I have little time for “thought experiments,” and, this morning, two columnists offer just that.
2. First, the Free Press’s Mason Young ponders which 2022 draft pick (of the Red Wings, Tigers, Pistons or Lions) may eventually become the “next big thing in Detroit sports,” and Young makes it sound like he only includes Marco Kasper–and the Red Wings–because he has to:
Marco Kasper: Kasper probably won’t be a Red Wing for at least one more season while further honing his craft in Sweden, giving [Aidan] Hutchison, [Jameson] Williams, [Jaden] Ivey and [Jalen] Duren a huge jump start. But, as is the case is for Duren, the 18-year-old Kasper’s youth could be helpful.
Yet, Dylan Larkin is the beloved captain and leading scorer for the Red Wings, and a Waterford Mott High and Michigan Wolverines alum. One day, Larkin’s mantle may be Kasper’s to accept, but will he surpass Calder Trophy winner Mortiz Seider or talented 2020 pick Lucas Raymond to match Yzerman and Gordie Howe among the franchise’s greatest of all time? And if the Wings don’t start winning again, will anyone notice?
Ho hum, who cares about the Red Wings?
Oy. Vey. Don’t bother mentioning them if you’re not even interested in the team.
Anyway, I’m not sure that Kasper will be better than Seider or Raymond, but Marco (who confirmed to the Kleine Zeitung that, yes, he’s heading back to Sweden this upcoming season) is sharp, composed and self-confident about his excellent-and-improving skill set in a similar vein to Seider and Raymond…
2. And the Toronto Star’s Damien Cox suggests that the Maple Leafs ought to add to their stable of superstars by somehow adding another star to the mix, and he includes the Red Wings’ captain on his list simply because one Dylan Larkin will be 26 this July 30th:
That’s what [Maple Leafs GM Kyle] Dubas’ work so far this off-season really means. An excellent regular season team is no worse, and it is positioned to make a big-time addition, possibly as a short-term rental, sometime in the next seven months.
Who will that player be? Well, just look toward all the talented forwards who are currently scheduled to become unrestricted free agents next summer.
That list begins with Chicago superstar Patrick Kane. It also includes his teammate Jonathan Toews. There’s also Vladimir Tarasenko, Ryan O’Reilly, Sean Monahan, Nathan MacKinnon, Dylan Larkin, Jonathan Huberdeau, J.T. Miller and Bo Horvat. And others.
Some of the names on that group will stay put. Vancouver won’t let Horvat walk. MacKinnon will remain in Denver. Larkin, the captain of the Red Wings, seems likely to remain in Detroit, except he’s a little older than the young group Steve Yzerman is putting together. Huberdeau similarly seems very much part of the core in Florida and the Panthers are a divisional rival. But that team already suffered this off-season by being in cap purgatory and may need to re-evaluate during next season.
Continued; again, with Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman stating very bluntly that he wants Dylan Larkin to remain a Red Wing for as long as possible, it seems incredibly unlikely that Larkin will ever be traded…
The rumblings that Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi will be moved because of their ages (25 and 27, respectively) remain persistent in every “thought experiment regarding potential NHL trades” column.
And that’s tiring, too.
