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[Son of Sam99]

Quote: Originally Posted by LeafsFan4Lyfe

Patrick Kane to Dallas? Benn/Seguin/Kane? scary line to face

No kidding! as you can see they paid through the nose for it. Really a reach move fot he Stars in my mind what with the young talent they already have. I expected him to go to like the Islanders or Panthers because they both entered the FA period with a ton of cap space.

[Son of Sam99]

Edit: That was a bust.... Will proceed with planned post

[Balrog]

Great dynasty man, what system are you playing this on and what year game?

[Son of Sam99]

Quote: Originally Posted by Balrog

Great dynasty man, what system are you playing this on and what year game?

Thanks a ton! its NHL 14 on the ol' 360

[Son of Sam99]

September 25th 2015

A View From the GM's Box

By Larry Wilson

Detroit MI- With the NHL training camps well underway and the puck ready to drop on the 2015-16 regular season in a little less than three weeks I had a chance to sit down with Red Wings General Manager Rick Watkins.
Watkins took over the General Manager duties for the Red Wings two seasons ago and has quickly earned the reputation as a shrewd negotiator who never sees his roster as a finished product.
Over an enlightening three hours we covered everything from the current roster to the hot dogs served inside the executive suite at Joe Lewis Arena. Below are the highlights from our conversation.

Larry Wilson: Let’s talk about how you came into the job as the top executive in the Red Wings front office. I’m sure that was a shock to one day become the GM.

Rick Watkins: It absolutely was. There was so much turmoil because I was excited to achieve basically what I’d set out for and excited for the challenges but nervous for Ken who had really been a mentor for several years and he’d built an amazing franchise that suddenly it’s my job to protect and foster. I just had to have confidence in my decisions and run the team the way I knew best and fortunately it’s worked out well.

LW: And now Ken is healthy and has come on as a part time advisor?

RW: Yes Ken has gotten a clean bill of health but it’s been his decision to limit his working hours. We’re lucky as an organization to have him involved in any capacity and I’m lucky to have him as a sounding board. When he first came back in the current capacity he told me he was here to help the team, not to run the team and that was a great vote of confidence in my abilities.

LW: How do you look at the roster now ahead of the 2015-16 season?

RW: I’m extremely excited for the coming season, probably more so than I ever have been at the beginning of any season since I’ve been around the game. The skill and size we were able to bring in… I mean the offseason probably couldn’t have gone any better.

LW: So all this talent will be in the hands of a brand new coach, Jeff Blashill. How do you look at his leadership of the team?

RW: We’re very excited to have Jeff behind the bench. His leadership, we think, will be a big plus for the team, when we started to develop contingency planning if Coach Babcock didn’t stay with the team, from that moment we had Jeff’s name at the top of the list. While the makeup of this team includes several veterans we also have many young guys, a lot of which Jeff coached directly at the AHL level. And the response from the players has been fantastic, the guys who haven’t played directly under Jeff have certainly worked with him in some capacity as he’s around our franchise for a while now. There will be an adjustment period but everyones been very positive about his promotion.

LW: Do you think the team can make a run at the cup?

RW: I’m 100% confidant this team can make a cup run! We’ve got the blend I’ve talked about of youth and experience, added to the very talented guys we already had on the blue line, and added a top notch net minder… I just hope the fans are as excited as I am for the coming season.

LW: You’ve earned the reputation of a shrewd negotiator, someone who isn’t afraid to make a deal, and someone who isn’t afraid to deal any single player. Is that something you’re proud of?

RW: Well I hope people think of me as fair first of all. When I’m working on a deal with another GM I’m not looking to fleece them, I’m looking for an agreeable deal which will benefit both teams. Say if they’ve got some cap space and I’m looking to cut salary for some reason or another then let’s find something that works for both of us. I don’t know if I’m proud of that reputation but if it results in the Red Wings winning a couple more Stanley Cups then yes I suppose I would be proud of it.

LW: How do you attract players when trying to get them to resign or come to the team as a free agent?

RW: It’s not hard really, the Red Wings as you know have a rich history of winning the fans are knowledgeable about the players and the game as a whole, and they pack the house nightly. And playing in a great building as Joe Louis Arena which is a great facility doesn’t hurt. That being said we’re starting to use the new building as an attraction as well! When we were working this past offseason to get Vlad Tarasenko signed long term I made sure to bring up the new building and the state of the art facility that it will be while at the table.

LW: I know fans are excited for the opening of the new arena in 2017, are players and the office staff looking forward to it as well?

RW: We’re all very excited for it. It will be a sad day for sure when the Red Wings play their final game at The Joe but the new building will just be spectacular from top to bottom. It’s going to be a great addition to the city of Detroit and the Red Wings will work hard to make it a place where no other NHL team comes in and thinks they can win!

[Son of Sam99]

October 5th 2015

Red Wings Season Preview

Detroit, MI-

Probable Line Parings

FWD 1: Abdelkader - Datsyuk - Taresenko
FWD 2: Sheahan - Zetterberg - Franzen
FWD 3: Nyquist - Andersson - Clutterbuck
FWD 4: Miller – Weiss – Frolik

With Vladimir Tarasenko back and healthy after his wrist injury in the playoffs last year we can expect the top line to lead the way in scoring as long as the aging magic man Pavel Datsyuk can stay on the ice most of the season. Riley Sheahan will be expected to step up his game as the young centerman will be skating on the left alongside the captain Henrik Zetterberg and the Mule Johan Franzen. Shehan has been lauded for his high energy level and nose for the puck, he’ll be given a lot of chances to show those attributes this season.

Joakim Anderssson is the freshest face among the bottom six forwards as he’ll lead the third line with Cal Clutterbuck and Gustav Nyquist. Drew Miller is maybe the biggest surprise to be active on opening night as he was a healthy scratch nearly all of last season only filling in when injuries required. He’s paird with Stephen Weiss and Michael Frolik.

DEF 1: Kronwall - Quincey
DEF 2: Smith - Tinordi
DEF 3: Kindl – Ellerby

Two new defenseman will step up into the opening night roster; Jarred Tinordi and Keeton Ellerby add major size to the lineup standing at 6’6” and 6’5” respectively. Beyond the new hires its business as usual for Niklas Kronwall, Kyle Quincey, and Jakub Kindl. Kronwall once again begins the season as a favorite for the Norris Trophy and Brandon Smith will shoot to have a breakout season after the franchise rewarded him with a 4 year $17 million contract.

Goalies: Bernier – Elliot

Jonathan Bernier signed a four year $24 million contract with the Wings as an unrestricted free agent and was handed the starting job between the pipes this past off season. To the media the young net minder is excited to have the opportunity to show the team made the right call opening up their wallet to sign a top flight keeper. In the process of acquiring Bernier, former starter Brian Elliot has be slotted into the backup roll and he’s made it clear that he doesn’t want to be in that position very long “I’ve been a backup before and it’s not ideal, you always want to be out on the ice making a difference. I’ll be ready when my number is called to show the league that I should be a starter.”

AHLers to Watch For

With Sheahan and Andersson in Detroit the Grand Rapids Griffins will look to a new crop of players to carry the squad to another Calder Cup playoff berth.
Corey Emmerton and Landon Ferraro are expected to share the roll of leader to the team and team executives are high on both centers, expecting them to be in the NHL sooner than later. Anthony Mantha and Teemu Pulkkinen will be the top call ups when the Wings need spot starts. “Both those guys are right there, ready to contribute at the highest level.” Rick Watkins said about the pair of wingers.
Defensive stalwarts Brian Lashoff and Xavier Oulett will start the season in Grand Rapids but it is widely assumed that both will see significant ice time in Detroit as well this year.

No McDavid

Fans looking to catch a glimpse of the franchise’s most recent super prospect, Connor McDavid, will have to wait another season to see the young star donning the winged wheel. The front office has elected to send the young playmaker back to the juniors to develop for one more year before seeing if he can compete professionally. McDavid will play for the Erie Otters for the fourth year in a row where in 2014-15 he accrued 120 points and won CHL player of the year.

[Son of Sam99]

Detroit Red Wings 2015-16 Schedule
DATE	OPPONENT	RESULT
Oct 11	at Buffalo Sabres
Oct 14	vs New Jersey Devils
Oct 16	at New York Islanders
Oct 17	at New York Rangers
Oct 21	vs Philadelphia Flyers
Oct 23	at New Jersey Devils
Oct 23	at Vancouver Canucks
Oct 27	vs Columbus Blue Jackets
Oct 29	vs Carolina Hurricanes
Oct 31	at Washington Capitals
Nov 2	at Florida Panthers
Nov 5	vs Florida Panthers
Nov 7	vs Ottawa Senators
Nov 8	vs Montreal Canadiens
Nov 10	vs Tampa Bay Lightning
Nov 12	at Tampa Bay Lightning
Nov 14	at Edmonton Oilers
Nov 16	at Arizona Coyotes
Nov 18	vs Vancouver Canucks
Nov 21	vs Calgary Flames
Nov 24	at Toronto Maple Leafs
Nov 26	at Boston Bruins
Nov 28	at Buffalo Sabres
Nov 30	vs Tampa Bay Lightning
Dec 1	vs Dallas Stars
Dec 3	vs Nashville Predators
Dec 6	vs Winnipeg Jets
Dec 10	at Winnipeg Jets
Dec 12	at St. Louis Blues
Dec 14	at Nashville Predators
Dec 15	vs Pittsburgh Penguins
Dec 18	vs Washington Capitals
Dec 20	at Pittsburgh Penguins
Dec 21	at Philadelphia Flyers
Dec 25	vs Toronto Maple Leafs
Dec 27	vs Boston Bruins
Dec 28	vs Buffalo Sabres
Dec 31	at Columbus Blue Jackets
Jan 2	vs Boston Bruins
Jan 4	vs Buffalo Sabres
Jan 6	at Toronto Maple Leafs
Jan 8	vs Minnesota Wild
Jan 9	vs St. Louis Blues
Jan 12	vs Chicago Blackhawks
Jan 14	at Los Angeles Kings
Jan 18	at Minnesota Wild
Jan 19	vs Dallas Stars
Jan 24	vs ALL STAR GAME
Jan 26	vs Colorado Avalanche
Jan 28	at Calgary Flames
Jan 30	at Anaheim Ducks
Feb 1	at Edmonton Oilers
Feb 5	vs Florida Panthers
Feb 8	at Chicago Blackhawks
Feb 10	at Ottawa Senators
Feb 12	at Montreal Canadiens
Feb 15	at Carolina Hurricanes
Feb 16	vs New York Rangers
Feb 18	at Columbus Blue Jackets
Feb 20	vs San Jose Sharks
Feb 21	vs Anaheim Ducks
Feb 23	at Colorado Avalanche
Feb 29	at San Jose Sharks
Mar 2	vs Arizona Coyotes
Mar 4	vs TRADE DEADLINE
Mar 5	vs Los Angeles Kings
Mar 7	at Tampa Bay Lightning
Mar 9	at Boston Bruins
Mar 10	at Buffalo Sabres
Mar 13	vs New York Islanders
Mar 15	vs New York Rangers
Mar 17	vs New Jersey Devils
Mar 20	at New York Islanders
Mar 22	at Washington Capitals
Mar 23	vs Philadelphia Flyers
Mar 26	at Carolina Hurricanes
Mar 27	at Pittsburgh Penguins
Mar 29	at Florida Panthers
Apr 1	vs Ottawa Senators
Apr 3	vs Montreal Canadiens
Apr 6	at Montreal Canadiens
Apr 8	vs Florida Panthers
Apr 10	at Ottawa Senators
Apr 12	vs Toronto Maple Leafs

[Son of Sam99]