lordstanley

Are we trying to tank?

TSN has spent 20 minutes debating the Leafs’ signing of 4th liner Ryan Reaves.

“Rate limit exceeded” for me and sounds like for most people. I came here to ask whether anyone knew of a free agency phone hotline, lol. Guess I have to turn on my tv to TSan.

With the caveat that I may change my tune 24 hours from now if July 1 takes a surprising turn. Yzerman in his 4 years has taken a steady, conservative approach without a sense of urgency. That isn't inherently good or bad. Canadian teams often prematurely rush the process by signing a big name due to fan or media pressure to do something now, do anything. But goodwill Yzerman has built up from his playing days and Tampa tenure and the fact that enough fans have been sated by 4 Cups in 11 years has caused many to take a puffball approach to his record. There is the hope and expectation that he will replicate what he did in Tampa. That was first real executive job. He might repeat it. But any success depends on luck as well, and no guarantee that lightning will strike twice. Exhibit 1: drafting good fortune the Wings had in the late '80s and early '90s versus lack of lottery luck the past 7 years. Many examples of entrepreneurs making a ton of money and fame launching one business but then not hitting paydirt again the rest of the way. Past is only a partial indicator of future. Yzerman has made a bunch of little moves and on balance more than often not they've been small wins. But when I look objectively at all of his drafts and trades and signings so far, I count one and only one move that lives up to the Yzerman hype so far - drafting Seider when almost everyone saw that as a reach. True that likewise he hasn't made any disastrous signings, trades or picks so far but it has been safety first so far. Maybe that's ok, provided the Wings progress bit by bit. But willingly giving up on Vrana, Bertuzzi and Hronek presents the first real challenge of the Yzerman era. Without replacing them this weekend, the WIngs will likely be a worse team in 2023-24 than they were in 2022-2023. I was hoping for better 4 years in. Not that I blame him, there's still no other GM I'd rather have at this point, but we need to catch a break and it has been awhile since the Red Wings have.

Fair.

This seems weird to me but I’m sure it was all thought through in advance.

If Torkelson ends up with 20HR 75RBI and a .750 OPS this season, all of which he is either on pace for or seems capable of, I would definitely take that as a good enough step forward to build upon for future years.

I care less about what the NHL "pundits" say about the 2nd round and later because it is such a crapshoot by then. The NFL seems to be more predictable for the first 3 rounds or so before becoming a crapshoot. I'd rather they be saying that we did well with the first two picks (which they generally are saying) and the latter picks are more puzzling (which some are saying), than vice versa.

Noah Dower Nilsson, left winger, drafted at #73 by the Wings. His brother was the Wings’ 5th round pick in 2020.

Yamamoto is listed as 5’8 153 lbs, Kostin at 6’3 215 lbs. What a contrast, is Yamamoto smallest player in the league?

Or 25th? 🙂

Weird career. 60% of his career wins are from one of his six seasons. Has only won more than 5 games once - and that was 18!

Got it!

1 out away.

Perfect game alert. Domingo German will take the mound for the 9th in Oakland shortly. Yankees lead 11-0

Bruzstewicz, who originally committed to Michigan as a 13-year-old, instead signed with the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League in July. https://nhlentrydraft.com/news/2023-nhl-draft-hunter-brzustewiczs-pipeline/ Huh, as a 13 year old, that's a thing?

https://ottawasun.com/sports/hockey/nhl/ottawa-senators/ottawa-senators-gm-pierre-dorion-we-wont-trade-debrincat-for-pennies-on-dollar

So ASP was the #4 defenseman taken in the draft. And safe to say everyone would rather have him than Simashev. It may not be a slam dunk that Reinbacher and Willinder end up better than him.

Yes, I think so .

LIdstrom couldn't get to the draft on time, plane delay. What did you do, NIck, go cheap and choose RyanAir?