OT- NHL Free Agency Day 2 Open Thread

Submitted by MGoPietrowski on
The madness continues. Suter and Parise are reportedly making decisions today, with one of them having a chance to land in Detroit. A plethora of UFAs remain unsigned as well.

Also, has anybody seen a timeline on a Nash decision? I haven't heard anything.

Go Wings. Get ALL the free agents.

bing24

July 2nd, 2012 at 8:13 AM ^

From everything I read, it sounds like the Wings don't like their chances with Parise (sounds like Pitt is his leader) & sounds like we lead for Suter. Nash's contract has a high cap hit, but I love him as a player. Dude is big & so skilled, something we could really use. I'd like to see us ship some players that are a little older & production slipping (Cleary, etc - He's a good player, but not worth $3mil & injury prone - Columbus can use players like him) so some younger guys can break the lineup who are also cheaper. Also wouldn't mind seeing Kindl thrown in, guy really hasn't shown me much at all & would like to see Brendan Smith in lineup permanently. Would be fired up to get Suter & Nash/Parise.

Sounds like Suter/Parise are making decision today, so we'll know soon.

bing24

July 2nd, 2012 at 11:54 AM ^

Exactly - We view Cleary as a 3rd/4th line role player. Columbus would view him as a Top 6 forward who otherwise wouldn't got to Columbus. Not saying Cleary alone would land Rick Nash, it would take him, Kindle, a pick, another Cleary type role player & probably 2 young players. I want to see the Wings rid some of their expensive veteran role players & infuse youngsters into the lineup. It would help the salary cap & your Drew Millers are more productive & healthy than Cleary. Like Hudler, he had a good year scoring goals but is such a one dimensional player. His +/- isn't great, all he plays on is the power play & with some really good Top 6 forwards that get most of the attention from the opposing players defense. I think the Wings have some players who hold value, but we would be better suited trading these types for a Nash & letting the Nyquists fill the 3rd/4th line. It's probably a pipe dream, but would love Nash. Wouldn't mind Bobby Ryan either.

brandanomano

July 2nd, 2012 at 12:34 PM ^

I wish Hudler's contract didn't expire this year so we could use him as trade bait. I wouldn't have a problem with giving up a combination of Franzen, Kindl, Bertuzzi, and Miller along with a few prospects and draft picks if it lands us Nash or Ryan. Datsyuk and Zetterberg are about to exit their primes and we don't have anybody to replace their offensive contributions, let alone bring the added value of them being great 2-way forwards.

bing24

July 2nd, 2012 at 12:37 PM ^

Completely agree on all of those guys. I love Bert, but to get Nash I'd do it without thinking. Franzen is injury prone & disappears for stretches every year. I know people will freak out, but I wouldn't hesitate to trade Zet for Nash - Younger, bigger replacement. Zet has a bad back (which NEVER goes away) & is much older in hockey years than his age because of all the deep post seasons he's been in. I really think he has slowed down a lot & Columbus would love to get someone of Zet's calibur locked up for years so he can't bolt immediately.

brandanomano

July 2nd, 2012 at 12:54 PM ^

Trading Z for Nash is an interesting idea. I don't think it would immediately benefit the team, but a few years down the road Zetterberg's back might become even more of a problem. It would be tough to see him go because I have no reason to not like the guy, but I think Nash could put up ridiculous numbers playing on a line with Datsyuk.

bing24

July 2nd, 2012 at 2:17 PM ^

It does suck giving up guys that have been with our teams for a while & are good people on top of being good players. But, keeping players just because of emotional ties gets you into the Pistons situation -- Washed up & overpaid team with no flexibility or high draft picks. I like Z, but Nash is a higher scoring version with shorter contract, younger, bigger & would fit in right away next to Pav.

bacon1431

July 2nd, 2012 at 2:39 PM ^

The problem with this is that trading Z for Nash only improves us slightly, if at all. You would still have to go out and get another top 6 forward. It also upsets team chemistry quite a bit I would imagine because Zetterberg is unquestionably one of the leaders of the team. And he's still one of the best two way forwards in the game. He's still got some very good years left in him.

Huss

July 2nd, 2012 at 8:52 AM ^

and regardless of whatever else happens, the offseason is an A+.  It'd be nice to land Parise, but that's not happening, and I don't like the price tag for a guy like Nash (huge contract hit, loss of really good young prospects, locked up until 2018).  If a guy like Bobby Ryan is available, he might be worth the gamble - but I'm content with staying put up front and letting our farm system grow.

And if we can flip Franzen for someone, that'd be fine by me too.

Blueisgood

July 2nd, 2012 at 9:14 AM ^

It's going to take a lot more then prospects. At the trade deadline it was something like 2 top line players, a top 4 dman, prospects and multiple first rounders. And that was for teams outta the division. Are they going to get that, I doubt it. The price is still going to be steep. At least 2 roster players, along with prospects and picks. I think it'd take at least a Franzen and Fil combo, or something equivalent. Then picks and prospects. I don't see Detroit pulling it off. If rather see Nash then parise however.

TheDirtyD

July 2nd, 2012 at 8:55 AM ^

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2012/07/as_red_wings_await_decisions_f.html

 

 

“I'm told we're a consideration for both of them,'' Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said.

The Red Wings, according to a source, offered Suter a 12-year contract worth $90 million.

 

Pittsburgh and Minnesota are the mix for both. Reports indicated that their current clubs, Nashville (Suter) and New Jersey (Parise), are being considered.

Holland said He spoke to the Columbus Blue Jackets at the draft about forward Rick Nash, but the cost was way too high. Columbus also is reluctant to trade their franchise player within the Central Division, especially to Detroit.

 

I think Detroit gets Suter, Semin, and Hudler.

MGJS SuperKick Party

July 2nd, 2012 at 9:17 AM ^

I am not a huge hockey fan, but one of my friends who is told me about a possible trade for both Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan on top of Parise and Suter. Any truth to this rumor?

rlc

July 2nd, 2012 at 10:18 AM ^

He did look slow this year, and he had horrible puck control on the boards for a power forward. He could not keep the puck when he had it deep, and he could not take it away on defense.  I think he had some lower body injuries this year and hopefully that was the issue with the missing spring in his step.

BlueinLansing

July 2nd, 2012 at 10:57 AM ^

Aucoin going from playoff contending Phoenix, and Phoenix weather, to Columbus.

 

I didn't understand that move at all.

 

 

If the Wings land  Suter than its been a succesfull free agent season.  Nash would be icing but I just can't see that being realistic.

JeepinBen

July 2nd, 2012 at 1:03 PM ^

Rumors out of Chicago have them still looking to do something big. Personally I hope that Bowman (the younger) gets his head out of his ass and listens to Q. It seems like Stan wants to "prove himself" as a GM after everyone talked about how Q won the cup with Tallon's players. In the management vs. coach issues that the Hawks are having I'm going to side with Quenville. If the Hawks end up doing anything big I'll post it here.

EDIT: New rumor - apparently there is "mutual interest" between the Hawks and Parise, but the blogger who mentioned it (espn Chicago's Jesse Rodgers) doesn't think it'll happen

goblue20111

July 2nd, 2012 at 11:02 AM ^

If C-bus wants too much for Nash we should target Bobby Ryan.  He's a younger, cheaper Nash and wants out of Anaheim.  Also, why does Sammy have a full NTC?

dlcase1708

July 2nd, 2012 at 12:47 PM ^

That's probably true, but if they were up front with the player and told them when they signed that they may move them somewhere else, and the player still signed, you couldn't really fault the Wings. I don't think it's going to happen, but I still have to think there's a possibility of it.  The Wings have way too many forwards at this point, so it would make sense to turn those depth guys that we have an excess of into a higher quality player.

JimLahey

July 2nd, 2012 at 11:23 AM ^

- Philly is the frontrunner for Nash right now for 3 picks, 2 roster players, and 1 toss-in (an Eric Wellwood type of guy).

- Detroit is the frontrunner for Suter and that's looking pretty likely at this point.

- Nobody knows what Parise is going to do. He has several acceptable offers and at this point is just trying to pick a city and a team where he fits. 

- Asked around about Trouba and Di Giuseppe. Everyone seems to think Trouba will stay with Michigan and has no reason to jump ship. On the other hand, Windsor thinks they're going to get Di Giuseppe and that its just a matter of time before he flips. I spoke directly to a Windsor coach so take that for what its worth. I also spoke to a good friend who is a very prominent young player in USA Hockey (a guy you would all know) and he said he's heard the same thing about Di Giuseppe.

The Wolf

July 2nd, 2012 at 11:54 AM ^

Thank you for the information on Trouba and Di Giuseppe, even if it is of the "take it FWIW" variety.  It's always intersting to hear about what "insiders" and those closer to the situation think.  We seem to get plenty of that type of information re: the NHL, but it's always more sporadic with regard to college.  Thanks again.

JimLahey

July 2nd, 2012 at 11:50 AM ^

I don't have any inside info on Parise except that we have a few of the same friends and none of them have any clue. His agent is Don Meehan, a guy known to get the highest contracts, and that involves a lot of smoke/mirrors and creating hype by misleading people. So I won't believe anything about Parise until he's actually signed somewhere.

As for Suter, all I've heard is that Detroit has an excellent chance of landing them with the offer they've given. He knows he has a chance to go to Detroit and be the guy.

Clarence Beeks

July 2nd, 2012 at 12:12 PM ^

Thank you for the insight.  It's always very much appreciated!

Regarding Suter, have you heard much more about the rumor that he was only seriously considering teams in the West and had no interest at all in going to the East?

Regarding Di Giuseppe, I'm curious to see what your thoughts are on whether the decision to go to Windsor is best for his development curve.  My (surely unpopular) opinion is that it would be; just curious what you think.

JimLahey

July 2nd, 2012 at 2:25 PM ^

Windsor is a top notch organization and they've put so many players in the NHL recently it's hard to compete/recruit against them. Having said that, every kid is different so I don't know what would be best for him. Staying at Michigan certainly won't have a negative effect on his development as a player, it's elite hockey. The difference is the lifestyle. The OHL is a mini-nhl type of league that gets players ready for the show right away because of the culture and the number of games they play. 

 

bronxblue

July 2nd, 2012 at 12:17 PM ^

Suter would be huge.  Nash would be a marquee guy and a good finisher for a team that had trouble scoring when the offense was bogged down, but they need to shore up the defense with Lidstrom gone before worrying about too much offensively.  That said, finally having a dominant scorer in Nash after good-but-not-great finishers would be nice.