Atlantic Notes: Lightning Woes, Maple Leafs, Viola
The Tampa Bay are in unfamiliar territory writes the Tampa Times’ Joe Smith. Sitting in the basement of the Eastern Conference, the Lightning have lost six of their last seven games and are sorting out exactly what is wrong. Veteran Brian Boyle says that it’s driving everyone “crazy” on the team, while Smith writes that the Bolts are playing like a team without confidence. Keep in mind, this is the 2014-15 Stanley Cup runner up and a squad that came within a game of returning to the Stanley Cup Final last season. Lauded for his ability to keep the roster together, Smith adds that general manager Steve Yzerman will not make a panic trade to turn the team’s fortunes. But Smith believes a change is necessary somewhere.
- Mike Babcock only wants to look ahead, and not dwell on the Maple Leafs’ recent struggles writes The Toronto Sun’s Terry Koshan. The Leafs slipped out of the playoff hunt by three points in both the division and the Wild Card race, but Babcock believes it’s a moment of accountability for each of the players. Koshan writes that Auston Matthews has just one point in his last seven games, while Frederik Andersen‘s struggles haven’t helped the team’s fortunes at all. After posting back-to-back shutouts last week, Andersen gave up three against Dallas and five in St. Louis. Andersen “owns” his struggles, Koshan reports, and the veteran netminder knows he has to be better–along with the rest of the team.
- Florida Panthers owner Vincent Viola has declined President Donald Trump’s offer to be secretary of the Army reports the Sun-Sentinel’s Harvey Fialkov. In a statement, Viola said the following:
“I am deeply honored to have been considered for this post, and appreciate the confidence President Trump showed in me,” Viola said in the statement. “I offer my continued support for President Trump and his administration, and look forward to re-doubling my efforts to support the Army and its veterans as a private citizen.”
Fialkov adds that Viola was struggling to separate himself from his business affiliations. Minority owner Doug Cifu would have taken over had Viola chosen to accept the post.
Trade Candidates: Teddy Purcell
When Teddy Purcell was putting up 51 points in Tampa Bay in 2010-11 and leading the team with 17 points in 18 playoff games, many though that the Lightning had found a hidden gem. When he backed it up with 65 points in 2011-12 and then scored at the same pace in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign, they believed he was a star-in-the-making. The past three years, Purcell has put up back-to-back-to-back solid seasons despite moving from Tampa to the Edmonton Oilers to the Florida Panthers. Yet, in 2016-17 Purcell has played in just 12 NHL games with the Los Angeles Kings. Something doesn’t add up, and both Purcell and the Kings would like to end their disastrous partnership as soon as possible.
Contract
Purcell was smart to quickly accept the Kings’ one-year, $1.6MM deal on July 1st of last year, as many similar players waited and became victims of a stagnant market, waiting until much later in the summer to sign even cheaper deals. However, the hit proved to be too much for the rest of the league, as Purcell cleared waivers in December. At the deadline, Purcell will be an impending free agent rental with an accumulated cap hit of under $200K.
2016-17
After signing Purcell, who they had originally signed out of the University of Maine back in 2007, to a reasonable deal to add some depth to their forward corps, L.A. quickly fell out of love with their free agent acquisition. The 31-year-old right winger had just two assists through 12 games and had been outplayed by tryout signee Devin Setoguchi and depth players like Trevor Lewis and Nic Dowd. He had dropped down to a spot on the third line, but even there the Kings had options they preferred more. The L.A. homecoming ended as quickly as it had started, as Purcell was placed on waivers in early December, and with many teams across the league tight against the salary cap ceiling, the former 41-assist play-maker extraordinaire cleared and was sent to the AHL. Yet, after the same amount of time with the Ontario Reign as he had played with the Kings, Reign coach Mike Stothers came out and said that Purcell was simply “too good for this league.” At the time, Purcell had 14 points in his first 12 games. As of now, he has maintained a point-per-game pace with 22 in 22 and has boosted the Reign to the top of the Pacific Division. Still a valuable NHL asset, Purcell does not belong in the AHL and should be back in the big leagues by the end of the season.
Season Stats
12 NHL games: 0 goals, 2 assists, 2 points, even, 10 shots, 12:54 ATOI.
22 AHL games: 7 goals, 15 assists, 22 points, +6, 50 shots, 19:38 ATOI.
Potential Suitors
Purcell is attractive to two types of teams as the Trade Deadline creeps closer: those who are only fringe playoff teams and those who are contenders, but just need depth and not a high-end contributor. Purcell is affordable and very low-risk/high-reward. The last thing the Kings would want is to send Purcell down to the AHL all year only to trade him to a Pacific rival and have it come back to bite them, so a divisional move seems unlikely. However, several other teams could be in the mix.
The Boston Bruins are not in any position to go wasting assets on big playoff rentals this season, as they currently are fighting just to qualify. The team has been playing better of late though, partly due to finally finding some good balance in their forward lines. One hole that remains is the need for an offensive weapon on the third line to help out Ryan Spooner and Matt Beleskey. While the team (second in shots per game, 23rd in goals per game) could use a finisher more than a passer like Purcell, the cost of a Thomas Vanek or Radim Vrbata may be too high. Purcell could help the team out and at a cheap price. The Bruins have enough cap space to add he and a more goal-prone player if they so choose. Count the New York Islanders as another team who could use Purcell to balance out their forward lines. The team has just recently slipped into the playoff conversation, but could definitely use some depth, particularly on the right side where Ryan Strome presents the only righty option in the top-nine. The Toronto Maple Leafs are another teams that could have interest in Purcell. Many have opined that the Leafs should not sell off any young assets this year, but trading for Purcell to help out would likely cost very little and would add a veteran presence, playoff experience, and a great play-maker for their young scorers.
The other team to (always) look out for is the Chicago Blackhawks. As they do seemingly ever year, the GM Stan Bowman and the ‘Hawks bring in some washed-up veteran or young no-name who then performs exceedingly well with the likes of Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. Purcell fits the bill as a player who has always performed his best when surrounded by great talent. Chicago has little cap room and is running out of trade chips, which makes the affordable Purcell a great fit. It also helps that they have struck deals with the King for two years in a row, swapping Michael Latta and Cameron Schilling last month and Rob Scuderi and Christian Ehrhoff around this time last year. If the Blackhawks land Purcell and he is a point-per-game player down the stretch or in the playoffs, would anyone really be surprised?
Likelihood Of A Trade
The Los Angeles Kings still stand a good chance of making the playoffs this year, but if they had any interest in bringing Purcell back up to help them get there, they would have done so already. The only good that Purcell can do for them now is in a trade return. Similarly, Purcell will go just about anywhere to get back into an NHL game and show what he can do before he hits the free agent market again this summer. With both sides in agreement that Purcell should be moved, the only other factor is the market.
If there are teams who still believe that Purcell can play at a high level, and his career numbers up until his limited showing in L.A. this year do little to dissuade that notion, then there is a very high likelihood that he will be moved. The Kings cannot possibly ask for much, having already placed him on waivers this season, nor would anyone be willing to pay much for a guy who hasn’t skated in an NHL game since early December. However, Purcell is hardly even an asset to L.A. as an impending free agent who is playing for their farm team, and it seems likely that they will take whatever they can get for him.
On the other hand, if teams are disillusioned by Purcell’s slow start this season and inability to earn a call-up to the Kings all season long, a market may never form for his services. That is the only way that Purcell doesn’t get traded by March 1st.
Minor Transactions: 2/2/17
Here is where we’ll keep track of today’s minor roster moves:
- The Capitals announced that they’ve assigned center Chandler Stephenson back to Hershey of the AHL. Stephenson got into a trio of games with the Caps over the past week and a half, being held pointless while averaging 8:45 per night. He has spent the bulk of the year at the AHL level, recording six goals and 18 assists in 41 games with the Bears.
- With goalie Antti Raanta taking a leave of absence to be with his wife gave birth to their first child earlier today, the Rangers announced that they have summoned Magnus Hellberg from AHL Hartford. The 25 year old netminder has played in 26 games with the Wolf Pack, going 10-9-5 with a 2.86 GAA and a .906 SV%.
- The Wild announced that they have recalled 2014 first round pick right winger Alex Tuch from Iowa of the AHL. Tuch is in his first professional season and has 11 goals and 11 assists in 34 games at the minor league level this season and has yet to play at the NHL level. He also was named to the AHL All-Star game which took place late last month.
- Anaheim has recalled defenseman Shea Theodore from San Diego (AHL), reports Eric Stephens (Twitter link). He has been back and forth plenty of times this season (this is recall number 12 for him) and has played in 25 games with the Ducks, scoring once while adding seven assists. He has fared better offensively at the minor league level with nine points (1-8-9) in 13 contests with the Gulls.
- Toronto has assigned center Frederik Gauthier back to the AHL’s Marlies, reports Sportsnet’s Chris Johnston (Twitter link). Taking his place on the roster is center Ben Smith who had been out since late December with a hand injury. Gauthier has played in 18 games with the Maple Leafs this season, picking up two goals and an assist while winning just over 51% of his faceoffs. At the minor league level, he has a goal and three helpers in 17 contests.
- The Devils announced (via Twitter) that they have recalled forward Joseph Blandisi from AHL Albany. Blandisi spent half the season in the NHL last year, picking up 17 points (5-12-17) in 41 games. However, he has yet to see action with New Jersey this season. However, he has been productive with the AHL Devils this year scoring seven goals to go along with 16 assists in just 28 games.
Burmistrov Filling Need At Center For Coyotes
After an active offseason in which rookie GM John Chayka aggressively added pieces to supplement a talented young core, it was expected the Arizona Coyotes would be an improved team; maybe not quite a playoff team, but better than the group that finished the 2015-16 campaign with 78 points. Instead the club is on pace for a 65-point season, and much of the reason for the team’s struggles are related to the lack of quality NHL-ready centers.
Injuries to Brad Richardson and Martin Hanzal exacerbated the situation leading Chayka to seek help, both via the waiver wire and through trade. The Coyotes acquired centers Josh Jooris and Peter Holland from the New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs respectively in a three day span in December. While those additions helped bridge the gap for the short term, it was a later acquisition that may prove out to be a steal for Arizona.
On January 2nd, the Coyotes were awarded their waiver claim on forward Alex Burmistrov, a talented but underachieving former first-round draft pick of the Winnipeg Jets/Atlanta Thrashers. Visa issues delayed his debut with his new team but in six games since entering the lineup, Burmistrov has tallied six points and as Craig Morgan writes in a piece for Fan Rag Sports Network, the 25-year-old is fitting in well with his new club.
Head coach Dave Tippett feels that the addition of Burmistrov, along with the improved play of Christian Dvorak has helped stabilize the center ice position in Arizona:
“We’ve stabilized our center ice a little bit with adding Burmistrov and the growth of [Christian] Dvorak,” Tippett said. “[Burmistrov] has filled a hole at center ice, where he’s good with the puck, he can distribute the puck and [he’s got] good skill and good vision.”
Prior to joining the Coyotes, Burmistrov posted just two points, both assists, in 23 games. While he’s shown flashes of high-end skill at times during his career, Burmistrov’s career-best single-season performance came during the 2011-12 campaign when he netted 13 goals and 28 points.
Burmistrov feels that the opportunity to play in different situations in Arizona has played a part in his strong start:
“That’s the way I grew up playing: in the key situations all the way around. Penalty kill, power play,” he said. “The big thing is coaching trust so I have to keep doing well and don’t let him down. This is a big opportunity for me.”
It should be noted that six games is of course a small sample and his previous coach, Paul Maurice, simply was unwilling to trust Burmistrov to kill penalties or play in key situations:
“Alex has a real strong view of what he’s good at,” Maurice told reporters after Burmistrov was waived. “That’s the most important thing: that a coach and player agree on what they’re good at and then the coach will put them in the position to succeed. Alex and I never would really agree on that.
“Alex and I have had a number of conversations about what he was hoping to have here. I just had other players ahead of him and the role he was looking for wasn’t here.”
Whether or not Burmistrov continues to excel with his new opportunity remains to be seen. However, the low-risk nature of the acquisition is exactly the type of move teams like the Coyotes, clubs who usually don’t spend to the salary cap ceiling, should always be willing to make. The type of skill Burmistrov boasts is hard to find on the open market and despite his inability to earn a regular role with the Jets sometimes all it takes is a change of scenery to turn around a player’s career.
Burmistrov’s solid play may also give the team more confidence as they entertain offers for Hanzal. If they do find a suitor willing to meet their asking price for Hanzal, instead of exposing prospects to too much too soon they have Burmistrov on the roster to take up some of the responsibilities.
Snapshots: Three Stars, All-Star Game, Jersey Ads
The NHL has named Wayne Simmonds, Patrick Marleau, and Frederik Andersen as its Three Stars of the Week.
Simmonds scored two goals in two games, including a game winner, in the abbreviated schedule before the All-Star weekend. He was then named MVP of the All-Star Game with three goals in two games as his Metropolitan Division won the weekend. Simmonds has 21 goals this season, good for ninth in the NHL.
Marleau began the week in spectacular fashion, scoring four goals in the third period of a 5-2 win over the lowly Colorado Avalanche. He is just the twelfth player in NHL history to accomplish that feat, and the first to do so since Mario Lemieux did it in January 1997. Marleau had another goal and assist in the Sharks 4-3 win over Winnipeg and 4-1 loss to Edmonton, respectively. He now has 17 goals on the season.
Andersen had back-to-back shutouts in his two appearances last week. He made 26 saves in a 4-0 blanking of the Calgary Flames and 22 saves in another 4-0 victory over the Detroit Red Wings. Andersen has a 21-10-8 record to go with his 0.921 SV% and three shutouts in his first season with the Maple Leafs.
- The second year of the new All-Star Game format was very popular, according to NBC Sports. In a series of tweets, NBC Sports PR reported the ratings were up dramatically over the 2015-16 edition of the game. The NHL switched from the previous format of two voted captains picking teams out of the players selected to a three-on-three tournament with all four divisions facing off for the prize money. Prior versions included Eastern Conference vs Western Conference and North America vs World.
- Fear not, NHL jersey purists. The NHL is not considering putting ads on jerseys, despite having ads on the shoulders of the jerseys at September’s World Cup of Hockey. However, Commissioner Gary Bettman believes there’s a difference between the jerseys at the World Cup and the NHL teams’ sweaters. Bettman commented on the issue during All-Star Weekend, saying “it’s not an active discussion among NHL clubs. I always said we wouldn’t be first… The NBA is doing it. But it would take an unusual circumstance – which I would define as ‘a lot of money that I’m having trouble comprehending right now’ – for us to even be thinking about it.” Puck Daddy’s Greg Wyshnyski writes that Bettman “understands the levels of fan backlash if the advertising became too ungainly.”
Projecting John Tavares’ Next Contract
True superstars don’t hit the open market very often. When Steven Stamkos got close enough to talk to other teams in the negotiating window last summer, it was as close as you’d ever expect a player of that caliber in his prime to get to unrestricted free agency. Stamkos eventually signed on June 29th, a day that will live in hockey infamy (due to the massive trades that also happened within minutes of the Lightning re-signing). Thus, it was technically an extension that Stamkos signed, as he’d not yet become a free agent.
This weekend at the all-star game, a player who has been linked to Stamkos for a long time made his feelings clear about a possible extension. John Tavares, the superstar center that has been mired in New York (and not that New York) for the first part of his career told the media that he’d be open to an extension come July 1st, and that he liked the direction the organization was heading. Now, whether or not you agree with him on liking the direction GM Garth Snow and company are headed in, it’s a big deal that Tavares would come out so publicly in support of at least a negotiation.
So the question now becomes what would an extension look like. Tavares has one more season on his current deal, which will pay him $6MM (with a $5.5MM cap hit) and contains a full no-movement clause. He signed that deal back in 2011, before he’d even turned 21. Now 26, any extension he signs will start when he’s heading into his age-28 season almost two years older than Stamkos was.
It’s with Stamkos that the comparison has to begin. The two were the first overall selections in back to back years, and faced each other countless times in junior. They were even teammates at 17 for Canada at the World Juniors, while battling near the top of the OHL scoring charts (with another future first-overall selection in Taylor Hall). Stamkos’ deal then is a good starting point for projecting what Tavares will get.
It’s that though that poses so much difficulty, because of their distinct situations. As mentioned, Tavares is due to hit free agency later than Stamkos and doesn’t quite have the resume of the Lightning sniper. As surprising as it may be, Tavares lags behind in most categories including individual awards and team success. The Lightning have been players deep into the playoffs, while the Islanders have won just a single playoff round with Tavares. Stamkos has two Maurice Richard trophies for the league’s top goal scorer, while amazingly Tavares has only come relatively close to an award during the lockout-shortened season.
Stamkos received an eight-year deal from the Lightning, with an average annual value of $8.5MM. Many saw this as a steal for Tampa Bay, as there were numbers bandied about as high as $12MM from the Toronto Maple Leafs. With the blue-and-white shadow looming over Tavares as well (another home-town boy) $8.5 is an interesting starting point for an extension. Even if Stamkos did take a bit off to stay in Tampa, there are only seven forwards who earn more on a per-year basis than him in the league, and four of them were just named to the NHL’s top-100 players of all time (and another should have been, but I digress). While Tavares simply doesn’t have the numbers to approach Stamkos – he has scored .92 points per game to Stamkos’ .99 – many believe he is the better defensive player and doesn’t have the injury history that the Lightning forward does.
Anze Kopitar, a center who lags behind Tavares offensively but is considered among the best defensive forwards in the game just got $10MM per season for the next eight years, and it seems like that may actually be closer to what the Islanders will have to dish out. While the real number will likely fall somewhere in between, it’s not out of the question that Tavares could get the largest annual value ever should he wait to hit the open market. Like Stamkos before him a bidding war would likely open, and with the loss of that eighth year possibility (contracts are capped at seven years once a player hits unrestricted free agency), the AAV would likely go up.
For the Islanders, signing Tavares is obviously a huge priority. But after committing long term to Andrew Ladd and having $6MM tied up in an under-performing and rapidly aging Johnny Boychuk it won’t be an easy task. The team has a lot of money tied up in players that aren’t giving them a chance at the Stanley Cup, meaning this superstar may just hold out a little longer to really see what direction the team is headed in for the next eight years.
Trade Currency: Surplus Draft Picks
Trade time is upon us, with the NHL deadline coming just a month from now. While the players take a few days off for the All-Star break, front offices are busy setting up a plan for the next few weeks – unless you’re Joe Sakic that is, who took part in the Celebrity Shootout this afternoon and tapped in a goal.
One of the things team’s use most during this time to add depth to their teams are draft picks. Last year, 13 picks changed hands on deadline day itself, with another handful in the days prior. For teams looking to add for a playoff run, draft picks feel much easier to part with than roster players.
Going into this deadline, some teams have more picks accumulated from prior deals to work with. Here is a breakdown of a few teams that might be buyers, and have extra 2017 picks to dangle in trade talks.
Carolina Hurricanes – New York Rangers’ 2nd-round selection, New Jersey’s 3rd-round selection.
Carolina acquired the Rangers’ second-rounder when they dealt Eric Staal at the deadline last year. The Devils’ third-rounder is one that came with conditions, though they were likely met when Andrei Loktionov went back to the KHL. The Hurricanes could use some help if they’re going to catch anyone in the Metropolitan division.
Chicago Blackhawks – Carolina’s 5th-round selection, St. Louis’ 5th-round selection, New York Islanders’ 6th-round selection.
The Blackhawks will be using anything they can to add at the deadline, meaning these three extra picks could come in handy. They could also use them to beef up a farm system that has continued to develop replacements for players lost to salary cap crunches.
Edmonton Oilers – St. Louis’ 3rd-round selection, Vancouver’s 5th-round selection
Both extra picks the Oilers have are conditional, but unless Nail Yakupov has a tremendous second-half, it looks like neither will change from this season. A team that hasn’t been a buyer in a long time, they have enough young players to sacrifice some draft talent.
Montreal Canadiens – Washington’s 2nd-round selection.
The Habs got a couple of second-round picks when they moved Lars Eller this summer, meaning they’ll have some extra currency when the deadline comes around. It’ll be interesting to see if Montreal uses their draft picks instead of prospect capital to make a move at the deadline.
Philadelphia Flyers – Boston’s 3rd-round selection, Philadelphia’s 4th-round selection.
The Flyers have had a rough stretch after starting so well, but after beating the Maple Leafs on Thursday night are currently back in a playoff spot. If they decide that they can still push, they could use these extra picks in a package. Goaltending and defense is on their mind, but they’d obviously have to include more than the mid-round picks.
Toronto Maple Leafs – San Jose’s 2nd-round pick, Ottawa’s 2nd-round pick.
The Maple Leafs already owe Anaheim one of the two picks from the Frederik Andersen trade last summer, but could still use the other one to help them back into the playoffs for the first time since the shortened season. The Shanaplan says to build slow through the draft, but with the extra pick the team could add some veteran depth to a blueline that still has trouble defending.
Latest On The Colorado Avalanche
The trade deadline is just a month away, and teams are circling like vultures over the bottom feeders in the NHL. They smell blood in the waters of Colorado, with media and fan pressure to shake up the team and start again. This core, though still quite young, is apparently about to be broken up. Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog are the most common names mentioned, and Adrian Dater of the Bleacher Report revealed what one source tells him it would cost to land one of them.
“At bare minimum it’ll take young, established D player and 1st round pick to get either Duchene or Landy”, Dater tweeted Saturday afternoon following it up by saying though Sakic could possibly get more, he’d likely do it for that package. This comes on the heels of an earlier report from Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun that said it would cost a young defenseman, first-round pick and a top prospect.
For the Avalanche, who sit in last place in the entire NHL and are on pace for an astonishingly-low season total of 50 points (the Toronto Maple Leafs finished 30th last season with 69 points) it’s clearly a frustrating time. The team has three forwards who are legitimate stars in Duchene, Landeskog and Nathan MacKinnon and an emerging talent in Mikko Rantanen, but haven’t been able to put together anything this season. For Landeskog especially this has been a tough year, scoring just 17 points through the first half of the season.
Any team looking to add one of the Colorado forwards has to be wary of their contracts, as both carry hefty cap-hits for the next few years (Landeskog has four years left while Duchene only has two). Both players do come with quite a history of success however, and are young enough to fit into pretty much any stage in a team’s development.
Trade Candidates: Tomas Tatar
With the trade deadline quickly approaching, we will be profiling several players in the weeks ahead that are likely to be dealt by March 1st.
With the Red Wings on the outside looking in, several names are popping up as potential trade pieces for a team looking more seriously at rebuilding. One name that continues to generate interest, and who was rumored to be asked about by the Chicago Blackhawks, is Tomas Tatar.
Contract
Tatar is in the final year of a three-year, $8.25MM deal and will be a restricted free agent this summer. Expected to get a pay raise, it’s one of many reasons he’s an option to be moved.
2016-17
Much has been written about the Red Wings’ struggles this season, and Tatar has been a lightning rod for much of that criticism. Through 49 games, Tatar has 23 points (11-12), which isn’t nearly good enough for a player counted on to score more than 20 goals, and flirt with 30. Though criticism is there, it’s not entirely warranted. Tatar has been one of Detroit’s better players this season, despite his numbers. Much has been made of the Red Wings’ awkward lineup construction, and insistence on playing individuals with “grit” or those who are penalty kill “specialists” (Luke Glendening, Drew Miller) and offer little else in goal scoring or generating scoring chances.
Season Stats
49 games: 11 goals, 12 assists, 23 points, -2; 51.7% CF%; 16:43 ATOI
Potential Suitors
The Chicago Blackhawks are already one team rumored to have inquired about Tatar. He provides two positives. First, Tatar is under club control. Two, he is an undervalued asset being in Detroit. Placed on a dominant team like the Blackhawks, he would immediately contribute with talent like Jonathan Toews centering a line, or with other team’s best lines focusing on Patrick Kane‘s line. Tatar would also be valuable on the man advantage Detroit’s historically bad power play has made everyone look bad, including Tatar.
His affordable salary could make him one of the better options in fitting in financially with the cap-challenged Hawks.
Likelihood Of A Trade
Everything is based on Ken Holland’s philosophy. He’ll either sell or “stand pat” based on the team’s fortunes in late February. But after losing 4-0 to the rising Maple Leafs, one wonders how Holland can sit back and just stand pat instead of recognizing that the Red Wings needs draft picks and prospects to expedite what looks to be a rebuilding effort. Further, I’m not entirely sure the Wings are ready to give up on Tatar. Holland especially is notoriously loyal to his players. Especially those drafted and developed by Holland.
Strapped with several bad contracts, needing to sign other players, and due a raise, Tatar remains one of many options to be moved by the trade deadline.
Red Wings Notes: The Reality In Hockeytown
Watching from the other bench, Mike Babcock couldn’t help but smile. After a 4-0 victory over his former team in Detroit, it couldn’t be more obvious that the Toronto Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings are on completely different trajectories. The Leafs, once the bottom feeder of the Eastern Conference, is rising like a phoenix out of the ashes. And the Red Wings? Once the darling of the league, they now sit where the Leafs called home for several seasons.
Why? There are opinions everywhere and they vary from writer to writer. But here are a few thoughts:
- The Detroit News’ Bob Wojnowski writes that general manager Ken Holland has quite the mess to fix in Detroit. Though the Wings move into their sparkling new home next season, the product could sour what should be a happy housewarming. Wojo weighs the usual: how did they get here, what could Holland do to make it better, and what’s the reality behind all of it. Wojnowski quotes Holland as saying that he “can’t make three blockbuster trades” to suddenly make the team better. But it’s interesting because the current predicament faced by Detroit is because of Holland. From overvaluing players to handing out terrible contracts for long terms, Wojo points out that Holland’s rebuilding on the fly mantra has failed.
- That takes us to Winging It In Motown, where blogger J.J. From Kansas analyzes Holland-speak and what it could possibly mean. First, he points out Holland’s notion that rebuilds take 8-10 years took a hit after realizing that the majority of Red Wings fans recognize such a rebuild is necessary to reclaim the franchise’s once proud status as a contender. What he sees interesting is that Holland changed his tune a bit, showing that in Wojo’s aforementioned piece, Holland turns up the rebuilding timeline to just 5-6 years of pain. The reason? From J.J.:
If Holland knows he has to bring on the pain of risking constructive losing to end the pain of pointless losing, it’s in his best interests to sell it as well as he can. Honestly, I’m a little shocked he didn’t sell it as a 3-4 year plan instead.
- In one final piece from outside of Detroit, Craig Custance gives a non-partisan view of the Red Wings and the grade book isn’t kind. Custance writes that the Red Wings are deserving of a C-, and pens that “injuries, disarray on defense and the regression of Petr Mrazek” have gotten the Wings to where they are. He lists Detroit as sellers and lists Thomas Vanek and Brendan Smith as bargaining chips for rebuilding.
Between all three pieces, it’s obvious that change is coming in Detroit. The only question remaining is how quickly can the Wings return to the top?