OT: WMU's DeKeyser to Red Wings?
Michael Petrella of my favorite Red Wings blog* speculates that Broncos star defenseman Danny DeKeyser might be leaning toward signing with the Red Wings as soon as WMU is eliminated from the tourney.
DeKeyser was 2nd team All-Gongshow. You may remember him from such turn-to-the-guy-next-to-you moments as "that defenseman's really good is that Tennyson? Ohwait no that's their other guy!" and "either that guy's too good at blocking shots or Pateryn must think he looks like a goal post."
* While there give a shout-out to "Chollis" Chris Hollis, a big Michigan fan.
March 13th, 2012 at 11:39 AM ^
Anytime they get a player or coach who is relatively good they jump to the NHL right away. They have no way to keep those players/coaches from leaving because they don't have anything to offer, but that's the kind of territory you tread in when you don't have a stable program yet.
March 13th, 2012 at 11:41 AM ^
for being too conservative, and I think he definitely failed in not adding a top 6 forward in free agency or at the trade deadline, but this looks like a good move if it works out.
March 13th, 2012 at 11:42 AM ^
Hockey is the only sport in which I openly root for WMU to beat Michigan as it's their only sport where they seem to be relevant.....Anyhow, I had heard a rumor about this before the season began last fall. DeKeyser would be a great pickup for the Wings, but man would it suck for the Broncos to lose him. I guess this at least shows the improvements WMU is making in hockey. Good teams usually have guys leave early for the pros, and that's something Western hasn't had much of lately. Sure would be sad to see him go, but at least it could be to the Wings...........Maybe he'll make it big in the NHL and help fund construction of a new arena (on-campus pleeze) in Kalamazoo..........
March 13th, 2012 at 12:05 PM ^
That's been a rumor for a long time.
Reasons he might actually sign with Detroit:
-- Grew up in Michigan
-- Attended the Wings' prospect camp and impressed
-- Has a relationship with the Nill family
-- The Wings' pipeline is thin when it comes to large two-way defensemen
-- Jeff Blashill is an assistant coach with Detroit
Reasons why he might sign with another team:
-- Just about any other team can promise him a roster spot sooner than Detroit
March 13th, 2012 at 12:23 PM ^
To the last point: with all the injuries, the Wings can offer him a roster spot tonight if he wants to get to LA by 10 p.m. Obviously he won't leave until the college season is done (if he leaves at all) but the depth on D is relatively thin, both now and in the future. Lidstrom has only one season left probably, conventional wisdom is that Brad Stuart wants to go back to California this season to be with his family, and who knows what else could happen. If I had to guess, the pairings for October 2012 look like:
Lidstrom-White
Kronwall-Quincey? Smith?
Ericsson-Kindl
I'm not that familiar with the guys in Grand Rapids, but I think DeKeyser would be ahead of most of them--they are either lifetime AHL guys or prospects around DeKeyser's age. At worst, he would be 8th defenseman on the roster, getting lots of minutes in Grand Rapids with a chance to join the Wings when injuries hit. And after Lidstrom retires, he has a shot at the big club. I think it's a good long and short term deal for him and Detroit.
FWIW, he is a sophomore at WMU, but born in '90, so he must have spent at least a year in USHL.
March 13th, 2012 at 12:14 PM ^
March 13th, 2012 at 12:26 PM ^
A two-way contract is a standard contract in the NHL for all rookies. By being two way, it means that the salary the player receives in the AHL will be different then what he receives if he makes it to the NHL. It also removes waiver process.
March 13th, 2012 at 12:29 PM ^
The waiver process is still there, but younger players have waiver exemptions that last until a certain age/number of years/number of NHL games played.
I was at the barber shop today and this guy who apparently cuts Red's hair was saying that Mike Babcock will be the next Michigan hockey coach. He said he has reliable sources, including Red himself. #UselessRumorAndUselessHashtag
Not many coaches leave the pros for a lower level...I can only think of Red off hand as being one of the few exceptions, but I would have to think Babcock would prefer to stay in the NHL. Who knows...that would be incredible...but that is seriously OT.
Bring Danny to the Wings, he's a solid d-man with a ton of size and a good shot.
although I think it was around here. I've tried to think what he would gain by leaving the Wings, and I can't think of much. Michigan can't afford to pay him $2m like the Red Wings, and it's making a step from ridiculous stability to following Red (obviously Babcock doesn't have anything against following legends) as the first coach here in a lot of years. His workload might be reduced a little (way, way less travel, for one) but I imagine Red works seventy hours a week or more.
OTOH maybe Babcock needs a change of pace/scenery or a different challenge; he's not an old man and he's accomplished most of what the NHL has to offer. Michigan would allow him to take on more of a teaching role than he currently has, certainly, and there might be a temptation in interacting with younger players and selling the idea of college to them.