Flames dont need to move out that much cap space. You can have a 2nd for taking Lucic and we can call it a day there

My thought process is they're in win now mode so the more space they clear the more players they can sign that are better poised to help win a cup. Losing a 1st doesn't mean a whole lot if you can add more firepower in the middle-6 forwards or even in the top-4 defensemen to bring home Lord Stanley.

I'd consider it a a good thing Lucic is a psychopath and not the type of guy you want in a young locker room.

I doubt Dallas gives up a 1st for Hronek even with a 3rd coming back. Plus we have no one to eat up the 22+ minutes a game he plays. I like Lindstrom a lot but his play falling off at the end of the season means he still needs to adjust to the length of the NHL season which I'm confident he will but adding minutes to his game right now isn't going to help. I think too many Detroit fans undervalue Hronek, sure his defensive play needs work but to score regularly in the NHL today you need that 4 player in the rush. Being able to get production from defensemen is more important than ever. Is Hronek the long term answer? Probably not but it's not wise to trade him before we have some one who can step in and at least help eat up those minutes. I do like the Zadorov signing and I think pairing he with Hronek would be beneficial for both of their games.

Yeah

I don’t think Hronek is worth a first even with the third coming back. And I think he’s worth more to Detroit on the ice than the second+ he would get in trade

I personally think Hronek had a lot of value but I don’t think he necessarily fits the team defense mold that Yzerman wants to create. There’s some plays I watch him get beat by the attacker and he doesn’t even touch them. Hypothetically if all of these events (or something similar) were to take place would you not see a top four of Seider, Petersson, Edvinsson, and Zadorov (who can play RD) as sufficient? Then have Staal/Walman and Lindstrom playing on the bottom pairing? Just curious what you think.

If it were this years draft I would agree. The 2023 draft is going to be stupid deep so stockpiling as many picks as you can leading up to it could be a big benefit. I think hronek is a great player don’t get me wrong I’m just unsure if he fits the team defense culture yzerman is trying to create long term, ya know? Additionally I figured the fact that he’s cost controlled through 23/24 would bump his value up some.

I'm not sure Yzerman has made any decision about Hronek. He has drafted 13 defensemen out of those 4 are RHDs Seider in the 1st and Tuomisto in the 2nd in the 2019 draft his first draft as GM of Detroit. He took Cotton in the 5th round in the 2020 draft and Plandowski in the 5th round 2021. Now from what we've seen so far Yzerman thinks 4 or 5 moves ahead and since defensemen on average take longer to develop if he has made the decision that Hronek doesn't fit he'd at least have someone to step in and the RHDs we have in the system are either not good or too old. Without Hronek and our current roster Lindstrom would be in the 2nd pair by a WIDE margin. Pettersson is a stop gap and with the term left on his contract Yzerman might not take him. He has been very consistent and the players he has traded for have had at most 2yrs left and he hasn't given any UFAs more than a 2yr deal. Every body loves to use the term "Yzerplan" and most just don't get it. The Yzerplan is being patient and minimizing risk. Your parings Pettersson - Seider I agree with to start the season at least. I think the 3rd pair would be Edvinsson - Lindstrom its where Lindstrom belongs and it puts Edvinsson with a defensively minded dman. Now with yes Zadorov can play both sides but this is the NHL every dman can play both sides even Witkowski is listed as being able to play both sides. But it doesn't mean they should in a pinch yes coaches will play a dman on his off side but most coaches at the NHL level would rather not. Being on your off side there are simple plays that become quite a bit more challenging to make. I think Zadorov's game compliments Hronek's game well and I'd keep on the left paired with Hronek.