from Mike Stephens of Editor in Leaf,

What the hell are the Red Wings doing?

This wasn’t intended to be read in an aghast or critical tone. I genuinely want someone to explain what exactly the game plan is for Detroit right now because I have no idea.

These aren’t your Grand Papi’s Red Wings. No sir. This version finished 27th in the standings last season, a thrilling follow-up to their 25th place showing from the year before.

There’s no sugar coating it. This is not a good hockey team....

Did the Wings at least wait until August to sign effective yet undervalued free agents for pennies on the dollar rather than overpaying when the market opened? If your answer is anything other than nope, you’re missing the trend here.

Rather, Holland came out swinging to nab Tomas Vanek, whose post-trade headshots have singlehandedly kept Photoshop financially afloat in recent years, at a $3 million cap hit.

Vanek has played on 8 different teams in the past 6 seasons, and the Wings handed him double the salary a younger and equally productive Patrick Maroon eventually earned from St. Louis 10 days later. Does that scream rebuild to you?

more