I knew the team was producing lots of high danger scoring chances but I checked NHL Edge stats and my goodness they rank #1.

To me this makes it clear that the #1 priority for Yzerman is adding a 1LD or 2LD to shore up the defensive core. Which one you trade for will of course be dependent on price and availability and whether or not you believe Edvinsson can fill the role. Outside of Hughes, who do you think would be available on the trade market?

18 comments

  2. Add anybody, I’m not particularly where we can use upgrades in a lot of places. Just do something. 

  3. Wings have the assets to get Hughes. But Yzerman should hang up the phone if the Canucks want Edvinsson in the deal. Seider/Ed tandem is a force and if there’s any indicator that Edvinsson is important… look no further than last night’s game. Flames scored three times as soon as he left the game.

  4. We definitely need to bridge the gap but I’ve been loving some of the mid first round prospects I this year’s draft. Hopefully if we go that route we’ll get another boost to the defense right as we are trying to make deep runs.

    The lack of FA movement has been frustrating, I think our D this year is one top four piece away from being legitimately decent and as we saw last night in the third it’s one injury from being in shambles.

    The close standings make few sellers in the market driving prices up. Hopefully things shake out and we see some movement bythe deadline. We definitely have more future assets than we can ever see play with the big clubbut I’d hate to build all this time just to clear it all out in a move for one player.

  5. I think I’m looking at this differently and I’ll glance at some advanced stats to double check, I believe our third D pairing is the biggest hole in the lineup. More specifically, 3RD but I also think AlJo has had a lackluster year defensively.

    In the end I suppose you could argue by getting a 1LD causes everyone to slide down but I do think there are multiple ways to shore up the Dcore if we miss out on a top pair guy. Everyone will focus on Hughes as the solution for the top pair, but I’m not sure that fixes the issue of depth, since it will cost us either Ed or ASP.

    To answer your question about who else is available, I think it’s a little too early to tell because of how close the standings are. If Philly falls back I’d think someone like Ristolainen will be available. He’d be a really good fit for our 3RD that can slide up to 2RD for injuries or blending the lines. He brings some physicality, size, and decent skating. Obviously the injuries are a concern but he’s probably a cheap option.

    I also think Hague in Nashville is a potential for 3LD sliding AlJo over to 3RD. Dunn in Seattle has a 16 team No Trade clause but he’s possibly a target for the same position. Who knows what St. Louis will do. They don’t really have the talent to keep up in that division but I don’t think Armstrong is considering a tear down but maybe a retool? I highly doubt they give up Broberg but he is an RFA at the end of the year.

    There’s potentially lots of options outside hitting that 1st pair home run but the standings are still so close to know what’s actually available.

  8. Idk if Parayko is a first pair defensive stalwart anymore, but someone threw his name out there and I didn’t completely hate that idea

  10. This is partly a Yzerman problem but “get better players” is not the only solution. Defending the crease is not some new concept. To be this bad at it is a failure at all levels- GM, coaches and players. And the last two are shorter term solutions. The focus should be on the coaches and players improving, not the GM getting new players.

  11. Right but he’s still better than Ed. So either way you’re improving . He literally won the Norris last year. Ed hasn’t proven a thing yet. I get what you’re saying but anyway you look at it you’re still improving because Hughes is better

  12. I think détroit could low-key give up neither Simon or Axel to get Hughes.

    Look at the foward prospects for the red wings and this year draft is deep on defense.

    I can see them giving up two of kasper/nate/MnM and two first round picks and the nucks could say yes to that.

    Add that the only way they get Hughes is if he accept a long term deal I doubt detroit trades for him if they don’t get a long term contract to boot.

  14. There is absolutely no reason to move Edvinsson. Edvinsson/Seider is in the conversation for best pairing in the league. He elevates Seider’s game to a new level. That’s just a fact.

  15. If we did trade Edvinsson for Hughes, we can hope that Wallinder or Buium can come up and play the defensive defenseman role that Ed plays… but I’d rather not lose eddy.

  16. Yzerman has shown through the draft that he wants to roll 4 lines and build a playoff style hockey team. Trading a haul for a single player makes no sense. Especially when our version of the player (ASP) gets better every game and costs 1 mil for the next couple years. Don’t see Yzerman make a move til there’s clarity on the Copp Compher and Chariot deals. I could see Chairot resign and even Copp for reasonable numbers.

  17. Lot of people in this sub already giving Hughes his 5th Stanley Cup and 10th Norris. Prob same people who bitched for a year about sending Walman away.

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