I want nothing to do with Zadorov AT ALL. He is insulated in Suter's system as a 3rd pairing guy and was badly exposed in the playoffs when he had to play a larger role. He is too slow and lacks the necessary agility to be a top 4 guy and the Wings don't need to add bottom pairing guys, especially at that price and term. I also think Holtby is a really bad idea, the guy looks absolutely cooked and can't stay healthy. As for Jarnkrok, just why? Why add to the logjam for a bottom 6 guy? Unless we're adding a legit top 6 center, I don't see the point in adding any other forwards via FA. Let our kids play.

Zadorov is easily an upgrade on what we currently have though. We can't just stand pat with the same D that we had last year if we are serious about taking strides. Johansson is coming but he's not ready. The D UFA market is weak. My alternative would be someone like Alex Edler, but Zadorov plays a more physical brand of hockey.

I disagree that Holtby is done. He is a huge upgrade over Thomas Greiss. Like I said, Ned is good, but far too inconsistent. We need another proven goalie in the system to share the load, and potentially take over the net for a few games in a row here and there while Ned tries to find his game.

Jarnkrok is just depth. I have our kids playing. I have Berggren on the team, so I'm not sure what other kid you want in the lineup next year. We are thin at center in terms of prospects, so what kid are you talking about playing? I can see Soderblom getting games in the 2nd half, but I think he should start in GR.

I prefer kulak to zadorov but they're similar guys. Palate is a good add I'm just not sure how much you wanna pay him. Its a bit much but I get the overpay.

Pretty awful team you put together tbh

Hahaha, I'll be waiting for your team. Can't wait to see it!

Zadorov would be an upgrade on the LEFT side, sure, but he's not signing a 2 year deal and THAT is what we need right now, not a contract that will become a burden in 2 years. I'm still hoping Yzerman acquires one or both of Martinez and/or Pettersson, although he recently said he doesn't see a trade that makes sense, so it's doubtful. Honestly, I know it's a little outside the box, but I'd like to flip Hronek to the off hand and sign someone like Josh Manson on the right side. Also, Lindstrom is criminally underrated and was only a rookie. He's not flashy, but he's a VERY good defender and I expect him to take more strides:
Hronek-Seider
Edvinsson-Manson
Walman-Lindstrom
Osterle

As for Holtby, he was injured for half the season and there have been rumblings he might even retire... he has had knee and hip issues over the last few years and those are pretty concerning for a goalie...

Onto Jarnkrok - we don't need depth, we need impact, top 6 players. Having Veleno on the 4th line doesn't help his development, nor the team and Stephens is a perfectly capable 4th liner, plus Gagne was a fantastic fit on that 4th line and should be brought back. You could even argue that Veleno or Rasmussen should be given a real serious look on the 2nd line to start the season with the way they both finished the year:
Bertuzzi-Larkin-Raymond
Vrana-Veleno/Rasmussen-Zadina
Veleno/Rasmussen-Suter-Berggren
Sundqvist-Stephens-Gagne

I like where your heads at, but agree with DeadWings that we need impact up front. a true #2 center would really help move this team up a rung. Suter clearly ain't it and Veleno probably isn't ready for the role yet. I could see Stevie taking a pass at Trocheck or maybe swinging a deal for Monahan assuming he's actually going to be healthy. Wouldn't hate Palat either.

As for the D, just about anything is an upgrade. There's help on the way, but at a minimum they need 3 new defenseman. Edvinsson will likely be one of them, but they need a few more guys to plug holes in the lineup. I've been looking at a guy like Rutta and have also thought about Zadarov. UFA D market is weak though, so this is a need Detroit may have to fill be trade.

We also clearly need a backup for Ned. I'd like to see a guy like Wedgewood, but its likely he's staying in Dallas. Plenty of other options out there though.

Agree on Palat, but hope he goes after Forsberg, Nichushkin first.

I'd much rather they take Edler for a couple years than Zadorov.

The rest looks pretty realistic

I expect Manson to re-sign in COL. Another fantastic move by Sakic.

Agree on Lindstrom.

I love Zadorov's physicality and toughness. My concern is the 4 year term. We can't block the big 3 of Edvinsson, Johansson and Wallinder coming. I'd be good with 2 years but Zadorov will be looking for longer term. He'll likely get it because it'll be Silly Season where 3rd pair defenseman are treated like Norris trophy winners. If you're an UFA D and have a pulse you get 4 mil.

Pettersson is fine. This horse has been beaten to death on CFACGM. I don't think Pens fans could function each day without trading him to Detroit for a 3rd.

I've also had Palat a few times in my ACGMs because we know Stevie drafted him and knows his value. I just keep thinking Tampa finds a way of keeping him. Palat might be willing to take around 4 mil to go for a 4-Peat? I don't know. He'll have plenty of suitors if he goes as a UFA. He's still scoring big playoff goals. He's part of that original core. But I'd love him in Detroit. He's a winner and can help show our young guys the way.

The more pressing concern is a 2C but I don't know how we're getting one. I try to put myself in a UFA's shoes when trying to figure out where they will go. We've all talked about Copp likely returning to the Rangers. Kadri is too old to sign long term. Trochek? There must be better options for him if Carolina can't afford him. Ryan Strome is a product of Panarin in my opinion. His brother Dylan Strome could be an option if Chicago doesn't qualify him. Could be an opportunity for Stevie to get him cheap like he did with Ned.

I'm probably the acting president of the "sign Holtby" fan club. LOL. I think he'd be an excellent backup goalie for Ned. Jarnkrok is fine. I wonder where David Legwand is now? I don't mind your team at all actually. I do think Gagner and Staal will be re-signed because Stevie really values their leadership.

Right, I don't think Manson will make it to UFA either, but I was using him as a baseline... there is a MUCH better RHD pool this off-season than LHD, so I'd rather they went shopping there and tried flipping Hronek to his off-hand. The primary reason to keep a defender on their strong side, is for digging it out on the boards and defensive gap coverage, but let's be honest, we don't play Hronek for his defensive prowess, so you take the defensive trade-off for the offense and in that case, does it really matter if he's on his off hand (you could actually argue it would make him more effective offensively, so double win?)

Says you.

I'm very against defenseman on their off side, but it's an option. I prefer we line up something like
Edler - Seider
Edvinsson - Hronek
McIsaac - Lindstrom

Still not even sure Edvinsson is ready. I highly doubt Wallinder or Johansson are. 2 of them will probably never be impact NHLers anyway.

I dont mind the Z signing but agree it is too much term. Staal provides similar production and can be had at a fraction of the cost. Jarnkrok signing doesn't make much sense IMO. Let Veleno play the 3C. We have a ton of options for 4C. Gagner, sundqvist, stephens. Love the idea of signing palat, he is just what this team needs but I think he would prefer to go to a contender. Decent job. This team is better then last years team but still not good enough to contend for playoffs.

Gagner is quite old, Sundqvist isn't very good, Stephens is terrible. I'd rather Stevie sign someone like Janmark or another big C for that 4th line (Roy has been discussed).

Gagner is rumoured to be going to the Leafs. He is best friends with Tavares, and the Leafs will need to plug cheap depth pieces onto their roster at a low cost. I think Gagner to the Leafs makes a ton of sense, so I'm considering him gone.

Veleno is not ready to be a 2C. I want our team to keep improving, and if we are penciling Joe Veleno as the 2C, we will be closer to the lottery the to the playoffs. I like Veleno, but I'm not sure he will ever be a 2nd liner in the NHL, and he's definitely not ready to play on the 2nd line as soon as next year.

Mitch Stephens is gone too as far as I'm concerned.

I'm normally VERY against it too, but with Hronek, does the defensive trade-off REALLY make a big difference?

I don't think Hronek is that bad defensively, but maybe on his off side it would get much worse. If I'm using your strategy I'd like to see
Hronek (off)- Seider
Edvinsson - Edler (off)
McIsaac - Lindstrom

I don't like the idea of signing Edler at all and Walman looked good in his limited time, he easily takes that 3rd pair role. My whole point was, if they could land a legit top 4 RHD, you flip Hronek to his off hand then.

That's fair about Veleno, but that still doesn't justify Jarnkrok. The same could be said about going into next season with Suter as our 2c again.

Even without Stephens or Gagne though, just roll Smith-Sundqvist-Erne as your 4th line. I still don't see the value in adding Jarnkrok. Like I said, unless we can add a top 6 center, I just don't see the sense in adding a forward short of a <1m depth guy that can be scratched/sent to GR at any given moment.

Yeah, for sure, 100% agree that Suter isn't the guy either at 2C. I'm just not entirely sure where the 2C will come from. I'm hoping for Trocheck/Strome just like every other Wings fan, but I'm not convinced that either of those players are wanting to come to Detroit. I would love Trocheck, but I see him signing with a contender, rather than an up and coming team.

I was listening to "Power Play" (Steve Kouleas' show on serious satellite radio) and they were speculating about Malkin coming to Detroit. While it was pure speculation, rather than a rumour, that would help our center ice issues in a hurry. Move Larkin to 2C, suddenly we don't look so thin up the middle.

We've been looking for a true 2C for what seems like forever...

Even Trocheck, I really like him, but ideally he's a borderline 3c on a Stanley Cup team and he's also REALLY reckless (like Fabbri), so it's hard to justify giving him the term he's almost certainly going to want... If they could get him for 5 years or less, sign me the f' up!

I can't see Malkin coming to Detroit, almost have a better shot at Bergeron right now, but that's a pipe dream too. I'd be all for moving Copp back to center if we could get him on a 6 or less year deal, but it looks like he's really happy in NY. Hopefully Yzerman can pull off some of that Yzerman magic and get us a 2c (or even 1c) no one is even talking about. Like, watch him pull a jedi mind trick and Elias Pettersson ends up here for cheap, haha

My god, inject that into my veins