Ever since the Detroit Red Wings declared themselves as sellers prior to the
2017 NHL Trade Deadline, general manager Ken Holland has made good on his word
to rebuild the organization through the draft.

In that time, the long-time GM has stockpiled picks and prospects while sending
 veterans and rentals out. After years of building for right now, Holland is
now thinking of the future and positioning the Red Wings for another long
playoff streak and a shot (or multiple chances) to bring the Stanley Cup back
to Hockeytown.Since 1997, Ken Holland has been calling the shots in Hockeytown.
 (Photo by Dave Sandford/NHLI via Getty Images)

With a new contract for Dylan Larkin on the horizon, the Red Wings will need to
 be creative to come in under the salary cap upper limit. Holland will
certainly need to kick tires on potential trades to move out hefty contracts.

Should fans trust Holland to complete yet another trade? Let's find out how
he's fared since the rebuild plan was first decreed and see for ourselves.Jurco
 Sent Packing

TRADE: Detroit trades Tomas Jurco to Chicago for a 2017 third-round pick (Keith
 Petruzzelli).

ANALYSIS: This swap looked good the moment it hit Twitter. It looked even
better after the Red Wings nabbed a potential franchise goalie with the pick
they acquired for Jurco, who didn't seem to have a future with the organization
 and has since been non-tendered by Chicago.

GRADE: A-Mr. Smith Goes to New York

TRADE: Detroit trades Brendan Smith to the New York Rangers for a 2017
third-round pick (Zach Gallant) and a 2018 second-round pick (Jonatan
Berggren).Brendan Smith did not last long in New York after signing a contract
extension. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

ANALYSIS: So far, so good. After a promising start to his career, Smith never
developed into a top-four defenseman that Detroit had envisioned. Instead of
committing nearly $4 million per year to a depth player, the Red Wings traded
him for two solid picks. Berggren (No. 4-ranked prospect) alone would have a
nice return for Smith, who would be buried in the minors the following season
after re-signing with the Rangers that offseason.

GRADE: AVanek Visits the Sunshine State

TRADE: Detroit trades Thomas Vanek to Florida for Dylan McIlrath and a 2017
third-round pick (Kasper Kotkansalo).

ANALYSIS: Considering the returns for Jurco and Smith, it was puzzling to see
Vanek traded for an AHL defenseman and a third-rounder. The reality is that
this was the best offer Holland received for the rental forward despite his
impressive season to that point (38 points in 48 games). Hopefully Kotkansalo
(No. 18-ranked prospect) can develop into a defensive-minded NHLer after a few
more seasons at Boston University and swing this trade more in Detroit's favor.

GRADE: C+Ott Shipped to Montreal

TRADE: Detroit trades Steve Ott to Montreal for a 2018 sixth-round pick (Tim
Berni).Steve Ott ended up being a solid sign-and-trade forward for the Red
Wings. (Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports)

ANALYSIS: A valuable presence in the locker room, Ott was a nice rental for the
 Red Wings. The draft pick acquired for the veteran forward was later flipped
to Columbus at the 2018 NHL Draft for a fifth-rounder next year. Essentially
acquiring a fifth-round pick for 11 games of Ott-who's now an assistant coach
with the Blues-was a shrewd move by Holland.

GRADE: A-McCollum Reunion

TRADE: Detroit trades a conditional 2018 seventh-round pick (not exercised) to
Calgary for Tom McCollum.

ANALYSIS: McCollum never appeared in a game for the Red Wings this past season,
 so Detroit didn't need to send any compensation to the Flames. In Grand
Rapids, the veteran netminder helped the Griffins reach the playoffs after
starter Jared Coreau was called up to Hockeytown.

GRADE: BSheahan Sent to the Steel City

TRADE: Detroit trades Riley Sheahan and a 2018 fifth-round pick (Justin
Almeida) to Pittsburgh for Scott Wilson and a 2018 third-round pick (Jesper
Eliasson).Riley Sheahan has been thriving in Pittsburgh since his arrival. (Amy
 Irvin / The Hockey Writers)

ANALYSIS: The frustration around this trade centered on Sheahan's lack of
development and Detroit's wasting of a 2010 first-round pick, especially when
you consider the fact that Evgeny Kuznetsov was taken five picks after the big
center. Sheahan's lack of production the previous season and through the first
eight games of the 2017-18 campaign was nauseating. So was Wilson's stint in
Hockeytown after the deal.

In a vacuum, this was a fine deal at the time. It just didn't benefit the Red
Wings in any way besides moving up 45 spots in the 2018 NHL Draft and cutting
salary. This trade should have never happened, just like Sheahan shouldn't have
 nearly gone a whole season without a goal.

GRADE: C-Sproul Joins Smith

TRADE: Detroit trades Ryan Sproul to the New York Rangers for Matt Puempel.

ANALYSIS: With Joe Hicketts, Dennis Cholowski, and Filip Hronek on the way, the
 Red Wings found Sproul to be expendable and received a pretty good AHLer for
the defenseman. Puempel probably won't play for the Red Wings anytime soon, but
 it was a worthy gamble on a former first-round pick.

GRADE: BGreat Scott, That Was Quick

TRADE: Detroit trades Scott Wilson to Buffalo for a 2019 fifth-round pick.

ANALYSIS: For a forward who hadn't recorded a point through 20 games, a
fifth-round selection was a nice pick up. However, the Red Wings probably
expected more out of Wilson, who had produced 26 points in 78 games with
Pittsburgh the year before. Like the Sheahan trade, it was acceptable in a
vacuum, but shouldn't have ever happened.

GRADE: CMrazek's Tenure Ends

TRADE: Detroit trades Petr Mrazek to Philadelphia for a conditional 2018
fourth-round pick (exercised - became a third-round pick: Seth Barton) and a
conditional 2019 third-round pick (not exercised).It was the same result in
Philadelphia for Petr Mrazek - started hot, then fell back to Earth. (Amy Irvin
 / The Hockey Writers)

ANALYSIS: I think we're starting to see a common theme here. Like Sheahan and
Wilson, Mrazek should have performed better and, thus, not been dealt. However,
 the third-round pick they received for a goaltender with a 2.89 goals-against
average was a nice acquisition. Barton (No. 21-ranked prospect) is a long-term
project, but has the skating and puck-moving skills to push for an NHL job one
day.

Still, many-including myself-thought Mrazek could become Detroit's franchise
goaltender with some refinements.

GRADE: C+Gambling on a Tatar Trade

TRADE: Detroit trades Tomas Tatar to Vegas for a 2018 first-round pick (Joe
Veleno), a 2019 second-round pick, and a 2021 third-round pick.It';s still
strange to see Tomas Tatar in a Vegas Golden Knights jersey. (Stephen R.
Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports)

ANALYSIS: In the last few minutes of the 2018 NHL Trade Deadline, Holland
pulled off a heist - with Vegas, no less. Maybe Veleno, the No. 2-ranked Red
Wings prospect, should wear No. 11 in Detroit in honor of the steal he was a
part of and Ocean's Eleven.

It was tough to see Tatar go, but the return that Detroit received was well
worth parting ways with the scorer. Veleno alone may have been a good swap.
Getting an extra second-round pick next year and a third-rounder down the
road-while opening up $5.3 million in cap space through the 2020-21
campaign-only sweetened the deal.

GRADE: AFinal Word

Overall, Holland did a great job acquiring draft picks for players who didn't
factor into the long term. While Sheahan, Mrazek, and others didn't pan out as
hoped, at least Detroit got something useful in return for them. Plus, you
can't blame Holland for their lack of NHL progress - that's on the coaching
staff.

As the Red Wings continue on with their rebuild, Holland has shown the
competency to make the right moves. His recent two-year extension is evidence
that ownership believes that as well. He'll do just fine with the next few
swaps that come to fruition.

GRADE: B

The post Detroit Red Wings: Grading Ken Holland';s Rebuild Moves appeared first
 on The Hockey Writers.

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheHockeyWrite...
--- SBBSecho 3.05-Win32
 * Origin: TequilaMockingbird Online - Toms River, NJ (1:266/404)