The Detroit News’s Gregg Krupa penned a column that ostensibly focuses on the long odds that Filip Zadina faces in making an overcrowded Red Wings roster, but the column becomes something of a lament regarding the state of the Wings in general:
Judged by actions, Ken Holland, Jeff Blashill and their staffs continue to make plain they believe too many prospects cannot play at the NHL level to consider a wholesale shift to the apprentices.
So, last week, the Red Wings gave Mike Green another two seasons and brought back Thomas Vanek.
They provided no-trade clauses that Holland said were required to extend Green, who turns 33 the first week of the season, and return Vanek, who is 34, now.
And, they replaced their one-time goalie of the future, Petr Mrazek, with a journeyman, Jonathan Bernier.
At an average of about 30.8 years, several years into a self-described rebuild-on-the-fly, and two years after Holland said he really began to emphasize the transition, the Red Wings will be one of the top two or three oldest teams among the 31 NHL franchises.
And that is only one reason Filip Zadina intrigues.
Krupa continues, and at this point, I don’t know a Wings fan who isn’t frustrated by the fact that the Wings’ free agent signings make Michael Rasmussen, Zadina, Dominic Turgeon, Evgeny Svechnikov, Dennis Cholowski, Filip Hronek, Joe Hicketts and all the Wings prospects’ road to the NHL so much tougher.
Reading Krupa’s column had me doing a slow burn and at the end I once again wanted to scream in frustration. It was a litany of all that is wrong with the current state of the franchise. He laid it all out and it is not a pretty picture. The path to the NHL is going to be delayed yet again for several talented prospects. It is just infuriating.
“we like our team” (TM – KH)
“trades are hard” (TM – KH)
only good part about all these vet players is that we are now one of the oldest teams in the league. So we have a good shot at tanking and when the old guys start getting hurt, then the young guys get a chance to play.
If Zadina goes to GR for the season does that burn a year of his entry level contract?
I’m in sort of Serenity Prayer territory these days when it comes to the Wings.
I’m not shelling out for tickets I can’t afford or merchandise
i don’t need.
I care about the team and will follow them and cheer for them to win (maybe not at the end when, it’s clear they’re way out of it and winning out only costs them lottery percentages).
But this front office is going to do what they’re going to do.
It doesn’t seem to be what most of their peers or the more informed analysts would do, but it doesn’t matter much in practice what anyone else thinks. There is so much vitriol and division thrown around the web in every direction. Whatever other posters and readers and I don’t have in common – who cares? I’m glad we’re all in decent enough shape to be able to obsess about something we do have in common.
Z to GR does not burn a year, he has to play over 9 NHL games to burn a year I believe
Ok, that’s what I had thought and read regarding his ELC. Given the current state of affairs, maybe it’s best for Zadina & the team long term for him to spend a year in GR. I believe the Leafs did this with Nylander. I know most fans will lose their minds at this idea. But it might help the draft odds if he’s not scoring goals for the Wings.
This.
lefty30 SAID:
“There is so much vitriol and division thrown around the web in every direction.”
KH is being judged by most here & on KK based on past excessive term, AAV, loyalty. But recent decisions may indicate he’s learned a lesson or two.
Regardless, he’s ours at least for this year, so let’s give a potentially KH/Revision 1, a chance. I personally don’t believe it looks that bad this year so far compared to some recent past years.
Yeah, I’ve heaped lots of criticism on Holland in the recent past, but at this point, I am honestly kind of enjoying the Wings picking higher for once and seeing how the kids (umm, eventually) turn out.
Might as well have fun with this and see where it goes.
I’m sure there’ll be plenty of opportunity to critique decisions over the coming season.