It has been been beaten to a bloody pulp that Ken Holland and the Red Wings have had arguably the worst offseason in over 2 decades. With the retirement of Lidstrom, departure of Brad Stuart, the failed attempts to sign main targets Ryan Suter and Zach Parise, and the list of other free agents/trades which found a different area code than the 313, Ken Holland has been left with boat loads of cash with nothing but a free agent class that is more picked over than the clearance rack at T.J Maxx and a heavy shopping list. Most notably a true #1 defenseman. Keith Yandle of the Phoenix Coyotes was said to be shopped at the NHL Draft in June with the Wings interested. Talks of Yandle being on the block had since died down...until today. Hockey Insiderr on Twitter had reported today that, according to multiple sources, the Wings are "ALL IN" in their pursuit for Yandle and have a substantial offer on the table and the uncertain future of the ownership of the Yotes is playing a big role. The Flyers, Blues, Bruins, and Rangers are rumored to have made offers as well but the Red Wings are the "100% front runners" at this time. Specifics as to what has been offered by the Wings are not available at this time but I am sure that the conversation begins with either Filppula or Franzen as a centerpiece. Yes, I would hate to lose either but you have to give value to get value. Yandle is without question one of the the premier young defenseman (25 years old) in the NHL. He has decent size at 6'1" and 195 lbs, is a good skater, moves the puck well, nice shot, and is a minute muncher. He has continued to put up impressive numbers on a defensive-minded Coyotes club and is signed for the next 4 years at a $5.5MM cap hit. YES PLEASE!!
I have been as critical of Ken Holland as anyone since last year's trade deadline for his lack of aggressiveness and reluctance to part with assets to address the team's needs. After missing out on Suter, Garrison, Carle, and Weber it has to be done. If he can pull this move off without parting with Brendan Smith (it would not make sense to further deplete the future of the blue line) then it would turn a so far underwhelming (putting it nicely) offseason into a pretty productive one. Yes, a true top 6 scoring forward is also needed and losing Filppula or Franzen would not help but the crater-like holes left on the back end by Lidstrom and Stuart are without question priority #1. Trading for Nash would have been sexy. Trading for Yandle would be more beneficial. We have young forwards waiting for more ice time and there could be players available after the new CBA is in place. Getting a young stud blue liner would be a big "I told you so" from Holland and a message to the league that the Red Wings are not going anywhere.
As of now this is still a rumor but I am a true believer that when there is smoke there is fire. If Holland is indeed talking with the Coyotes, he better not get cold feet. Of course I do not want him to be reckless and get fleeced in a deal but Yandle will not be dealt for a bag of pucks and a box of Slim Jims either. This is his chance to silence his critics. This is a chance to keep the Wings among the true contenders in the Western Conference. And from a selfish point of view I am sick of complaining about Holland, sick of envisioning a mediocre Red Wings team, and most of all, I am sick of hearing that the long-awaited demise of the Mighty Red Wings is finally here. Not so fast. GET IT DONE KENNY!!!
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