Red Wings

[DanO]

When I heard this yesterday you're the first thing I thought of jaad.

[WingsFan]

Yzermans great challange with this team is rebuilding its defense.

One thing Holland (three years late) did was set us up good in the draft. The Wings own 19 NHL draft selections over the next two years, including as many as eight in the first two rounds.

[edindetroit]

The Captain is coming back on 4/19/19. Seems appropriate.

Is there significance to that date?

[WingsFan]

Yzermans number was 19 he was The Captain for 19 years and hes back on 4/19/19

He was asked about it yesterday. Means nothing to me, just glad hes back

[jaadam4]

When I heard this yesterday you're the first thing I thought of jaad.

Cheers to you my friend!

[FVD]

Is there significance to that date?

He was also the #4 overall draft pick in the 83 Draft also.

I believe the term is serendipity.

[Malto Marko]

He was also the #4 overall draft pick in the 83 Draft also.

I believe the term is serendipity.

Easy for you to say.

[Trickalicious]

This is a man's league. I guess we couldn't convince Cleary to GM?

[The King]

We'll see with Yzerman. Holland has fucked this team with so many shitty deals, it will be hard to dig out of. At least we do have some quality young offensive talent. To Holland's credit, he's done a great job loading up on draft picks.

I think the main key outside of nailing this draft is how good Zadina/Veleno will be. If those guys turn into top level players, that could be the homerun we need.

[froot loops]

Once Holland finally wizened up to the fact that they needed to rebuild he's been OK. He was three years too late and a lot of the deals they went with from about 2012-2015 haunt this team. Some of the deals like the Franzen deal killed them but at the time Franzen was looking like their best players in the two successive playoffs prior to the extension. If fell apart right when he signed him to that extension.

The cap situation is still a dogs breakfast, but with a new set of eyes there is a decent chance some of those contracts can be off loaded.

[The King]

Ya, I just don't think Yzerman is this savior and white knight some make him out to be. For all the success of Tampa, they never won a title and just got waxed as a 1 seed by an 8 seed.

It's a great story and all he will forever be The Captain, but there is a lot of work to be done here. This isn't Jerry West we're talking about here.

[froot loops]

The NHL is much tougher nowadays. Yzerman will do well but I think the euphoria of his return is because people think he's going to return them to the glory years. The glory years were based on a lot of homegrown talent with 3 or 4 hall of fame talents taken in the late rounds because they were the only ones mining Europe. That plus an open checkbook made them the franchise. Those advantages aren't there now.

[WingsFan]

I think most knowledgeable fans know its going to take a few years. Its good to have quality people Stevie/Harbaugh leading my 2 favorite teams again, this is very important to me. I only ask the Red Wings be Cup contenders again, as we see the playoffs are a crapshoot.

[Malto Marko]

The Captain knows how much you can achieve when you have a solid blue line that can move the puck. That will be his main focus over the next 3 years. He will also have to address goaltending.

[froot loops]

Addressing the blue line is easier said than done, those teams in the early 90s who flamed out did so mainly because they couldn't get a decent blue line or goaltending. It's also what led to the downfall of the team after 2009.