The best analogy I can give as to what it’s like to build an NHL team–and perhaps over-build it–is that the roster in the summer can look like maybe the team should build a shiny convertible, but NHL GM’s and front offices are instead trying to make sure to put snow tires on a rugged SUV that’s got to withstand a long winter’s worth of wear and tear instead.
Long story long, rosters are often overbuilt, with “too much depth” at particular positions for the sake of accommodating injuries and inconsistencies in performances.
So I’m going to take a step and respectfully disagree with the Hockey News’s estimable Connor Eargood regarding his grading of the Red Wings’ moves in free agency, because there are times that you need more depth than you think you might on July 1st:
Jack Campbell, G
Contract: 1 year, $775,000
Grade: B-
This Campbell signing is most likely meant to bring him in as the second punch of a Grand Rapids tandem with Sebastian Cossa. While I like that Campbell can share the lessons of his up-and-down, journeyman career with Cossa as a mentor, Yzerman’s approach to goaltending lacks clear direction. The Red Wings didn’t really get better by bringing Campbell and Cam Talbot into the fold, and they’re probably going to have to trade one of Ville Husso or Alex Lyon or otherwise risk losing them on waivers. Instead of going out and getting a better goalie, the Red Wings just gave themselves more flawed pieces to work with.
Cam Talbot, G
Contract: $2.5 million x 2 years
Grade: B-
The same as Campbell, Talbot is part of the rudderless solution in net. Instead of going out with some aggression and getting a guy that can be an X-factor — even if it takes assets to get the four year or more guy that Yzerman wanted — the Red Wings got more of the same. Talbot was one of the lead dogs of this free agent goalie class, but he’s going to be 37 in a few days and he’s not the biggest upgrade from one of Husso or Lyon. This could be proven wrong. Talbot could be a big contributor like he was in L.A., when he played 54 games and saved 16.2 goals above expected according to Moneypuck. But, Talbot is not the star that Detroit could benefit from.
Continued (and it’s a good read); at this point, with Ville Husso’s future uncertain and Sebastian Cossa’s future development paramount, it might be better to have to worry about losing a goaltender on waivers come October than it is to have too few goaltenders for training camp.
I’m of the belief that the Red Wings are probably trying to move Husso and his contract, and if they can’t move him…They’ll sort things out as necessary at that particular point in time.
And I happen to like the signing of Talbot as an interim starter, but that’s just me.
