Tag: Steve Yzerman

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The Detroit Red Wings trade Mike Green and Andreas Athanasiou for draft picks

Embed from Getty Images Not to long ago Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman was asked about the prospects he had. After giving an overview Yzerman said “we need more.” Last night Steve Yzerman took a step at adding more prospects and then again this afternoon at the NHL trade deadline.

Last night Steve Yzerman sent veteran defensman Mike Green to the Edmonton Oilers for a fourth round draft pick. Not bad when you figure in that Green is in the worst season of his NHL career.

Then came this afternoon when Yzerman traded forward Andreas Athanasiou also to the Oilers. Yzerman said that several teams had inquired or expressed a serious interest in Athanasiou. The trade that was made gives the Red Wings two second round draft picks in 2020 and 2021. For the 2020 draft the Red Wings now look like this:

1- 1st round

3- 2nd round

2- 3rd round

1- fourth round

1-5th round

1-6th round

1- 7th round

It should be noted again that former Detroit Red Wings general manager who used to fill the chair that now seats Yzerman in Detroit, Ken Holland is now calling the shots in Edmonton. Holland knows both Green and Athanasiou well from his Detroit days. Yzerman said it was not intentional to make two trades to the same team. He was simply looking for the best return for players.

The fact Steve Yzerman deemed two second round picks more valuable to the Detroit Red Wings rebuild than the 25 year old Andreas Athanasiou speaks volumes as to what Yzerman likes in his players. Athanasiou has unworldly speed, and great hands. Yet, Athanasiou does not play defense well or at all at times and has lapses offensively.

Trying to add draft picks and prospects is the foundation of any rebuild. Yzerman said several NHL teams, expressed interest in Athanasiou. He has 10 goals and 14 assists and an NHL worst minus 45 rating in 46 games this season.

Was it an eye popping deadline? No, but it was part of Yzerman’s plan to rebuild the franchise he so dearly loves. Will the Red Wings hit on all of their draft picks? That is highly doubtful. However, the more picks he has the numbers increase that the Detroit Red Wings will walk away with enough talent to add to the core players and begin to turn the Red Wings into a playoff contender again.

 

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Detroit Red Wings: Steve Yzerman speaks

Embed from Getty Images Yesterday, Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman made his one and only comments about the state of the Wings. Back in April, Yzerman told the fans, media and hockey world he only speaks one time in-season, because of a busy schedule. Steve Yzerman in not only general manager, but he actively scouts at home and abroad.

In giving his near mid-season team evaluation with legendary Detroit Red Wings radio play-by-play announcer Ken Kal, Yzerman did not hold back. He gave the good, the bad, the ugly.

On the Trade Deadline Steve Yzerman said he is looking to acquire more draft picks. There is an one problem, there are some impending unrestricted free agents who are have bad seasons, driving down asking price, making it more difficult to move.

“My plan isn’t passive,” Yzerman started with, “I’m looking for ways to build for the future and trying to acquire draft picks or prospects or young players that can come into the organization sooner or later.”

On Top Prospects: Yzerman hinted Moritz Seider, Joe Veleno, Gustav Lindstrom will likely get a nine game look (so their entry level contract does not kick in) later in the season.

“I don’t have anything set in stone but that’s definitely something in the back of our mind” Yzerman said, “Do we bring up the Velenos and Seiders and give them a feel for the NHL? I won’t say absolutely you’re going to see this player or that player here, but I think it’s safe to assume that at some point some of those guys will get up here and play some games as the season winds down.”

On coach Jeff Blashill’s future: Steve Yzerman said it is unfair to pin the team’s record on the coaching staff because of injuries. The Detroit Red Wings have been without defenseman Danny DeKeyer, as well ask key forwards Anthony Mantha and Andreas Athanasiou for some time now.

On Tanking: Red Wings fans know one thing about the teams former 20 year captain now general manager, Steve Yzerman is ultra competitive. Anything that resembles losing weather just a bad team, or intentional to gain draft picks, Yzerman shoots down.

“Every player is looking to use the second half to improve and they will be expected to improve and will be held to a standard to improve and gradually become a better hockey team.”

Fans of the Detroit Red Wings can rest easy. Yzerman will do his job and do it well. He needs time.

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The current Tampa Bay Lightning gives hope to a bright future for the Detroit Red Wings

Embed from Getty Images While it has not shown up in wins this season, and it has been a while since Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman has spoken to the media, he does have a vision for how he wants his hockey team to look. It is that vision that will lift  one out of the four Detroit floundering sports teams.

Sunday when the Tampa Bay Lightning invade Hockeytown, Red Wings fans will see the future. Yzerman carved a juggernaut hockey team in Tampa. In classic Yzerman fashion he will not be at Little Caesars Arena for the game. The Red Wings GM is in the Czech Republic for the World Junior Championships, scouting for next June’s NHL draft.

So what type of team does Yzerman want to put together? He wants a skilled, fast team with players who can play with pace, players who have a foundation of skill, skating and strong hockey sense.

Steve Yzerman does not care if it is a Russian, Swede, American or from anywhere else. Black, White, Yellow, Purple, skin color aside, can a player play the way Yzerman is both looking for and demands? That is THE key question. It is also what he looks for.

Let’s look at one of the NHL’s best players, Nikita Kucherov. Kutcherov was not viewed as anything special when he entered the 2011 NHL draft. Yzerman who had personally scouting the Russian forward begged to differ. When the third round rolled up, Yzerman selected Kutcherov ignoring the mainstream meida and scouts. Kutcherov is no stranger to hockey fans, he is an All-Star and a top 3 player in the league.

Perhaps the one thing that Steve Yzerman and his scouting department do as well or better than others is drafting. From 2010-19, no NHL team drafted better than Tampa Bay. That is key for any team, it is beyond important to the rebuilding Red Wings. It is also why Yzerman brought most of his scouts with him to Detroit when he left the Lightning organization.

Steve Yzerman has taken his experience and his ultra competitiveness as a player into his front office role. Make no mistake it will take some time but Yzerman and his scouting department will build the Detroit Red Wings into a strong, sustainable, winning hockey program.

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Steve Yzerman’s next move for the Detroit Red Wings may be replacing Jeff Blashill

Embed from Getty Images While the 2019-20 NHL season is only a moth old. While the Detroit Red Wings are are in a rebuild. Changes both need to becoming and have already started. Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman has said patience is needed. One problem, while the Red Wings are void of a ton of talent, the team has regressed from last season. A change at the top is needed. Jeff Blashill needs to be replaced as head coach.

The thought among Detroit Red Wings fans is that Jeff Blashill would be gone after this season. The Red Wings have been blown out in some losses. The team was expected to play hard, continue to grind and be in every game. That has not happened. The Red Wings clearly lack confidence, never a good thing with young player.

The Detroit Red Wings are on their way to a 48 point season. Let that sink in. That would be the worst point total since the 1985-86 season for the Red Wings. Weather the team tanks or does not tank 48 points should not be tolerated.

I will be the first to say I am for the tank. Next summer’s NHL draft is the deepest most talented draft in a long time. But in a rebuild, point totals need to go up every season, not down.

The team genuinely seems disengaged on the ice. They look flat and as if they do not care. That is on the head coach. Jeff Blashill has been the Detroit Head coach since Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha and Tyler Bertuzzi were all rookies. The team is getting worse.

Here is one example, the Ottawa Senators are one of the NHL bottom feeders. The Red Wings lost at home to the Sens 5-2. The Red Wings have a more talented roster. That should never happen. There is zero focus and zero desire to win right now. All on Blashill.

While a coaching change alone does not cure all ills, it is a starting point. Steve Yzerman could (and most likely will) send a clear message to his team. This will not be tolerated.

The longer Blashill is allowed to stay as head coach things could get worse. The Time for change is now!

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The Detroit Red Wings send top prospects to the Grand Rapids Griffins

Embed from Getty Images Detroit Red Wings franchise icon Steve Yzerman built a juggernaut in Tampa Bay. Yzerman has preached patience since replacing Ken Holland, refusing to put a timeline on Detroit’s rebuild. So what does this mean for the organization this season?

While the Detroit Red Wings have some established young players led by Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha, Andreas Athanasiou and Tyler Bertuzzi, with Joe Veleno, Michael Rasmussen, Evgeny Svechnikov, Filip Zadina and Moritz Seider leading the next wave they’re surrounded by some high-priced holdovers and veteran placeholders from the Holland era.

Ken Holland stuck Yzerman with seven players holding no trade clauses.  Yzerman and the Red Wings will have a bit more roster flexibility next summer, with six restricted free agents and three unrestricted ones.

Before training camp opened Steve Yzerman met the media and announced there was open roster spots. In my opinion, If a couple prospects showed enough to earn a roster spot, Yzerman would have eaten one or two of the team bad contracts.

No top prospect showed the teams general manager enough. Yzerman made the right move and assigned Filip Zadina, Evgeny Svechnikov, Joe Veleno, Oliwer Kaski and 2019 first round draft pick Moritz Seider along with 2017 first round draft pick Michael Rasmussen to the AHL and the Grand Rapids Griffins.

There are a couple things to read into this. First and foremost Yzerman like Ken Holland believes wholeheartedly in prospect development. Something he learned under Ken Holland before his Tampa Bay days.

The other factor could be Yzerman, understand the state of the Detroit Red Wings. The team is strapped by underperforming over paid veterans. While players like Zadina and Seider (who was the final prospect to be assigned) could have played in Detroit. It is best to allow them to play and find chemistry together and possibly make the AHL playoffs, while letting bad contracts expire.

Yzerman is still in the getting to know phase with the entire Red Wings organization. But, this is a smart move. By allowing prospects the chance to fail and succeed in Grand Rapids, it gives him time to map out his vision for call-ups as well as what veterans could be bought out after the season.

It was a solid move by Steve Yzerman.

 

 

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Steve Yzerman will rebuild the Detroit Red Wings in his image

Embed from Getty Images Steve Yzerman is known as a methodical, meticulous executive. Upon being name Red Wings general manager, Yzerman said he wanted to proceed somewhat slowly and get to know everyone in the organization. This explains why Detroit will not name a captain when the 2019-20 NHL season kicks off. It also explains why there was not a coaching change.

Detroit Red Wings fans and media will soon learn that Steve Yzerman will  make up his own mind about what Detroit has both on ice in Detroit as well as in the minor league pipeline. Yzerman will also determine what the organization needs before making any big decisions.

The Detroit Red Wings are not expected to make a playoff run this season. The teams primary focus will be on the young core of Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha, Tyler Bertuzzi, Andreas Athanasiou and Filip Hornek. All those players took a big step in their development last season. They all must take another step this season.

While top Detroit prospects will be called up at various time during the season. Oliwer Kaski, Dennis  Cholowski, Moritz Seider, Filip Zadina and Joe Veleno need to both develop and grow together in Grand Rapids with the Griffins.

The Detroit Red Wings have roster spots open in the middle six up front and the bottom pair on defense. So it is possible a prospect will break camp with the Red Wings.

Steve Yzerman is not making any promises about quickly being able to turn around the Red Wings. As he should not.  ”It just takes time,” Yzerman said. ”I can’t tell you in three years we’re going to be this. In five years, we’re going to be this.”

While the Red Wings appear to have a handful of promising players, Detroit still seem to be at least another year away from being talented enough to earn a spot in the NHL postseason.

The good news is Steve Yzerman is taking his time. Yzerman is not rushing into anything. The Red Wings general manager, did not make a splash in free agency, figuring a high-priced free agent would not suddenly turn the team into a contender. It is the correct path to take.

The better news, Steve Yzerman is overseeing the Detroit Red Wings rebuild.

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Detroit Red Wings prospects get an opportunity to impress

Embed from Getty Images Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman said last week he is encouraged by the young group of players in the organizations pipeline. He also said “We need more.” Yzerman then announced there are open roster spots available. Making this a very interesting training camp for the rebuilding Red Wings.

Joe Veleno, Filip Zadina and Moritz Seider are all trying to make the jump to the NHL. In just four games the Red Wings won the Prospects Tournament while fielding the youngest team.

Yzerman, was ho-hum about the tournament championship. “You like to win more than lose,” he stated. “More importantly, the kids competed real hard.” the Detroit Red Wings average age in the Prospects Tournament was 18 years old. They played against teams who averaged 24 years old.

The Detroit Red Wings are not picked to make the NHL Playoffs again this season. That is okay. This season is about beginning to turn the roster over to younger more skilled players.

Steve Yzerman, is overseeing the remainder of the Red Wings rebuild. He will make his roster based on two key areas.

  1. Is a prospects ready for the NHL grind. If Yzerman said prospects can take an open roster spot, he may have a few in mind. But, he also said he will not just give a player a spot on the team. It will be earned.
  2. Is a prospect better than the player he will be pushing out of a job or perhaps a reduced role on the team? This may be the key question in the general manager’s thinking.

This preseason is critical to the future of the Red Wings. Even though Detroit could be a bottom five team. They have some key pieces in place. Players who took a big step in development last season. Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha and Tyler Bertuzzi just to name a few.

Now Detroit will add talent to those talented players. The 2019-20 NHL season will hardly be a lost one in Detroit. It will be a very important next step in bringing consistent hockey back to Hockeytown.

 

 

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The Detroit Red Wings will head into a second straight season with four alternate captains

Embed from Getty Images In what turned into  an outpouring of vocal shocked and angry fans the Detroit Red Wings announced they would not name a team captain. It has been widely assumed since the team drafted him that Dylan Larkin would be the successor to Henrik Zetterberg. Larkin has been the face of the Detroit rebuild.

Dylan Larkin, Frans Nielsen and Justin Abdelkader will return with an “A” on the front of their sweaters.  Luke Glendening will replace newly retired Niklas Kronwall as an alternate captain.

Detroit Red Wings general manager said upon the press conference to announce him as the organizations new architects that he needed time to get to know the entire team. The fact that he is unwilling at this time to place a “C” on a players jersey should come as no surprise.

Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill did say that  “we reserve the right to change our mind.” He hinted Dylan Larkin could still be named captain at some point this season, but “right now, that’s not our focus. Our focus is on how we’re going to attack the year.”

Blashill said after talking with new general manager Steve Yzerman, it was determined to go with the four alternates. In my opinion there could be a couple reasons for the decision. Only Yzerman and Blashill know for sure.

The Detroit Red Wings pipeline is the strongest it has been in a very long time. The Red Wings prospects just finished a tournament and players like Joe Veleno and Moritz Seider, showed on ice leadership. With the eyes of the general manager watching.

Yzerman, sat in his box with the rest of his Red Wings staff with him. The smart thinking is he may want to do the same thing for the first month or two of the 2019-20 Red Wings season.

In the grand scheme, this is a good move. It is important to have the right captain. The Red Wings last three captains served a long time. Steve Yzerman 1986-2006,  Nicklas Lidstrom 2006-2012 and Henrik Zetterberg 2013-2018.

The choice will come soon enough. But, first the general manager needs to get a pulse on his team.

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New and notes from the Detroit Red Wings Prospect Tournament

Embed from Getty Images Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is watching. The Detroit Red Wings host the annual prospect tournament in Traver City, Michigan home of the Red Wings training camp. This will be Yzerman’s first camp with the Red Wings.

With the watchful eyes of the teams general manager, Detroit Red Wings prospects should not need motivation to impress the teams new GM. As training camp draws near Steve Yzerman has reminded the young prospects there are spots he is looking to fill. A couple defensemen as well as a couple forwards.

This is where the fruits of the rebuild begin to show. Detroit has some prospects that are knocking on the NHL door. Yzerman was quick to point out, roster spots are earned. No player in entitled just because of prospect rankings or where they were drafted.

Last season defensemen Filip Hronek  and forward Taro Hirose and forward Chirstoffer Ehn played big minutes for the Red Wings. They are now going to be counted on heavily as the Red Wings begin to transition out of the rebuild stage in the next two seasons.

Players who need to step up and grab a roster spot for this years Detroit Red Wings are forwards Evgeny Svechnikov, Michael Rasmussen, Filip Zadina as well as defensemen Dennis Cholowski.

In the first two games of the double elimination prospect tournament, Red Wings forward Joe Veleno and Filip Zadina have developed some very good chemistry. These are the things that catches a general managers eye. Not only who is going to step out and shine, but who has good chemistry.

2019 Detroit Red Wings first round draft pick defensemen Moritz Seider, looks the part. As the Red Wings front office sort out if Seider will return to Germany this season or if he is ready to make the jump to the AHL and the Grand Rapids Griffins. One thing that is becoming more and more clear. Moritz Seider will not be in the lower levels very long.

When Steve Yzerman, patience at his Red Wings introductory press conference this is what he was talking about. Yzerman, knew the Red Wings had some good solid young players who needed more seasoning. Starting next week Yzerman and his staff will begin to map out a plan for the players.

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Detroit Red Wings Steve Yzerman imprints will be felt next off-season

Embed from Getty Images During his eight years as Tampa Bay Lightning general manager, Steve Yzerman was aggressive and also  progressive. Yzerman bought out Lightning captain Vincent Lecavalier. He also traded  star Martin St. Louis. He traded forward Jonathan Drouin, a third overall pick, for defenseman Mikhail Sergachev, swap of young talent for young talent . Yzerman oversaw NHL drafts that netted high end players such as Nikita Kucherov, Andre Vasilevskiy and Braydon Point.

When Steve Yzerman, who succeeded Ken Holland on April 19 was named Detroit Red Wings general manager, many media members and fans thought an even wrote stories that Yzerman would have an immediate impact with a series of bold moves. Fans and media braced for a significant trade, a buyout, a big name free agent signing. It did not happen.

Yzerman’s plan will not be felt until next off-season. The Yzer-plan as Red Wings fans have dubbed it. The Red Wings GM is absolutely correct taking a measured approach with a team likely to miss the playoffs for a fourth consecutive season.

There are players Detroit Red Wings fans think should be bought out.

Justin Abdelkader, four years remaining at a $4.25 million cap hit, Frans Nielsen, three years at $5.25 million and Darren Helm, two years at $3.85 million. But the Red Wings do not need the salary cap space or roster spots, so  the question is why would one of the top GM’s in the NHL  saddle his team with dead money for the next six-to-eight years?

Anthony Mantha, Andreas Athanasiou, Tyler Bertuzzi will all need new contracts after the 2019-20 season. It is possible at that time Yzerman will choose to buy out one or more players.

Steve Yzerman used the draft this past June to make his boldest move, with the shocking selection of defenseman Moritz Seider with the sixth overall pick.

This years free agent market was thin. It was hard to see a team mid-rebuild sign top-tier players Artemi Panarin, Matt Duchene or Sergei Bobrovsky. Yzerman chose more wisely. Bringing in NHL veterans on cheap two year contracts. This buys the team  time for younger players and prospects to develop.

The Detroit hockey team has stockpiled young forwards. Given his history Yzerman might look to package one or two with other assets for a young defenseman.

So while it looks like he has not done much, Steve Yzerman has done a lot and done it wisely.