Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman engaged in a frank conversation with the team’s media corps today. Here’s a summary of said media members’ takes on Yzerman’s remarks:
- MLive’s Ansar Khan took note of Yzerman’s remarks regarding the top free agents going elsewhere, and what the team does next…
“The guys that we were hoping to talk to all signed before free agency with their clubs or got traded in the case of Mitch Marner; we didn’t even get an opportunity to talk to these guys,” Yzerman said. “Going into free agency, we all recognized that it was going to be difficult all around the league. For whatever reason, there weren’t as many what we would all consider high-end free agents available this year. So, it wasn’t really a shock to us that we weren’t able to get anything done with any of the bigger-name guys.”
He said it’s not frustrating, however.
“It’s been my experience over the years that things kind of work themselves out,” Yzerman said. “Opportunities arise. You try to force it, (you give) too many years, too many dollars, or you give up too much in a trade. Trying to be diligent, maybe patient, just wait for the right player, the right opportunity … to add to our lineup and use our assets wisely if we can.”
The Red Wings have $12 million in cap space and Yzerman will continue exploring trade possibilities.
“There are a couple of teams looking to do some things that we have some interest in,” Yzerman said. “What I intend to do is once things settle down, get through the holiday weekend, is to circle back with everyone, see what their plans are for the offseason, if they have any holes to fill, players they want to move. We have plenty of cap space to do a lot of different things. The most important thing is to find players that fit. What we could use right now is a defenseman, a top four, and preferably a right shot. That would be our biggest potential need.”
2. Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff also took note of Yzerman’s comments regarding the trade market…
Yzerman was able to go the trade route to significantly upgrade his goaltending by getting John Gibson from the Anaheim Ducks. However, two other glaring needs – a top-six forward and a top-four defenseman – went unfulfilled.
“I’d love to add both of those things,” Yzerman admitted. “It would make us better for sure.”
Can he accomplish this via trade? At this juncture, that’s his only option. But that doesn’t mean he’ll be achieving this objective.
“Still got a long offseason and a long way to go till the trade deadline and whatever,” Yzerman said. “So we just kind of keep sticking with it.”
3. The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan picks it up from there…
The Wings could use an impact top-six forward, but Yzerman specifically identified a top-four caliber defenseman as something he’d like to acquire.
“Preferably a right shot but doesn’t have to be,” Yzerman said.
The Wings have missed the playoffs the last nine consecutive seasons and are looking at a competitive uphill climb to break that streak. But Yzerman feels the Wings have gotten more competitive in the last week.
“Maybe constructed a little better than at this stage last year,” Yzerman said. “I’m hopeful we take a step. I’m expecting like, Mo (Seider) and (Lucas) Ray(mond) have been in the league four years now, but I expect them to take another step. Marco (Kasper) to continue on the path or trajectory he was on last year. Simon (Edvinsson) got better and better as the year went on. Albert (Johansson) went from a seventh or eighth (defensemen) role to suddenly playing in our top four (defensemen) and there’s room to grow. We expect John Gibson to give us a boost and make us stronger overall. We’re a little bit better. How many points does that translate to during the season? We’ll find out.”
Yzerman is pleased and optimistic with the acquisitions the Wings did make.
“We were able to address some needs,” Yzerman said. “Starting with the trade for John Gibson, we make that move with the intention that we’re better in net. We stop more pucks. It makes us a better team, we’re expecting of that with John and Cam (Talbot) as a pair. Jacob Bernard-Docker on defense gives us a little bit of depth. Not a big-name signing, or whatever, but he’s been an effective player in his time in Ottawa, in particular. He plays hard and competes and gives us depth on the blue line.
“Up front, JVR, a left wing, a big body who scored (16) goals last year and has had 18, 19 goals the last couple of seasons. Mason Appleton as well, a right winger he plays on the penalty kill and chips in a little bit of offense. Todd (McLellan, head coach) will be able to put together a checking line that can contribute a little bit offensively, as well. He fills a need for us with a right shot, right winger, a little bit different style of play.”
4. 97.1 the Ticket’s Will Burchfield took note of Yzerman’s philosophical take on his team’s situation…
“I think today our team is a little bit more competitive, maybe constructed a little better than it was at this stage last year, so I’m hopeful that we take a step,” Yzerman said.
Entering his seventh offseason at the helm in Detroit, Yzerman was keen on adding an impact player or two. He has the cap space and assets to make a move, but can’t find the avenues to get there, at least not yet. He will keep searching for ways to get it done.
“I wouldn’t call it frustration,” he said. “It’s been my experience over the years that things kind of work themselves out. Opportunities arise. You try to force it and try to chase it, there’s too many years, too many dollars or you give up too much in a trade. I think things have a tendency to work themselves out.
I’d say, trying to be diligent, maybe patient. Just wait for the right player, the right opportunity, whether it is in a trade or free agency to add to our lineup and use our assets wisely if we can, especially in the trade market. If we’re going to give up, as a team that’s building, rebuilding, our future assets, you want to make sure to the best you can that that player is going to have a positive impact on your team and be here for a while.”
5. The Free Press’s Helene St. James notes that Yzerman was also blunt about the top unrestricted free agents, and the teams’ pursuit thereof…
Yzerman was asked if he was in on any of the bigger free agents, like Gavrikov or Nikolaj Ehlers.
“I don’t know if it’s appropriate or not, really, to talk about who were or weren’t, but not many of them, really,” he said. “It seems like the guys had really targeted where they wanted to go and out of respect to the teams, we knew pretty early that we weren’t going to be involved in much.”
6. And the same is true regarding this, from The Athletic’s Max Bultman:
I asked Yzerman about how, if at all, the age of some of his current key pieces shapes his approach. Kane is 36. Larkin is squarely in his prime, and will soon turn 29, and DeBrincat will be 28 in December, with just two years before he can become a free agent.
“Well, Brad Marchand at 37 just signed a six-year contract, so I’ve got Dylan for another 15 years I figure, so we’ve got plenty of time,” he began, clearly joking. “We’re trying to build around that same group of guys. They’ve got a lot of years ahead of them, which isn’t comforting at all to anybody, but I’m not concerned with the age of Dylan Larkin, Alex DeBrincat — they’re great athletes, they train hard, they take good care of themselves and they’re very motivated.”
He also added, “Believe it or not, we are trying to improve our team, we are trying to get in the playoffs.” He alluded to the younger players who grew into big roles last year — Edvinsson, Kasper and Johansson at the top of that list — and certainly it’s possible another young name gets added to that list this year. Perhaps, at some point, that’s young center Nate Danielson.
“We just kind of keep sticking with it, and again, unfortunately the free agent situation this year wasn’t conducive to getting a real impact player for us,” Yzerman said. “But we’ll keep that option open.”
