Dave Pagnotta of The Fourth Period joined Sirius XM NHL Network Radio Power Play segment with Steve Kouleaus and Jason Strudwick. He was asked about the New York Islanders offseason plans and whether there will be changes with the Detroit Red Wings.
NHLRumors.com Transcriptions
What Will Happen with Steve Yzerman and the Detroit Red Wings?
Steve Kouleas: “Talking to Dave Pagnotta, Sirius XM insider. As it relates to The Fourth Period, and looking at some of the things that you have on the site. We’ve got Islanders missing, but adding (Pete) DeBoer, trying for many late miracle and another miss with the Detroit Red Wings. Let’s talk about those two franchises and what you’re hearing, Dave?
Dave Pagnotta: “The Islanders, they made their big move in terms of head coaching, and it’s clear that they wanted to do something there. This was another team that was also very active, and Mathieu Darche was very active leading into the trade deadline and in the weeks going up to it. Trying to add an impact forward to the roster.
Now, obviously, they added Brayden Schenn, able to make that move, but I certainly believe that this team is going to look to make additional adds this year, and excuse me, the summer. And they got their coach. Like they got their guy that they wanted. They knew they were going to make that change.
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Remember, like Patrick Roy wasn’t Darche’s guy coming in. He was grandfathered in, so to speak. But, they found their guy now. Now it’s a matter of all right, how do we get to a point where we felt we could have been this year? And I expect them to be a little bit aggressive on that front, in trying to add within their top six. And I could certainly see them trying to just bring in another shutdown type defenseman on the back end to help out (Ilya) Sorokin and to help out the rest of that D-corps.
With Detroit. This is a you-know-what or get-off-the-pot offseason, I think for Steve Yzerman and the Wings. He’s going to continue this, and he’s done a great job in filling the cupboard and really stockpiling quality prospects and draft picks. But now it’s a matter of some of those kids now taking the next step and also packaging up some of these kids to bring in some NHL-calibre talent now.
Like what we saw last off-season, especially at the draft, with the Canadiens going back to the Habs, like they brought in Noah Dobson from the Islanders. Now, yes, it was contractual ties to that situation that played a factor in his availability, but being able to give up a guy like (Emil) Heineman, a third-line calibre player, but also two first-round picks to bring in a guy like Dobson, that certainly was a move that paid dividends for that club.
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And I think that’s what Detroit is going to look to do this offseason with all the picks up the kids that they’ve got. You’ve got to take some swings. And I think they’ve been waiting to see when is the right opportunity, when is the right chance to do that. And I think this is going to be a scenario this offseason where the Wings get a little bit aggressive on that front, to try to push to make the playoffs and to get to that level, which a lot of people anticipated, myself included. I thought they were going to be a playoff-bound team this season.
It didn’t work out. Now it’s up to Steve Yzerman to take the next steps in the Yzerplan. It’s taken a while, but again, he’s checked a lot of boxes. Now it’s a matter of making sure the NHL club starts reaping some of the benefits, and I think that’s what he’ll try to do this summer.”
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