Team: 2018-19 Detroit Red Wings

Initial Creation Date: Mar. 26, 2018

Published: Mar. 26, 2018

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

No major signings in 2018.


Abs slides onto Larkin's line to give each line 2 players that can take a face-off. If AA actually graduates to C, you could see Z play the left side with Nielsen at 2C, but I suspect they'd like to move Svech up to at least the 3rd line, and it might be better to have Nielsen as his C then AA (who is just feeling out his ability to play C again). Rass starts on the 4th line as a winger (his long term is at C), but probably doesn't stay their long if he makes the team. If he doesn't make the team, he's back in Junior per CHL/NHL agreement. I don't see them moving Nyquist until the deadline at the earliest (if at all). Puempel and Frk are extras. In this configuration, if Rass doesn't make the team, I think Puempel gets the first shot (he's the unknown) on the 4th line. 60+ points should be the standard for both Larkin and Mantha from now on (the next Yzerman/Shanny comparison, is Bertuzzi the McCarty of that line?).


On D, I don't see Kronwall retiring (not with 1 year left on the deal), but that doesn't mean he's playing nightly either. He hasn't been the biggest issue on the D this year (though, he isn't the answer either), and doing things right is important for guys like Dahlin/Hicketts (ask Edmonton and Buffalo about throwing young guys to the wolves without mentors, how many cups for those #1 picks?). Ouellet is either traded cheaply, or buried (at 250k its not big deal). Jensen has a little value in the market as a high risk/high reward guy that may never be more than a 6th guy. No point in moving Ericcson (yet) or Daley (who could end up being the leader of the D). Moving Witkowski anywhere has no effect on who's on the team (since he's the 7th guy anyway, no way you are burying a prospect at your #7). Sulak over Cholo and Hronek because Sulak has been playing against men for multiple years (It wouldn't shock me if by December, the 1st pairing in GR is Cholo/Hronek).


On goalies, Jimmy is possibly moved at the deadline, but with reinforcements years away (and my backup signing really not the answer), if the Wings are even sniffing the playoffs, I can't see them moving him. Niemi is a stopgap, Mach and Fulcher aren't ready for anything beyond the AHL yet. Bow is organizational depth.


Probably not a playoff team again, but the D is improved, and the forwards are a year older (even with DRW's inability to score, I think the forwards are playoff caliber, but the D is so bad the forwards aren't in a position to score).

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