1984Echoes

If Urshela is out for any period of time... I'd like to see Keith at 3rd and Wenceel at 2B. Call it one week or two week's worth. Just to see what happens. Wenceel spent most of his time in the minors at 2B, and has better speed/range there... I know there are some concerns about Keith's shoulder strength... but let's see it. On a short-term basis. Once Urshela gets back... Hinch can figure everything out. Which may include some Toledo time for Keith so he can get his bat straightened out... Just sayin'...

Yeah... I'm not so certain about that.

Especially if it could be timed right to have it at the same time as Cathy because... Well, she was just a real cutey. ... but I think I'm getting off-topic here...

Yeah... I probably stated that badly... I meant Compher at his best has never produced like Lindholm at his best. Compher tops out as a 50-point guy. Once. Lindholm in a BAD year gets 44. They're not in the same ballpark, and you KNOW that. But I did state that badly. And you very well may be right, I love the idea of Lindholm 2 years ago. But the flip side is that... Lindholm has actually produced at that level. And if he's a 2nd line Center on the Red Wings then he WOULD go against 2nd lines. And that's how he would be signed. Also... if Larkin went down another two weeks... I would actually have confidence that Lindholm could hold the fort down rather than the team imploding for the two weeks that Larkin misses. Additionally, with young talent on this team (Lindholm centering Kasper and Raymond? Cat? Compher?), I have some hope that an actual effective 2nd line could be created. Both ways. So... Sorry guys... But I'm stuck on Lindholm... And I'm only going to get worse... It's Lindholm or BUST!!! And I haven't even got to using font size 36 yet... But I WILL get to 36 pt sometime in the near future. Lindholm or BUST!!! (That will be on repeat, and keep getting louder, until Yzerman actually signs him...)

What happened to Urshela? 1 PA and he's replaced by Vierling? Injury?

Copp, Compher and Cat are on the team... So move on from the other guys and add Mazur and Kasper. They'll be better at the 2-way game than those removed.

Sebrango to me was always a "try-hard" guy. I never saw why the Org was high on him but, whatever... I don't think Tuomisto is in the same boat as Sebrango. Not even close. First off: not only was Sebrango a "try-hard" guy, he was a left shot. How was he possibly going to squeeze onto the Detroit roster? Again... I just never saw that, at all. Tuomisto's competition, as a right shot: Jeff Petry (36) and Justin Holl (32). The door is... ever so slightly, open for a right shot D to make the roster. Tuomisto is 23, a 6' 5" hard-hitting D'man (from scout reports as much as I can gather), not a great skater but passable, and a nasty hard shot that would fit on a PP2. I'm not SO HIGH on Tuomisto... but I would say that I am high enough on him to want to save salary, remove Holl and/or Petry, and throw him out there, at least as a 3rd pairing, to see if he can stick. I think he most likely would stick... but where he ends up at (#2 or #3 pairing, or back at Grand Rapids...) is an unknown to me. But I absolutely believe that he would not be worse than Petry or Holl.

So yes... I get that. It's definitely a risk... but a couple things: 1) When we signed Perron at 34, wasn't that chasing past production? Petry at 35? 2) He has a higher level of capability than Sprong or Perron. And it's not even close. 3) He also has more ability than Copp or Compher. They've never produced as he has, and they have never played at his level. But all 3 of those guys are the same age: 29. And Yzerman signed Copp and Compher... As far as I'm concerned... Lindholm is next. Or should be. 4) We're letting go of (most likely) Reimer 36, Kane 35, Perron 35, Gost 30... I think we need to replace that veteran leadership... with Lindholm. I'll be more blunt: This offseason, for me... It's Lindholm or BUST!!!

2024 Red Wings UFA's Gost: $ 4.1 Mill Perron: $ 4.75 Mill Kane: $ 2.75 Mill Sprong: $ 2 Mill Reimer: $ 1.5 mill Fischer: $ 1.125 mill TOTAL, PRE-RFA's - $ 17.2 mill. If Mazur, Kasper and Tuomisto are brought up... And Seider & Raymond sign extensions, and Cossa is at least considered the #3 Goalie (and therefore Reimer is no longer needed), and Edvinsson is designated a full-season D; then: The decisions would be: whether to let go of any RFA's (like Veleno), to trade or dump an extra salary or a few (such as Petry or Holl, and with Walman & Edvinsson the top two LHD's, even with Gost leaving as a UFA, why do we need both Maatta & Chiarot, when there's even the possibility that Wallinder and/ or Johansson is ready for NHL ice time? So at least ONE of those two needs to be moved... IMO). There are extra salary savings that can be had between RFA's and too many defenseman... I think we have room to chase a Lindholm, who, along with Kasper and Mazur, replace 3 of the forwards that we lose in the offseason. Also... I'll just throw this out there... Danielson is looking "SHARP!" so I believe he also has a real shot at making the 2024 roster. Lots of kids. Some high-end veteran help would be great to help lead this team into the playoffs. IMO. Larkin, plus Lindholm, and Raymond, DeBrincat, Copp, Compher, Mazur, Kasper, POSSIBLY Danielson... I think that's a nice top 9. Walman-Seider, Edvinsson-Holl, Maatta-Tuomisto, plus Wallinder/ Johansson/ and maybe even Buium waiting in the wings (sorry for the pun) ... That's young. A lot of youth there. But also size, speed & skill on the blue line. I'm comfortable with going into next year with that. We may even possibly be able to keep Fischer & Veleno as 4th line guys... I'll let Yzerman work out the details...

Yeah, that's on me for not paying enough attention... Lindholm scored 42 goals and 40 assists in 2022... Yeah, I know that's two years ago... But, just asking: Who on the Red Wings, aside from DeBrincat, has ever had a year like that? Lindholm?

No, it was a slip up. And "never mind" is a cop out.

If he were a Right shot the door would be OPEN for that possibility... I'm not talking about likelihood, that would be 100% the Org determining if he needed more seasoning first. Or not. But as a Left shot... he has a crapload more hurdles to get over before he could get that type of a shot (opening day Wings 2024-25 roster...). Those hurdles are named: Jake Walman. Shane Gostisbehere. Ben Chiarot. Simon Edvinsson. Olli Maatta (yes, even him). William Wallinder. and possibly even Albert Johansson. That is just a MUCH higher wall to climb than as a right-shot D for the Wings. Seider is #1. And then...? Petry? Holl? Tuomisto? And that's it?

One other thing: Even though there are no 1A's out there, to sign as FA's... I still think there are a couple guys out there that Yzerman should pursue: 2-way players, which is much needed. And playing at higher levels than the Copp's/Compher's/Chiarot's of the world. Obviously, this is predicated on dumping as much salary as possible, not just UFA's but also an RFA or two, and most likely a couple vet's signed for next year... But I would look at my two favorites from the deadline: Noah Hanifan and Elias Lindholm. The argument for Lindholm: an actual #2 center. And a tough 2-way player. Argument against: 44 pts in 75 games and a -14 in 2023-24. For: 64 pts in 80 games and +6 the year prior, and 82 pts in 82 games (42 goals!!!) and a +61 the year prior. He allows Compher to be the #3, Kasper to come up and work his way into the lineup (meaning most likely he would start as a winger with less defensive responsibility) and if Kasper steals the #2C spot then fine, Lindholm is a scoring winger on his line. I would rather eliminate some combination of Kane/ Sprong/ Perron/ Fabbri/ Veleno... and HAVE Lindholm... than go back to the above 5 Wings OVER him. Whoever survives of those 5, as a Wing in 2024... great. But Lindholm has a higher priority level, and skill level, and youth and 2-way ability over any of them... So I want to START with Lindholm, add Kasper and Mazur... and THEN determine who of those 5 can still remain with the Wings. I know the actual timing is the reverse of that.. I'm just sayin'... The argument for Hanifan: an actual #1 LHD to pair with Seider. And a tough 2-way player on defense, providing both offense as well as defense from that spot, as well as a high-level of toughness. Argument against: too many LH'ed D on the Wings roster? That can be... corrected. For: 47 pts in 80 games and a +19 this past year. 38 pts in 81 games and +2 the year prior, and 48 pts in 81 games and a +27 the year prior. Now.. Walman has been a nice surprise. But Hanifan is better... much better. Edvinsson may some day take over as #1 LHD, but he's not there yet. Hanifan + Seider? I think that's an outstanding #1 pair. Edvinsson + Tuomisto? I'm guessing... but also WANT that as 2nd pair in 2024-25. If Edvinsson becomes so good that he forces his way to the top pairing...? OK: Then it's Edvinsson + Seider = #1 pair and Hanifan + Tuomisto as #2 pair. I think that is STILL an awesome top 4 pairing... and YOUNG!!! Hanifan is the best vet to plop into the middle of a top 4 like that and be that vet leader. Walman drops to #3... and 3rd pair (plus 4th D'man) can be filled in with Holl or Wallinder or Johansson or Maatta or however that works out. EVERYONE ELSE is expendable IMO... That includes Petry, Gost, Chiarot (I think Maatta too but am uncertain where we are with Cap once we get to Chiarot & Maatta...). I'm happy. That's my offseason FA wants. Dump as much salary as necessary... call up lots of kids... add two better talents than the middling talents we've added the past two years. Specifically: I want Hanifan and Lindholm.

That's simply bad word choice on my part. OK, fine: How can they INFLUENCE timing? What is their mechanism to do so?

I think 2 is the max Yzerman would be willing to commit to. Also... "seeking a long-term contract" means to me, not only term, but as much $$$ as he can squeeze into this (most likely) last contract. I think this is the death knell for Kane remaining with the Wings. It won't be more than 2 years (Yzerman would be open to... guessing), and I don't believe it can get much higher than $4.5 mill AAV (another guess), and I'm guessing Yzerman's willingness may be even a lower AAV than that. Totally unknown, what's actually on Yzerman's mind. But on a WAG... Kane is pricing himself out of Detroit, one way or another. Time to move on to the kids... IMO. Mazur will have to take his place. Totally different kind of player.

On Kool-Aid: I keep saying this...

OK... So explain please... exactly how they are controlling the timing? They would have to have a mechanism to actually do that, if that is what you believe they are doing, or COULD be doing... So... What is that mechanism?

I will go with... THIS... ⏫

Woohoo! Edman & Randy are correct! + 1 more to keep an eye on!!!

Crap. I keep forgetting that. I just did the same thing a couple weeks ago when talking about keeping an eye on the Erie guys... Old Age. Crappy memory.

How about if it were my preferred sentence: Executed for Treason against Democracy, Treason against the United States of America, Treason against the Constitution of the United States. Would that gain him some supporters? 😁 (smartass alert...!)

Plus... He's too chicken **** to actually want to spend a single day in jail. For someone with integrity, they would do it on principle. That's not DJT. He just wants the theatrics... without experiencing ANY real inconvenience.

I don't think conservative is the correct terminology. I think what Yzerman is doing, even if it involves signing a bunch of journeymen veterans... is to demand a higher level of skill/ commitment/ NHL-level responsibility/ and NHL-level compete from prospects trying to break onto the Wings roster. The current roster still didn't make the playoffs. But it just missed, and it's the best team showing since we last made the playoffs. So the bar is now higher, and has to be met or exceeded in order to make the roster. I guess that could be called "conservative"... but I'm thinking more along the lines of "we are demanding more". "The bar is higher so you have to jump higher." I don't consider this a bad thing at all. Demanding more from upcoming prospects. If they can do anything they want to, and still get NHL ice time simply because the team is so desperate... I think is exactly what Yzerman is fighting against and therefore, is creating the higher bar for them to jump over. In fact, I think this is absolutely a smart thing to do on Yzerman's part... I approve this philosophy.

Israel decided that "all out war" was probably not a good idea. I don't think this has any effect, whatsoever, on the Iranian nuclear bomb situation. Why would you think so? Or, exactly how is this "hurting" the situation? I think this should be looked at simply from the Israeli-Iranian sides, not from American or anti-nuclear bomb perspectives. I disagree that this hurts any situation. I believe, looking at it only from... Israel: "We killed an architect of the Oct 7th attack on us. It was an Iranian IRGC General and his team in a military annex to their embassy in Syria. They responded with a limited attack on our territory which we succesfully defended. We also will not allow an attack on our territory without a response. We have responded, in a limited manner. the offramp for both our countries to de-escalate is still there. As how the Americans say: 'The ball is now in your court'. " Iran: "We attacked Israel (limited) in response to the attack on our embassy/IRGC general. Israel attacked us in response, on our home territory? We don't know what you are talking about... we shot down a few small birds that were hovering over our military bases... nothing to see here. We consider the matter closed." This is the only thing that matters right now. The viewpoints of these two countries, only, towards each other. And Israel's attack was much more limited than what it first might have thought to have been (including me), which is allowing an off-ramp for both of these countries to stand down. That is the best, immediate, outcome. Iran's nuclear capabilities are a separate issue, IMO, to be dealt with on a separate basis.

Reported cyberattacks as well but no idea of the impact...