Mitch Marner and Vlad Gavrikov arent the only notable free agents this season. The Panthers’ Bennett and Ekblad bring a hard nosed style and Detroit desperately needs. Could Donato be a sleeper hit for Detroit? I join Greg from the Grind Line Podcast to breakdown the 2025 offseasons top free agents. #LGRW
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43 Comments
What??.. Detroit Red Wings fans definitely appreciate Mo😅.. but a lot of Leaf fans I think want him gone out of Toronto.. Red Wings fans don't want Mo gone.
Fans are dumb. You can’t be picky with the top free agent. Make a play and hope it happens! He’s better than anyone in the roster right now
One of my friend is a Toronto fan. He realy hope wings go after marner
I think the fans saying no to marner have a far better understanding of how teams are built than Brian does.
No team is afraid to play the Redwings, they wont be afraid to play the Redwings with Marner. These guys just want to make the playoffs.
Marner would be a good signing, but the defense is keeping the red wings out of the playoffs. Ekblad or Gavrikov = Red Wings make the playoffs this year.
I sure AF wouldn't say no to Marner, though. It's just that until the defense gets fixed, both the red wings' offense and goaltending are too adversely affected. they both rely on significant contributions from the defense to actually be good. You can't have a great offense without the defense helping. And you can't have good goaltending without the defense helping. That's the core issue of the Wings' issues.
NO for Marner please. We need a Tkachuk and grit.
We need to stop assuming Kane and DeBrincat are playing on the same line for the rest of their lives. If we don't land a big fish, put DeBrincat back with Larkin and Raymond and get someone good for the second line. Hell, maybe we have to put Berggren with Kane and get a decent depth player for the bottom six.
Signing Marner would give the Wings a super star which they currently lack on offense. Lucas Raymond can be that type of player but isn't there yet. Seider is a superstar defenseman. Marner is one of the best play makers in hockey and plays solid defense. The Wings shopuld do every thing possible to sign him. Thank you guys for today's terrific podcast. Ray L
Is there a world where we could get Marner and Gavrikov and or Bennett? What would we need to dump out to get that done? I think it's worth it.
Absolutely 0 chance of Marner coming to Detroit. This is beyond funny at this point. He's too young for SY
I like bennett but hes played a physical game for a long time how long can he keep that up before he has to change his style and how effective is he be without that style to his game
I'd like to see Marner and Nate Schmidt signed.
Living on the east coast, I do not get to see Mo Seider every day. What i do know is that he is one of the best defensemen in the league, is constantly putting his body in line to block shots and does not shy away from mixing it up . Mo should be a co-captain on this team. He has not missed a game during his time with the Wings. He just goes out out every day and does his job. I would find it hard to believe that Wings fans don't appreciate everything that Mo brings to the table. Ray L
I would overpay for Marner to get him here. With the cap going up, what's 1-2M extra for an elite player? Thats literally like having a couple prospects in the lineup instead of a couple of replaceable vets. He would be our best player by far.
Are you guys gonna talk about all the turnovers he had during the playoffs or just ride Mitch the whole time Brian is so off on Bennett it’s embarrassing
I would definitely overpay for Marner. I think with him being from Ontario and having a baby and family near would make Detroit a possibly fit for him. I just don't see him staying in Canada. Also, Copp and Compher are different animals than Bennett. Points and position are similar but different players. Look at what Florida is doing to Carolina, they are destroying them and taking away their will to play, their toughness is front and center. I don't think Bennett will leave Florida but if he does pay him.
There’s no chance we sign Marner, Chicago, Toronto, Rangers, Florida, Vegas, Dallas, Pittsburg are the top teams to sign him, we are probably 15-20, Marner probably has 0 thoughts of coming to Detroit
Stevie Y isn't going t opay up for Marner, so get over it. We'll probably upgrade the roster thru trades and sign tier 3 FA's.
Good point on other star players that disappear. Like someone else said though, Marner doesn't make the Wings tougher to play against. Now if SY brings in some of those players who make other teams miserable, then by all means swing for the fences and try to get Marner.
The thing with ehlers is that u might be able to squeeze in gavrikov as well. Might be a bit tough. But is possible. To me. Gavrikov and ehlers is better then marner.
As for donato. He’s a good option if u grabbed gavrikov. He isn’t good enough to move the needle. But gavrikov is.
Red wing fan here. As much as people are pushing against marner think about this. If yzerman gets gavrikov or byrum or marner. It would be the strongest free agency he has had. It would be a win.
Marner is going to the Pens to play with His buddy, Sid the cry baby kid.
Idc what these fans are saying. PAY THE MAN AND GET HIM HERE!
When was the last time a 100 + player was available in free agency? Open the checkbook and get him. Fill some bottom six spots with your prospects on ELC’s to offset the expense and make it work!
I want Mitch! Get it done Steve. I will never forget the Shayne and Jake failures. Both players are in their conference finals.
Brian snd his guest should look into the early 1990's Wings teams under Brian Murray. Lots of goals gaudy stats flashy offense and from 1991 to 1994 just one series win.Sound familiar?
They dumped some of the high octane scorers including two future Hall of Famers plus another who retired. They added some grit and depth and won back to back Cups. That's why getting Marner is not the answer
Watching Walman block shots in the WCF and realizing his two playoff points this year doubles the career playoff totals of Larkin, Seider and Raymond is fun.
Bennett, marner and Gudas
u people are insane
If we get a solid top 6 forward and a proven top 4 Dman and ASP makes the roster, we will make the playoffs next year. Raymond, Seider and Kasper will carry the team on their backs to make it happen. Danielson in the 3C role will be icing on the cake.
Cmon Yzerman! One top 6 forward and a top pair defenseman then the wings are definitely in. If they had amazing tending to go along with it then they get to 2nd round at least.
Based on his past which has been shopping & signing inexpensive short term contracts, I just don't see Yzerman going $12 mill/yr for 8 years for anyone.
Some wings fans not wanting to sign Marner is crazy. He instantly makes them a playoff team. He takes a huge amount of pressure off of Larkin. This is the kind of move that propels a franchise similar to the Leafs acquiring Gilmour in '92 (not saying Marner is Gilmour). Wings need a superstar.
Yzerman should be fired. Misshandling the roster for many years now.
Starting with signing holl, copp, compher, tarasenko. Then being average with these signings. Never getting top picks in draft. If you want top picks you need to bottom out properly, red wings didint even do that correctly. Trying to be playoff team even though they are not there yet.
Then losing wallman and paying draft pick for that. Maybe Yzerman had plan to sign somebody else but this was costly. Now walman is playinh in coference finals and doing well. Same with gostisphere, losing him for nothing.
Well this year red wings has to succeed or yzerman is out. Buyout holl, trade compher, sing gavrikov + ehlers/marner. Look for RFA options like McTavish, Knies etc.
Red wings are NOT going to playoffs next season without adding talent + getting rid of dead cap.
It's on Itllich duhhhh
Donato is a solid sleeper pick for sure
In a perect world we sign marner gavricov and bennet in a realistic worrld we get donato instead of bennett
One thing ppl should remember is last year everyone wanted yzerman to swing for the fence for stamkos which i believe he did and that was why he dumped walman was to clear speace for stammer but ask preds fans how they are liking that deal after year 1… They hate it
Marner is a no brainer, it just comes down to whether he wants to come here, i would be shocked if we get him. Gavrikov would be great but every team is thinking that. I like Ehlers, he has looked great in the playoffs and looks so fast. No one likes Marchand but he would be great on the roster. Great locker room guy, great playmaker, and sandpaper for days. I hate the guy but i also hated Chelios until he was a Wing. Honestly, sign any and all of these guys mentioned on the podcast. Having a top 6 forward and/ or a top 4 dman will be good. We need more goals, we need more defense and we also need to be able to kill any penalty. I can say this, beggers cant be choosers, its just that simple.
Ekblad would make the most difference. Nic Hague is likely going to be traded by Vegas and at 6’5” entering his prime, he has Yzerman written all over acquiring him, if you look at Dmen he acquired in Tampa.
Ryan Lindgren should be another target because of how he sheltered Fox in NY the last few years. With ASP coming, he’ll be a good target.
They need to add TWO interchangeable Dmen. Not the one dimensional vets they currently have. Even adding Hague and Lindgren as two Dmen to help build around 53 and 77, would be a big step in the right direction. Ekblad would be a monster get though. To really settle the group down. Add him and Hague or Lindgren, would be a great off-season for their defense. Obviously the others have to go as well.
One name Detroit fans better not sell short is Anton Johansson. He was very good for Grand Rapids after coming over in March. His game suites the smaller rink. Nobody should be surprised if his makes the team out of camp, and ASP stays in GR for 40-50 games.
So they have to be careful with who they add but they have to add.
Up front, think we’re gonna see a couple players like Olofsson added. They’ll try on Ehlers and maybe even Marner, but more likely they’ll add 2 players like Olofsson from Vegas.
Only 27 goals though for Marner. And Ehlers is also a sub 30 goal scorer.