake Stevie has made here.
I was trying to figure out what you meant when you said it was “obvious the Wings were trying to trade him too”.
It’s because they did! Right?
"This is not surprising" would certainly have been a better wording. I think there were rumors a few months ago that they were looking for potential trade destinations.
Does this mean that if Boston's 2024 draft position is 10th or better the pick stays with the Bruins? Considering that Boston clinched their playoff spot around Christmas this year, (probably) a top-10 draft spot seems...unlikely.
If it is pick 1-10 its Boston's if its 12-32 its Detroit's. If Boston keeps the pick in '24 it converts to an unprotected in '25 for the Wings.
No it means the pick bumps to 2025, unprotected
Based on what Alex and Dave said on the Hockeycast this week, the East playoff teams are really loading up - NYR, NJ, Boston, and others are picking up big names. I'm not sure what they're giving up in all these deals, but it seems like if the Red Wings's competition all peak now and pay for it with future assets, that could open the window even wider for Detroit in a couple of seasons. I think it's a rational exchange to decrease the playoff possibility in `23 and even `24 in order to stockpile and time the Cup contender window from 2024-on.
Looking at the standings, Washington and Pittsburgh are clearly declining from where they were with the star players in their prime. I hope Tampa and Toronto follow them down over the next few years so the Wings have room to step up into their vacated playoff positions.
The Wings are in a really tough spot. Buffalo and Ottawa will replace Boston and Tampa Bay at the top in a couple years.
Their only hope is that Yzerman bundles some of these high picks for a bonafide elite talent or get insanely lucky a la Datsyuk and Zetterberg.
No different that NBA teams around the trad deadline. Teams in contention will sacrifice their draft capital and young players to get players to get over the hump and win a championship.
Glad the Red Wings are not settling to be a purgatory team of being too good for a high draft pick but not good enough to make some noise in the playoffs and win it all maybe - aka avoiding the Jeff Fisher approach.
Right but then teams in the middle of the pack like Buffalo and Ottawa are ascending and ahead in their rebuilds. We need to go back to the Norris division :D
Toronto's core is still very young. Tavares is the oldest at 32. Matthews, Nylander, and Marner are all 25/26ish. Maybe a year plus or minus. Unless they all crash and burn, they're going to be on an upward or stable trajectory moving forward.