EP Rinkside’s Ryan Lambert isn’t the only journalist to lambast the “Yzerplan” this week. Today, Yahoo Sports’ James O’Brien also lambast’s Yzerman’s plans for improving his organization:
For one, every dollar that goes to inessential players [like this summer’s free agent signings] could make it tougher to retain the essential ones. Entering the last year of their rookie deals, it’s difficult to say how much Seider and Raymond will cost. It wouldn’t be ideal if all of that poorly-spent money might translate to bridge deals where long-term contracts may be more team-friendly for Detroit.
Also: when you spend money on veterans, you open the door for tricky situations that could hinder development.
Did Seider suffer a partial “sophomore slump” last season, or did he mainly languish when he was attached to Chiarot? Many believe it wasn’t a coincidence that Seider’s numbers looked a lot better with Jake Walman.
Stacking up veteran defensemen who may just be incremental upgrades could mean blocking someone like Edvinsson. Maybe Yzerman was merely providing lip service on Tuesday when he said that Edvinsson needs to earn a spot in the team’s top six. However, NHL coaches are notorious for giving veteran players far too much benefit of the doubt while failing to give up-and-comers room to grow (and occasionally make mistakes).
Frankly, those growing pains might even set you up with a better shot at that extra dynamic prospect who can truly raise the ceiling of a franchise. It seems like a wiser path than Detroit’s most likely destination: the murky middle.
