Team: 2016-17 Detroit Red Wings

Initial Creation Date: Feb. 24, 2017

Published: Feb. 24, 2017

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

THE GOAL OF THIS TEAM IS TO SHED AS MANY LARGE CONTRACTS AS POSSIBLE TO PREPARE FOR THE EXPANSION DRAFT. My theory: force Vegas to select a bad contract (Kronwall, Ericsson, DeKeyser, Abdelkader) by leaving them unexposed. This would involve moving Jimmy Howard before the expansion draft, so Vegas doesn't have a chance to pick him. That would ruin everything.

The Howard and Nyquist Trades don't have to happen now, but before the expansion draft. Every other trade should happen in the next week.

The goal for the trade deadline trades should be to accumulate picks and prospects, like Toronto has done the last few years. The more picks, the more they can leverage to move up in drafts. This year's draft isn't quality, but Hischer, Patrick and Liljegren are top 3 guys and worth moving up for. Next year's draft has two game changers in Rasmus Dahlin and Svechnikov's younger brother Andrei. Those guys are worth tanking for.

So go ahead and neg away. I'm sure Winnipeg fans will complain about Trouba. But you need a goalie while Hellebuyck develops, and Jimmy Howard is worth the price. Plus Trouba hates it there, no matter what you hear. That's a fair deal getting a quality winger and D prospect in return. All of my other deadline trades (Vanek, Smith, Green and Ott) seem fair.

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