So, when does the season start?
I know, you thought it was January 19th. Well, guess what? Jokes on you. That was a preseason game.
Okay, it wasn't, but thats what I keep telling myself after that hilarity of a hockey game played by the Detroit Red Wings in St. Louis.
If that game was any indication of whats to come, the Red Wings need help (and fast!) on defense.
Ken Holland, you know what to do.
When looking for defenseman, one name comes to mind - Lubomir Visnovsky. He clearly doesn't want to play in New York for the Islanders and they have suspended him, why not look into acquiring him?
If not, why not look at the situation brewing in Montreal.
P.K. Subban hasn't signed with the team and it doesn't look like he will any time soon. It's not that he doesn't want to play in Montreal, but its obvious that the team isn't meeting his contract demands to get him back.
Hello? Earth to Ken Holland! We failed on Ryan Suter, failed on Shea Weber, why not try the next best thing (in my mind) and go after Subban?
Subban is what the Red Wings need. He is great defensively, has a cannon of a shot and is destined to be a top-five defenseman in this league.
The Habs losing Subban forever would be a big blow, but Detroit can offer whatever money they find suitable for Subban (they offered $98 million to Suter in the offseason) and throw whatever draft picks they need to if the Habs accept the deal. As well, they have expendible assets on defense if they want to sweeten the pot.
Last night's game proved that life after Lidstrom is either leading us to the fiery gates of hell or its going to take some time to get used to what's to come.
Adding Subban will lessen the hurt as it adds a much-needed piece to the defense and will lessen the work load of Kyle Quincey or Jonathan Ericsson (who for once wasn't the worst defenseman for Detroit last night).
It could also help us on the P.K. (see what I did there?)
Either way, something needs to be done before it gets worse. We have only 47 left this season.
Isn't it pretty clear that is precisely what P.K. is doing though? He knows that available good defensemen is a rare commodity right now. Detroit making an offer sheet just forces Montreal to match it which they most definitely will, only making P.K. locked up a certainty (unless Detroit is willing to overpay grossly). I think that's a dead-end. Having said that, I think Wings have little to lose. The chance that P.K. comes via free-agency is even smaller.
ReplyDeleteThis was Chris' post on Detroit's defensive situation, but I'll throw in my input. P.K. Subban seems like a valuable assest to the Red Wings not just for his evident talent, but because who else on Detroit has the potential he does? By the time Subban reaches his prime, he'll be an elite defenseman, easily better than anyone on the Wings right now, which applies to Kronwall too. Obviously, the downfall of getting him is surrending a few 1st round draft picks, highly likely using a lot of Detroit's salary for him and his questionable attitude, but with the way the future stands on the Red Wings blueline, the risk for P.K. Subban is worth it.
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