Logical Progression wrote:
RW wrote:
It looks as if Ken Holland has not yet given up on the idea of rebuilding on the fly. The draft was of 11 players who'll have to spend years in the juniors/college/minors before they may be ready for the NHL The team is hard up against the salary cap and he could not get rid of any contracts through Vegas. To top that off I think he still believes the Red Wings can still compete for a bloody playoff spot. The man's gone daft.
I heard Holland being interviewed somewhere recently -- he was loathed to even utter the word 'rebuild' for fear of seemingly alienating the Detroit fanbase. 'Develop while continue to compete for a playoff spot' - almost a direct quote. Sounds all too familiar.
It is a business afterall and I get it. These guys are under big pressure to fill the rink and profitable while entertaining, but it seems like there is a strong degree of denial that plagues many management teams to face the hard reality concerning their rosters and move towards a new future.
Holland has mentioned a few times that a rebuild will be more painful than the fans expect. Well, it really sounds like Holland is projecting onto the Wings fans. He seems like the guy most unwilling to accept it.
26-year old Marcus Johansson, 24 goals and 58 points last season with a ~4.5M cap hit, gets moved in the Capitals cap crunch to the Devils for a 2nd and a 3rd rounder. Gee, if only Holland had some fucking draft picks to move for a player like that???
Ryan fucking Reaves netted a 1st-round draft pick.
Goalies are getting moved and signed all over the place and yet Holland cannot somehow find a taker for Mrazek?
I don't know what the fuck Ken Holland is doing right now, if anything. He's doing absolutely nothing. Except getting younger on defense signing a 33-year old to a 3-year contract. Albeit a pretty reasonable deal for a great skater, which is exactly what is needed. I could go into Brendan Smith here...but, well.