from Ansar Khan of Mlive,
The Detroit Red Wings would like to re-sign forwards Pius Suter and Alex Chiasson, but their other unrestricted free agents are not expected to return.
The Red Wings will explore the free-agent market on July 1 for a couple of forwards, at least one right-shot defenseman and a backup goaltender. But the talent pool is thin and will be further diluted when some players re-sign with their current club. There will be plenty of competition, as always, from other teams.
The Red Wings like Suter and Chiasson as depth players. They would prefer to sign Suter for one season, but he might explore the market for a two-year deal. They would like to retain Chiasson on a two-way contact, but he likely will see if he can get a one-way deal from another organization.
Suter, 27, didn’t secure the second-line center spot as the Red Wings hoped when they signed him to a two-year, $6 million free-agent deal in 2021. But general manager Steve Yzerman and coach Derek Lalonde like his hockey IQ and versatility.
Absolutely sign Suter for two years. He's a good PK guy, can play 2-4C, or winger anywhere, and will score you 10-15 goals. Good versatile guy who can move around as youngin's get rotated into the lineup. He might even take a pay cut.
I'm kind of non-plussed about Chaisson. I mean, good for him making a good showing at the end of the year, and hope it lands him a contract. But he'd be a GR depth guy on a team that improves over last year.
Disagree.
While Suter is a decent PK guy, will score about 15 and add 10-15 assists, plus can play any forward position on the 3rd or 4th line--the problem is the same problem that reared its ugly face during the Ottawa series before the trade deadline: toughness.
Suter: in 79 games only 39 hits and 37 blocks (he was on the PK--not good Bob). Plus a faceoff % always under 50 (46.8% last year).
He would be taking time from Joe Veleno (in 81 games he had 152 hits---but only 44 blocks) and Marco Kasper (3 hits in 1 game).
Now I could probably live with it if not for the fact the Wings already have too many small forwards: Carter Mazur 6'0" (but probably an AHL guy but had a decent tourney), Fabbri 5'10", Berggren 5'10", Raymond 5'11", Zadina 6'0", and Veleno and Kasper at 6'1" each aren't exactly towers of terror.
...and the Wings have been going skill over size in their recent forwards drafted:
2022 2nd round Draft picks Dylan James 6'0", Dmitri Buchelnikov 5'10,
2020 2nd round Draft picks Theodor Niederbach 5'11, Cross Hanas 6'0",
2019 2nd round Draft pick Robert Mastrosimone 5'9"
So if Suter is willing to take a large paycut and a one year deal--okay. Otherwise, probably best to lose him on the open market because if the goal is to compete in the playoffs not just make it--Suter wouldn't be my first choice despite all the things he does well.
Well said and totally agree with all your points.
Dave Stubbs of NHL.com with a long feature on Gordie Howe,
"It was Gordie's puck. You just didn't take it away from him," he said. "Inevitably, you'd get that big elbow. If Dad really wanted to get you, he'd aim right for the bottom of your chin. He could knock you out. Those big, powerful arms and shoulders could do a lot of damage.
"I always say there's no way that Gordie could play in today's NHL. He'd be suspended 20 games at a time. He'd be on the ice and somehow an opponent would have a bloody nose, and nobody saw how it happened. He was still doing it at 52 years of age and was tremendously feared for it.
"Dad kind of laid down the law. Players would say, 'How often do I want to be punched in the face or elbowed in the chin?' He said, 'If I have a person thinking for even a split second that they might get that elbow and they hold up, that's the difference between getting a shot away or putting the puck where I wanted to put it.'"
much more
If anyone has that clip of Gary Bettman cheering from the Florida Panthers suite during the ECF, please post.
Teams, draft and whatnot aside, this is all you need to know about today's NHL.
One of a kind. They broke the mold after they made Gordie Howe.
Like I have said many times, "The greatest hockey player. EVER."
from Ted Kulfan of the Detroit News,
Here is how the Wings' forwards shape up currently heading into the busy part of the offseason:
▶ Mainstays: Captain Dylan Larkin is coming off a career-best 32-goal season, and armed with a new, eight-year contract, he could be ready to take his game to a level among the NHL's elite offensive players. Lucas Raymond slumped to 17 goals in his sophomore season, but the Wings are confident he'll rebound. David Perron (24 goals) and Dominik Kubalik (20 goals) were free-agent additions last summer who made immediate impacts, but are entering the final year of two-year contracts. Andrew Copp provided the steadfast two-way play the Wings needed, but ideally could provide more than the nine goals he slumped to.
▶ Injured: Robby Fabbri, Rasmussen and Zadina were three forwards who had season-ending injuries. Rasmussen (10 goals, 29 points) was on his way to a potential career-best season, using his 6-foot-6 frame to success at both ends of the rink, and is counted on to continue next season.
Fabbri has only played 84 of the 164 games in the last two seasons because of knee injuries, and Zadina (three goals in 30 games) may not have many more chances to justify the Wings picking him sixth overall in 2018, never yet showing the offensive skills expected of him.
▶ Potential: This group includes Berggren, Veleno and Elmer Soderblom. Berggren had 15 goals and Veleno nine, but both appeared to tire during the long regular season. Berggren has more offensive potential, but he needs to get stronger physically. Soderblom is a 6-foot-8 giant who scored five goals in 21 games with the Wings before being sent back to Grand Rapids. Soderblom is a clever passer and possesses a sneaky shot, but his speed and quickness are areas to work on. Soderblom, who made the opening-night roster a year ago, is still considered a legitimate prospect.
▶ Unknown quantities...but: Marco Kasper and Carter Mazur are intriguing wildcards. Kasper (2022 first-round pick) parlayed an impressive season in Sweden to signing a pro contract with the Wings and played one game before being injured. Still, the Wings are impressed with his all-around game and grit and will give him an opportunity to win a job in training camp. Likewise, Mazur, a former 2021 third-round pick who left college hockey (Denver) to play six games in Grand Rapids late in the season, then played for Team USA at the world championships, and he didn't look out of place against pros. Mazur needs to get stronger physically, but he could land a bottom-six forward role with an impressive camp.
more ($)
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