When I think of the Florida Panthers, I think of a gritty, tough-nosed team that doesn’t let opponents bully them around. The Detroit Red Wings need some of that grit and toughness if they plan on breaking their playoff drought next season and making some deep runs in the future.
And they have some players who can lead the charge there, like Marco Kasper, Moritz Seider, and Elmer Soderblom, just to name a few. Michael Rasmussen is another one who stands out, and I also wouldn’t be surprised if Carter Mazur joined them. But they need more physicality, and players willing to dictate the game with their physical play.
That’s one thing, but there’s another one, too, and I know a contingent of fans aren’t gonna like this: Stop insisting on building this thing with the Yzerplan. Now. You got the core, Mr. Yzerman, now add to it from the outside, just as Florida did.
A pair of blockbuster deals helped solidify the Florida Panthers
While the Panthers made a lot of bold moves, two of them stood out: They traded for a pair of star players in Sam Reinhart and Matthew Tkachuk. Florida fleeced the Buffalo Sabres a few years back when they acquired Reinhart, even if the Blue and Gold got a decent player with that first-round pick and a potential franchise goaltender.
Still, Reinhart’s more than came into his own and he won two Stanley Cups. You can, however, say that Yzerman already did this two years ago when he traded for Alex DeBrincat. So far, DeBrincat’s returns have been awesome, and there’s not a single Red Wings fan out there who isn’t glad to see him in Hockeytown.
But we need more, and Yzerman needs to find a way to get rid of either Vladimir Tarasenko and/or J.T. Compher, and package them into a deal for someone like Jason Robertson of the Dallas Stars, even if it means some contract retention. That, my friends, would be epic. Beyond epic. As epic as you can get.
Detroit Red Wings need to copy the Panthers blueprint, not the Yzerplan
For the record, I don’t disagree with the Yzerplan, as it’s a fine blueprint for any team looking to forge their rebuilding efforts. But if I’m Steve Yzerman, and I’m the man in charge of an Original Six team with a storied history and in a larger market, I’m saying, “Hey, I gotta do what Bill Zito’s doing if I want this team to win its 12th Stanley Cup.”
That said, if I’m Steve Yzerman, I’m making a blockbuster trade this summer, even if it means giving up an NHL-ready talent or two. No more of this playing for the future mantra. That time’s passed. The future’s now, and it means doing what the best team in hockey did to help complete their lineup.
You got the core in place, and you got the talent to make the playoffs. But you need more, and it’s something that the last two seasons proved. So, get another physical player or two, make that big trade, and take this team up another notch.
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