Prior to the 2023-2024 season, I took stock of where I thought the “Yzerplan” was heading. At that time, I believed that after locking up Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider, the Wings would have two options to proceed: Aggressively clear cap space through trades and/or buyouts to be able to be a major player in 2024 free agency
Sign Raymond and Seider for 8 years. No thanks on Marchessault. Another small guy. Aging. Getting worse. Despite Perron's heroics late in the season, he was so terrible at 5 on 5 at times, I don't think I can do it. I'd take Kane for 2 years tops - but he'll want more.
I'd take Tanner Jeannot in a trade - but I'd be worried that Lalonde will do what he did with Kostin.
I'd probably look at Teravainen or Tarasenko. I'd look at Bertuzzi again, too.
Bertuzzi Larkin Raymond
Debrincat Compher Tarasenko
Rasmussen Copp Fischer
Fabbri Veleno Berggen (Mazur)
Expectations are that Mazur, Kasper and Danielson would all see some time.
On D, we still have to undo last year's cluster, even with Gost leaving as a UFA.
I trade Maatta and buy out Holl.
And sign Roy, I guess, even though he's kind of meh.
Walman Seider
Chiarot Roy
Edvinsson Petry
Johansson
Goal: Husso/Lyon
Get a 1C/D to split time with Cossa in GR.
I would expect a decrease in points for several reasons.
1) Last year's shooting numbers were pretty ridiculous.
2) Younger defense, more mistakes
So, the team probably falls back to 84-86 points.
As for the pick, it depends who's available. Do I take Catton if he falls? That's an interesting proposition and I haven't made up my mind. A recent shift-by-shift video makes me question that idea.
MBN, Chernyshov, Surin and Luchanko are guys I look hard at. Also, Yakemchuk, Jircek and Parekh are three guys I look hard at.
Yzerman upped the expectations game this year and I think he's gonna feel some heat as a result.
Would be a great thing to get Raymond on that type of contract. I'd like to think that Mo is confident enough in himself to think that he can play himself into a big raise--especially if they let him QB the PP1 when Ghost walks in FA.
I think if this plan were executed in full it could pan out in two ways.
1. If more than half of our young forwards (Nate, Marco, Mazur, whoever we pick at 15) don't hit their full potential than we end up being the next Minnesota Wild.
2. Our picks hit and our roster becomes a top team in the Atlantic alongside Buffalo in the next few years.
This is what I’ve been waiting for—and I love the cool-headed ness of your strategy. I’d love for this to be a playoff first round year, just to get a taste to set up for the back half of the 20’s being solid contention.
Let me start by saying love you and your work. Long time fan. Think you should be in the front office somewhere. I think you are correct here. This is what’s going to happen. But that’s a shame.
My issue is I think you just built a bubble team that will again miss the playoffs but pick 13-16 overall in the draft. My plan would be to skip the big UFA signings, keep Holl and Maata. See what Berggren can do. Use your money to sign one or two year deals for players who will draw attention at the deadline in a trade to bring back some draft capital and try to find one Walman-like diamond in the rough forward or goalie with the expectation of picking much higher in the draft, burning through some bad contracts and giving the 3-4 kids some runway to play bigger roles / minutes. I think what you’ve done above is miss the playoffs, picked later in the draft, lost some assets and tied the teams hands in 3 years when theses UFAs are 36 and 32 but have big numbers. That to me goes against what I have always heard you say on your pod casts. Everything should be geared toward winning in three years. This isn’t that to me. Win now or win later. This seems to be neither.
Very well thought out as usual. I wonder if Mo would bite, though... He seems to me to favor the long term deal. I also wonder if swapping left wings on your 2/3 lines might improve balance. Thank you for your work!
Prashanth- When you take a front office job, please let it be the Wings.
Holl has a M-NTC, I hope Utah is not on it.
Sign Raymond and Seider for 8 years. No thanks on Marchessault. Another small guy. Aging. Getting worse. Despite Perron's heroics late in the season, he was so terrible at 5 on 5 at times, I don't think I can do it. I'd take Kane for 2 years tops - but he'll want more.
I'd take Tanner Jeannot in a trade - but I'd be worried that Lalonde will do what he did with Kostin.
I'd probably look at Teravainen or Tarasenko. I'd look at Bertuzzi again, too.
Bertuzzi Larkin Raymond
Debrincat Compher Tarasenko
Rasmussen Copp Fischer
Fabbri Veleno Berggen (Mazur)
Expectations are that Mazur, Kasper and Danielson would all see some time.
On D, we still have to undo last year's cluster, even with Gost leaving as a UFA.
I trade Maatta and buy out Holl.
And sign Roy, I guess, even though he's kind of meh.
Walman Seider
Chiarot Roy
Edvinsson Petry
Johansson
Goal: Husso/Lyon
Get a 1C/D to split time with Cossa in GR.
I would expect a decrease in points for several reasons.
1) Last year's shooting numbers were pretty ridiculous.
2) Younger defense, more mistakes
So, the team probably falls back to 84-86 points.
As for the pick, it depends who's available. Do I take Catton if he falls? That's an interesting proposition and I haven't made up my mind. A recent shift-by-shift video makes me question that idea.
MBN, Chernyshov, Surin and Luchanko are guys I look hard at. Also, Yakemchuk, Jircek and Parekh are three guys I look hard at.
Yzerman upped the expectations game this year and I think he's gonna feel some heat as a result.
Fantastic work as always.
Would be a great thing to get Raymond on that type of contract. I'd like to think that Mo is confident enough in himself to think that he can play himself into a big raise--especially if they let him QB the PP1 when Ghost walks in FA.
I think if this plan were executed in full it could pan out in two ways.
1. If more than half of our young forwards (Nate, Marco, Mazur, whoever we pick at 15) don't hit their full potential than we end up being the next Minnesota Wild.
2. Our picks hit and our roster becomes a top team in the Atlantic alongside Buffalo in the next few years.
Cheers to the second!
LGRW
This is what I’ve been waiting for—and I love the cool-headed ness of your strategy. I’d love for this to be a playoff first round year, just to get a taste to set up for the back half of the 20’s being solid contention.
Let me start by saying love you and your work. Long time fan. Think you should be in the front office somewhere. I think you are correct here. This is what’s going to happen. But that’s a shame.
My issue is I think you just built a bubble team that will again miss the playoffs but pick 13-16 overall in the draft. My plan would be to skip the big UFA signings, keep Holl and Maata. See what Berggren can do. Use your money to sign one or two year deals for players who will draw attention at the deadline in a trade to bring back some draft capital and try to find one Walman-like diamond in the rough forward or goalie with the expectation of picking much higher in the draft, burning through some bad contracts and giving the 3-4 kids some runway to play bigger roles / minutes. I think what you’ve done above is miss the playoffs, picked later in the draft, lost some assets and tied the teams hands in 3 years when theses UFAs are 36 and 32 but have big numbers. That to me goes against what I have always heard you say on your pod casts. Everything should be geared toward winning in three years. This isn’t that to me. Win now or win later. This seems to be neither.
Very well thought out as usual. I wonder if Mo would bite, though... He seems to me to favor the long term deal. I also wonder if swapping left wings on your 2/3 lines might improve balance. Thank you for your work!