We just signed one of the top FA’s in a terrible UFA class….Arvidsson literally chose us over Boston. Stop being a chicken little. This team missed the playoffs the past 3 seasons by like a combined total of 8 points. And their actual points percentage has improved each year. If Larkin wants out so badly, he will open his list up to a team that might actually do a hockey trade. It’s clear that we dont need futures, we have a loaded prospect pool just no superstars. Maybe we make the playoffs this year with Arvidsson’s 25 goals being better than Kane’s 16.
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Top FA?
The list of free agents this year wasnt exactly teeming with stars. We got one of the top guys available on the first day.
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And this is what I am talking about with @DBend144 …Yzerman trades Larkin RIGHT NOW to a team that had literally NOTHING to offer it only makes people like @DBend144 come right back on here and cry and bitch about it, even though Bend wants this to happen 
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If a 33 year old is going to make the wings win again then I’ll be happy. But I doubt his numbers will repeat
Kane is 38….so we got 5 years younger, with more goals. Arvidsson’s last down year was in Edmonton where he says he wasnt very happy.
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Kane is also a bit reliant on the powerplay for his numbers. 9 of Arviddson’s 54 points last year were on the powerplay. 19 of Kane’s 57 were on the Powerplay. Not to mention Viktor is an improvement defensively.
He’s not a world beater, but no one in FA really is anymore. The NHL is different now. Anyone of significance rarely hits FA.
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Everything does not have to be all or nothing, there is always nuance. As with most things in life there is usually a series of events and circumstances with everyone involved that leads to the current situation.
I know it’s been said multiple times in this thread and other ones that Yzerman shares responsibility for the state of the team, as does Larkin and the rest of the players for that matter.
I don’t hold any allegiance to any of them. They all get paid too much money for a kids game and entertainment, but that’s the job they have and we just share our opinions about it, it’s all good. If the red wings never make the playoffs again, the world will still go on.
Maybe.
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I get it. But i just agree with steves philosophy that “nhl players” is what this team needs long term. Sure to stay “decent” and sell tickets. NHL players help.
But to win the cup. They need more capital, in order to try to get a ELITE player.
Because again. Top 2 draft pick.
Either bottom out and win the lottery.
Or get lots of capital to trade for one.
Getting a bunch of mid6 guys isnt gonna do it.
They’ve been in the lottery how many times and actually won said lottery?? 
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Just saying those are the only 2 options to win the cup in the cap era.
Win the lottery
Or trade for a lottery player
They keep all the older players they wont have the capital to trade. And wont be bad enough for the lottery
Teams won’t trade an NHL player but they would trade a lottery player?? A lottery pick they might for a great player….but a player that they’ve already set their hearts on and drafted is gonna get traded??
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It is a balance though too with superstars - you gotta have a team around them. Look at Toronto the last couple years with Matthews and Marner, couldn’t get out of the second round.
The oilers did make back to back finals but lost both, with the best player in the league.
So yes, you need some stars but getting them isn’t easy and you gotta have some consistency up and down the lineup
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Have to have a good mix.
6-8 home grown solid foundational players.
2 ELITE players
4-5 good solid FA/Trades.
Wings currently have .
4-5 solid foundational players.
0 Elite.
1-2 good traded player.
They are a long way off
Also reports.
Bedard gonna get $14.5m 8yr. $116m contract!
That sounds like a lot.
But crosby signed his extension in 2013. For $8.7m aav. Which was just under 13% of the cap.
Bedards contract is almost identical just under 13%
But i guarantee you Kat and Edvinson are seeing that and wanting bank.
Edvinson gonna want north of 8.5m
Kat gonna want north of $12m
Umm have you ever paid attention to the NHL trade deadline
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Don’t sell Utah or Anaheim short….
I could envision a scenario, whereby Carlsson gets traded to Phil, Ducks receive 4 1st Rounders. Ducks offer Wings 3 1st Rounders (Combo of Ducks & Flyers 1st Rounders), and Becket Sennecke for Larkin. Larkin gets benefit of playing for a current playoff fast improving team, and taps into numerous, lucrative marketing opportunities in So Ca, nice weather too.
Utah can dangle Center 2025 First Rounder Desnoyers AND a couple of Future 1st Rounders. Attractive location, weather. Both locations have the added benefit of getting Larkin out of the Eastern Conference. Flexibility is Key for both Larkin & Yzerman. Both can be very stubborn. In Both situations, Yzerman gets a Premium, young Player back with upside potential and more ammo (Future 1st Rounders for trading or Pick possibilities in the near future), which could become very valuable in 2027 to pair with Wings 2027 forecast downer season, in order, to move up in the 2027 draft, at a minimum…..
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Sure, these are two teams with plenty of ammo.
Means nothing to the Wings if Larkin won’t waive to go there. There are so many teams that can actually swing for Larkin. He just happened to pick 3 that can’t.
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Good article/opinion piece, I’ve liked George Malik a long time, he’s a blogger that goes way back. Always thought he should get credentialed by the team which I think he has tried to do, but the red wings don’t hand out credentials to anyone they don’t have to, as opposed to other teams (like the lions, for better or worse, although I think the wings beat writers terrible as are most of the lions ones).
Anyway, speaks to the dysfunction and softness of the team, not just with Larkin. They are a long way off for a myriad of reasons.
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Agreed. Malik is a good one.
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