It Won't Be Nash
Most of us agree that the Wings need help in the top 6 forward department. Most of us agree that our priority needs to be acquiring Zach Parise. Most of us. I still hear Rick Nash's name dropped every now and then and I don't get why. He's very skilled and will be an asset wherever he ends up, but at what cost?
Jump for the cost:
The Rangers seemed like the most likely home for Rick Nash last February. They wanted him and he wanted them, but it didn't happen. Why? This is why: Brandon Dubinsky, Ryan McDonagh, Michael Del Zotto, Chris Kreider and a 2012 1st.
Now let's break down these players and see if we can find comparable Red Wings to match these guys.
Dubinsky is a 26 year old center. His best year was 2011 when he scored 24 goals and 30 assists for 54 points. He has two 20 goal seasons, but struggled this past year only picking up 10 goals. The closest guy I can think of, numbers-wise is Cleary, but Cleary is 7 years older than Dubinsky. The Jackets are rebuilding, not reloading, so they'll want youth. The Wings don't have a young guy who has proven that he can be successful, but had an off-year. In 2011 that would have been Hudler, but he rebounded, so his stock went up. He was also going to be a UFA, so his trade value was non-existent.
Ryan McDonagh or Michael Del Zotto. Jackets GM Scott Howson apparently gave Glenn Sather the option of which young, outstanding defensive player he wanted to give up for Nash. How nice. McDonagh played in all 82 games this season, picking up 7 goals, 25 assists and 32 points. The season before, he split time in the AHL and showed some promise. That sounds like Brendan Smith, but without the 122 games of NHL experience and a breakout season. As for Del Zotto, at 21 years of age, he put up 10 goals, 31 assists and 41 points. That's very similar to Ryan Suter numbers and he's 6 years younger than Suter. If Detroit had a 21 year old defenseman in the system who scored more than .5 a point per game, would you want to see him traded away as part of a package deal to get one player? I guess our closest option here would be Ericsson, but no. Not even close.
Next we'll look at Chris Kreider. 21 year old left wing. At the time he hadn't played a game in the NHL yet, but ended up with 7 points in 18 playoff games. A young left wing that had no NHL experience, but a lot of upside? Does Detroit have such a guy? Yup.
As for the 2012 1st rounder, we had already given that up for Quincey.
As you can see, Detroit didn't have the type of assets that Columbus wanted and, believe it or not, Ken Holland can't just overrule Howson and force him to take a bad deal. Columbus is a terrible hockey team and they're trying to build for the future. That's why the oldest guy they asked for was younger than Nash. All of those guys were prospects that had either proven that they were the real deal or the jury was still out (Kreider). There's no way Columbus would consider giving up Nash for one of Detroit's failed prospects and "a couple picks."
Also keep in mind that Howson was asking this of a non-division rival. Detroit would have had to match that deal and then some. We're talking Franzen, Filppula, Hudler, Nyquist, Smith, Kindl, picks we don't have and Mrazek. It won't happen. It will never, ever happen.
"I don't care! Make the trade, Kenny! Make the trade! I desperately want that guy who's best season ever was barely a point per game!"
Fine. The trade has been made. Now our lines look like this:
No one-Datsyuk-Nash
No one-Hank-Bertuzzi
Bottom 6 is set still.
Kronwall-No one
Ericsson-No one
No one-White
Howard
No Future
Now, fix it. Hopefully you get Parise. Now you have to also get Semin. Sure hope he doesn't bolt for the KHL where he might actually be treated with respect. On the blueline you have to sign at least 4 guys. Sure, Suter would fit in nicely, but can we still afford 3 more guys? Again, all of this for a guy who we believe will score 50+ goals playing with Pav.
It's not going to happen.
But in the event that you're still not convinced, think of it this way: Say you're sitting around at home and you realize that you want an apple. So you go to the store and there's one apple left at this particular store. You're about to pick it up when you see the price. $500. You have $500 on you.
Do you or do you not buy the apple?
Watch my every move on Twitter: @Twig81 or like NOHS on Facebook, if evil is your thing.
I think he means cuz of the rivalry esp with ohio and michigan. Nash is good though and he would be dangerous with hank or pav or filppula even but idc for him much either. Same with crosby, great skill but I'd hate to see him in a wings uniform
Are you guys kidding? Nash with Zetterberg would cause the Mayan prediction to come true.
Before I actually make a comment on the topic itself I would like to note that a lot of the article was focused on the fact that Detroit doesn't even have the young prospects capable of being traded.
This alone should in my opinion should be cause for action. Yeah Yeah... we knew it was coming etc etc. Kenny will get us out... blah blah. Not if people don't want to play in Detroit...
Who wants to play for a team that does not have a foreseeable future.
I know I might get flamed a few times about what I will say from here till about July 1, but the Wing's are in a terrible spot other than the size of the purse they hold. If they don't make some big things happen it is entirely possible that Pav decides to test free agency in two years.
I think it should be KH's goal to make this team younger in a hurry... and to focus on prospects while retaining the key few players (Dats, Z, Kroner, and I would add White).
The best way to do this would be our dream summer...Parise and Suter.
BUT... it is vitally important for the Wing's to pluck a few prospects out of the farm system and push them into the NHL (I'm talking really young prospects). Even if all they become is trade bait for the deadline... where Detroit could easily be fighting for a playoff position this year.
@magnum9 Well, the teams that do have the quality young prospects who are now becoming young stars to trade got that way because they were terrible-to-mediocre for a long time. We haven't been that way. That is how the draft is supposed to work. A draft system is supposed to prevent teams from establishing a 20-year dynasty, but Detroit beat those odds. We have to be a little realistic because there's only so far that good management can carry you under the draft system. We had been lucky with a lot of our picks (not negating a superior scouting system), but that also can't last forever. We may be able to reload if the right situations work out this summer, but we have to realize that at some point not having any decent picks is going to catch up.
I had written that I felt as though getting Nash was as likely as getting Parise at this point. And I think getting Nash is possible, but not likely. I would just love to see him in Detroit if we could get him.
But, you've laid out a pretty good argument for while the Red Wings won't get him. I certainly don't want to see Smith and Nyquist leave Detroit, even for a guy like Nash.
If we could get him for a deal that didn't fleece the Wings, I'd say go for it. But you're right, we're probably going to get fleeced to get him. The only way I think the trade could happen in Detroit's favor is if Nash presses Columbus hard enough for a trade so that they have to settle for less than they really want.
@RedWings3RDP seems to me that whoever gets Nash is going to give up too much. they'll probably lower the asking price around the draft, but by lower i mean take the first terrible deal that new york was willing to make.
@Twig You're probably right. Although how funny would it be if the Red Wings signed Hudler to a contract just to use him as trade fodder for Nash? Again, I know it's not likely, but it'd be hilarious.
@RedWings3RDP @Twig I believe Khan reported that KH approached Hudler's agent that Detroit was ready to make him an offer, and the agent told him that Jiri wanted to test free agency first. He's about to get overpaid by Brian Burke.
The only way I can see us possibly getting Nash this coming season would be the way we acquired Quincey, except where Colorado has no idea that Tampa is sending Quincey straight to us. Even at that, it isn't going to happen for us. I would love to have him if he were a FA, but that trade isn't going to happen. Much more likely to Vancouver for Luongo plus a little.
@ThroatShot yes. if we had 2 howard's, we might have a chance, but we'd still have to include something of a scoring threat.
