Thirty five after the hour. Welcome back, Exes and bros. We're on
across the great state of Michigan and Flint and Cadillac Grand Rapids, Grayling,
Gaylord, Midland, Saganaw Bay City, Pataski, Charlevoi, Traverse City.
Thanks for joining us on this first of July, and we appreciate our friend
Ted Kaulfin of the Detroit News, Red Wings beat writer and a Hall of
Famer in Dearborn who joins us as well. Happy holidays early to you and
your family. Ted, We appreciate it very much. I know you're well
and I know you've been busy, so appreciate the time very much. The
Patrick Kaine first and foremost, the Patrick Kaine one year deal. Why do
you think this is such a good deal for Steve Eisman and the Red Wings
And what does this allow them to do moving forward with another established leader and
a producer of twenty goals from a year ago? Well, first, thanks
for the kind words, and I think the Hall of Fame thing was ninety
five percent sports writing and five percent wreck basketball and softball. Let me tell
you, Bobby Benia Dage, you get your million dollar paycheck in the mailbox
this morning. Well, listen, of course, I'm just I just can't
wait to spend it. You know, I'm sure you did too. You're
the best, man, I tell you. Great signing for one year,
come on, Chep. I mean, I think all the talk was about
all he was gonna want it two or three years. I'm gonna be curious
to see how that went down. Yeah, I mean, and the money
for a million dollar base, so, Chep, they got a couple more
extra million to play with today. So you know, there'll be some interesting
names out there. And we've talked about him Stamcoast, Jonathan Mars Show,
the trade with Jacob Truba is still in the mix. So it's gonna be
really interesting, interesting to see how he puts Steve Weisman puts all these pieces
together. But yeah, Patrick canam, he showed everybody he can still play
at a very elite level last year. What did you think he brought to
the team that it lacked, that it needed. That's a good question,
Chep. Just a little pizzazz. I mean that nickname showtime it really yeah,
it fits. I mean that's what he brought. I mean, he
had a sense of excite here man, that flare for the dramatic. How
many big goals do you have it to get like four game winning goals and
ot or something like that. I mean, just that little extra. It
would have been tough to replace him. What is he? You know?
From a player standpoint, I think they've got leaders in there. He's just
another one. But he seems to settle guys down. Do you think that's
part of the DNA that they like in that room before him? Yeah?
Sure, I mean he's been He's done it a long time. He's been
in every possible situation, every possible moment. What multiple Stanley Cup championships,
man, I mean, he just he knows how to bring it at the
biggest possible moment. He can calm the young guys down. He's been through
it. And the thing is, chemistry wise just really good. He sat
into that room really well. I was kind of curious how that was going
to work, but he just he's fitted really seamlessly, and he seemed to
like it Chep, I really did. He liked playing for the organization,
like the area, who's familiar with it. I'm not shocked that he came
back. I thought there was a really good chance, but I am surprised
by just the one year. I really thought it'd be multiple years. But
then again, like we said earlier, that one year with the base,
that's only four million bucks that's going to help the Wings. Yeah, there's
no question. Tik Kulfin of the Detroit News. Joiner is here on ex'es
and bros. You can fall him on Twitter on x at t Kulfin k
U l f A. And he's the dearborn Hall of Famer and he's with
us on this Monday morning. Now that he's in the fold, and you
understand, they had a lot of money under the cap, but a lot
of that money's going to Raymond Insider, Right, So where did they go
next? And what would it take to get one of those players on their
wish list? Man, that's a great question. Shep Where if I was
the GM, where would I go next? Or I would definitely try I
suppose that. Steven Stamkost, I'm not sure that's gonna Again, maybe I'm
mister pessimistic. I'm not sure that that's going to happen because I've heard that
Nashville is going to be very aggressive, The Rangers are going to be very
aggressive, and I just don't know if the Wings can match that. But
I tell you my friend and you know, to Steve Weicherman has a way.
I mean, he's pretty good these sort of things. He's got a
relationship with stamp posts. So let's see if that kind of helps the TRUEBA
thing like we you know, we heard about all weekend. I'm not sure
how much there is to that. I would definitely consider it, shep,
I don't know if you would. I would consider it for the number.
I guess Rangers will retain some of that money, so Wings would probably be
on the hook for about five or five point five. That's reasonable. I
suppose. I think there's better options than Jacob true, but but he's I
think he would fit in nicely on this. He gives him. He gives
him some bite and physicality, There's no question about that. But uh,
you know what, here's one name under the radar a little bit, uh,
the little goal scorer from Vegas, Jonathan marsha Show. You know,
he won the Consmith a couple of years ago. He's an interesting option if
they don't, I think he would really help. He's been, uh,
he's been a pretty consistent thirty goal scorer. Whatnot. Players with kind of
a little David Paran type of thing. He's good friends with. David Paran
plays with a little bit of you know, he has a little bit of
an edge, kind of a kind of a guy that's under the gets under
the fingernails of the other team. He'd be an option. Uh, long,
long, long long shot, Tyler Bertuzzi. Who knows, maybe they
get you know, something can happen there, But that's a long, long,
long shot. But there's some options. There'll be a fun day,
that's for sure. It always is. Yeah, you know what. I'm
glad you bring that up because to me, I don't think you necessarily need
to be by the big names all the time. It just has to be
the right fit. And you brought up David Peran. I think David Prawn
has been a very good fit. Do you anticipate him re upping and staying
in Detroit? He sure likes it hairshop, I'll tell you that much.
He really enjoys it here. He's going to have to take a little bit
of a salary bite. I mean he can't take he can't make as much
as he's last year, but I think he would at this point in his
career. No, you're absolutely right, my friend. I think he's been
a good fit and I do think I'd be surprised if they don't work out
something with him. And then a defenseman Shane gossips the hair, that'll be
a little more difficult. I guess we'll see what happens with True but first
I suppose too. But I thought the one thing with that Gustus beher Man
is he run of power. I mean, he had heard all the positives
about how good he is with with a puck at his stick. He is
something special. That'd be a you know, he lacks a little defensively,
but boy, oh boy, he brings it on the other end of the
rink. And again, that'd be a tough guy to replace if they lose
him. Yeah, there's no question about that. I think, you know,
for as bad as he may be defensively, he makes up for that
offensively and the power play. And maybe that's why Jacob True but at least
for me, is is such an attractive option. I've liked him ever since
he came out from the University of Michigan. I loved him in Winnipeg.
I think he'd be a really big plus for the Red Wings. But I've
been wrong before. I thought Jeff Petree would be as well. How much
should be his defensive metrics is defensive staffs and you can I'm not you know
those metrics? What just the eye I look for the eye test he has
slipped at. He didn't play as well with the Rangers the last couple of
seasons and he was demoted down to the third pair in the playoffs, and
that's where he was. Rangers are kind of penciling them in next year.
He's lost to maybe a little bit of a step, and he takes some
bad penalties, but boy, that just that idea that he's back there and
he's not afraid to hit. Obviously, that would be an interesting option,
a good option for them to have back there. In that regard, how
much should we read ted into what this team is doing moving forward and the
trading of Wallman and the second round pick and some of the younger players that
maybe we feel are close to being ready to jump into the next next year.
Well, the Wallman trade chef that was just basically done to clear cap
space. They needed a little bit more room for what they want to accomplished
today and signing Raymond and Cider tough to move salary of these days in the
NHL, and that kind of shows that there were a couple other deals this
weekend where the team had attached a draft pick just basically unload a salary.
Uh And by the way, wellman, I thought he slipped a little bit
last year, Shop. I mean, he was as good as he was
the year before. I mean, he was a healthy scratch there down the
down the down the stretch, and you know who knew you know where he
was going to stand on the depth chart next season. But yeah, I
mean you got Simon Edvinson coming in for sure, a shop. But he
looks like he's going to be the real deal. He could be a nice
player. Johansson kid, I hadn't watched him as much just during training camp
in some of the preseason games. I mean, they love, they love
the way he moves the puck. He's a really steady guy. Berger and
Johnson Bernhery. He's been up here before, he's had some success here before.
Bergmant, you do kind of wonder where he's gonna fit into the lineup,
especially after today. If they get a couple of guys, we'll see
what happens. I think he's ready to play nice. He's got great instinct
shep. He knows what to do with the puck. He seems to be
in the right spot all the time. They've got some guys ready, I
mean pretty soon, if you're pretty soon here, we'll get to see the
likes of what Nate Danielson and who's the other fmrco Casper. I don't know
if there's room this year shop, but it's gonna be pretty soon, probably
another year year away. So yeah, he'll be interesting. I mean,
if he bridges some of these guys that he signs, like Caine last night,
just to one year, that does still leave some open spots for next
year. So there's some depth. There's some depth of this organization. I
think we'll be we we'll begin to see it this year and definitely in the
next two or three years. Signed Ted Coulfin joining us here on EXS and
Bros. You can foll him on ex at t kaulfin He of the Detroit
News. Eight draft picks over the weekend, led by Michael Brandiscat. Nigard
right, the kid from Norway and the first ever Norwegian drafted in the first
round. What was your overall take on the hall that Steve Eiserman and Chris
Draper had for Detroit on Draft weekend. Well, we'll see in the future
set, but it was the full They definitely they needed a few more score
more wingers. I mean they got a lot of pieces on defense as far
as the depth chart and organizationally, they needed a few more wingers. The
kid from Norway, he's not far away. Evidently he's got a pro build.
I mean he's a pretty strong kid. Heck of a shot. Allegedly,
Uh, he plays hard, great on the fore check. A couple
of scouts told me this guy might be the best for checker in the draft
class. So you know, they needed a guy they don't think that didn't
necessarily have a guy like that anywhere. So he he helps a lot of
people, like that second round pick from the US program shop. Ye nice
passer. Allegedly, one guy told me he might be one of the best
passes, if not the best passer in the draft. You can find just
the way you can feather the puck. He finds the open man. And
then there here's one sleeper, that Swedish kid they got like in the fifth
or sixth round that Charlie Forthland. I think it is big kids six foot
three. One of those kids that played in the lower division than Sweden,
so he kind of dominated. But you know, we'll see how that translates
next season into playing into a bigger division. But you look at the size
and the skill. You know, you can put the puck in the net
and some other things that they like. It could be who knows, maybe
I'll be one of those kids down the line that they really found a gym.
Later in the draft said what does this team needs? A great question?
Yeah, that's a great question. Could use a few you know what
this team has do better defensively? I think the offense is starting to come
around. I mean if you would have asked me that a year or two
ago, whether they didn't score enough goals. I think they'll be able to
score enough goals. They kind of they did this season, but they still
have to stop the other team. I mean that was still a problem last
year. So I guess to a certain extent, do we look at the
goaltending, does that still need to be upgraded? Uh? Yeah, who's
in Lion? I don't know. It's not bad, it's not a bad
combo. I'm sure I could be. It could be better. So maybe
he goes well, there's nothing in free agency that really betters that. But
maybe on the trade market does he find something but a healthy I'll tell you
what, a healthy Whoso. I still think that could be. That's a
pretty good option to have. I think he can. He showed two years
ago he could be a really good goalie, and last year was just a
wash. I mean, he just was injured the entire year, Thank god
by Alex Lyon. Last year Chepd then had By would have made a disaster.
He stepped up and played really well. He really did. But here's
the bigger concern for me. Anyway, You're much closer to it than I
can be. But I just don't see how they have a number one goalie.
It's kind of like it's kind of like the Tigers lineup. You really
don't have a lot of number one guys at different positions. I wouldn't mind
Whoso as a backup. I wouldn't mind lying as a backup. But if
I'm playing either one of those guys on a regular basis, I'm slightly concerned.
How far off are there? Argument? Shop? We were just talking
about that. That's a fair argument. A healthy who's soo I kind of
think Highland a little more highly of it, sounds like than you do.
But he's got to be healthy, that's the thing. He's got to be
healthy. Alex Lyon. Yeah, I mean, he had a really good
run last year, but then he did get it seems like he got a
little tired there at the end. Or whether they're pressure or whatnot. Now
that's a very fair point. That's maybe they will go in that direction.
How about maybe satn't know, I mean, how about somebody like a John
Gibson from Anaheim. Yeah, I mean he's kind of slipped to the last
couple of years, but he's had you know, he's still that age wise,
he's still he can still bring it, probably and that might be an
improvement, but it's not a ton of That's a tough that's a tough position
to fill, I tell you that goalie, and you just never know with
them. I mean, it's like a relief pitcher. You just never know.
You know. Steve Wiseman, well enough, last question for you,
what is his patience level right now with this team? Knowing that you're gonna
have to it was going to be a while for this, for this rebuild,
if you will. But there are the expectations are people are getting a
little restless. You're right. I think he wants to win, don't you.
I think it's about time, I think he said. I think he's
a little hired of the losing. I think he is a patient man and
he wants to do this the right way. But shep. I just judging
by some of these moves the last couple of years, he wants to make
the playoffs. I mean, let's face it, and he wants to get
this thing going. That's my impression anyways. Yeah, and with with the
younger players that he's got coming up, he feels like he can be sustainable
because it's something that he has said, it's got to be more than just
one year, right, and he wants You want to do that. You
want to build something like a Tampa or you know, the Brewins or Florida.
You want to do that. And I think he's got his way to
doing that with the depth that he's kind of building up in the organization.
For sure. It's great stuff. Ted appreciate it very much. All the
best to you and your family. Thanks to the time this morning and hope
we can talk again. It's always insightful. Appreciate your writing on the Detroit
News and all the stuff you tweet out at t Kulfin and taking some time
with us here on a Monday morning. Buddy, you are the absolute best,
any time. My friend,