I appeal to you all just to actually look at the sport and notice the common threads, instead of making threads on here to further your blinder viewpoints.
One last appeal to logic.
1. Defense wasn't an issue last year under a new systems coach.
2. Under this new system, the top time on ice player was Ericsson and not Lidstrom or Stuart.
3. Stuart and Lidstrom are huge losses and no player is going to step in and equal them, even the ones we missed out on.
4. Assuming a step down on defense, we have to look at what roles the players had and how we can mitigate the losses.
5. Lidstrom was a positional player who was peerless. with great puck moving skills and a power play specialist.
6. We have many puck movers, but might be lacking in the power play specialist.
7. The system improved the positional play of everyone, and perhaps will allow a committee replacement of Lidstrom.
8. Every other team is lacking of a Lidstrom caliber player. Every SINGLE OTHER TEAM.
9. The Wings were never successful relying on one player, nor was any team, including when we only had Yzerman.
10. The team roster right now has 4 proven top four defensemen, a rookie slated to be a top four defenseman, and a first round pick who has experience in the system as a number 7 guy. There is a clear number one guy, and three guys that seem capable of being the number two dman based upon their past numbers.
11. There is nothing more that can be done to improve this team, even if we wanted to tear apart the roster. No one wants to trade us anyone that is an upgrade. Deal with it.
12. we can still sign a couple of depth guys with upside that could surprise people.
13. The roster on paper is still better than the rosters of the teams that finished 9-15.
The flip side of the argument.
1. The defense wasn't the issue, the offense was the issue and it was not addressed, if anything it was made worse. (I think Tootoo is completely worthless and a scumbag who isn't classy enough to be on the team, let alone for the money paid to him.) Though I would not be quick to say how much worse it is, but we clearly focused on the wrong type of players. They needed a puck hound, high energy guy who could fix chemistry issues on the top two lines. I feel there were three of those available and the Wings missed out on all three of them.
2. Stuart will be the bigger loss, just because there is only one person on the roster with the size to clear the front,which was our biggest problem to begin with, and it is Ericsson who hasn't shown the will to do it.
3. There is a ton of farm skill on offense, not much on defense for a few years, and there is no way to adequately exchange in trade on a 1:1 ratio to fix this divide.
4. the age of free agency as a major component is ending.
Now compare these things... you should notice that if we cannot fix things via free agency, trade seems unlikely at a 1:1 value, the team has playoff caliber as is, and developing players is becoming more important. It makes sense to put those together and determine these logical outcomes.
1. The Wings will be competitive, though will take a significant step back.
2. The step back might be out of the playoffs, but it isn't wise to assume that will be the case. This is based upon the fact that there are unknowns, but the quality of the players left behind isn't one of them.
3. Patience and safe moves will prove to be the most effective when you cannot make mistakes disappear with ease.
4. Holland is a cautious guy and all of this means inaction will be common for now.
5. We don't know what Holland will do if the Wings are on the outside looking in, what kind of emergency mode he would go into.
6. Why don't we just enjoy the games until we have a concept of what we are left with, and what needs to be done rather than making wild accusations.
7. If they play in the fall, thanks Bettman. WHY AREN'T YOU FIRED!!!
