So is the Red Wings GM Kenny Holland sleeping or something?

Kenny always keeps a low profile leading up to the start of free agency. He isnt big on trading away assets to land talent and said as much this year so the expectation is he will do what he said and go hard after certain players slated for free agency on July 1. Remember Kenny is a notorious liar when he is preparing to make moves....not one sinlge beat writer or so called hockey expert predicted Kenny would ink Rafalski, nobody had a clue he was even interested. Depending on who he lands in free agency expect a trade at that point if need be....Keith Yandle may be an interesting name you will hear pop up after the initial wave of free agent signings and if the Wings arent satisfied with their defense that may be when they pull off a deal. They have a lot of forward prospects that intrigue many other teams and Kenny never has shown a reluctance to deal draft picks....the Coyotes will be seeking young forwards in any trade that offer both talent and cap relief plus they claim to want to build via the draft. I would relax and wait to see what happens next sunday where we will get a good idea what the gameplan is. Another name worth watching....Justin Schultz, Illitch wont have issue with paying the EL deal and bonus money nor will he balk at front loaded contracts for premier free agents (one thing it is rumored Suter wants) so for now just blame you passion and paraniod tendencies where it comes to talking Red Wings. Things will be fine.....how many times have we heard that this or that will doom our Wings? Yzerman retires, Shanny retires, Hull leaves....doom! Salary cap....doom! We are too old (how many years have the Wings been too old?)....doom! Mike Illitch is dedicated to winning and spares no expense, nothing has changed other than he has an even bigger sense of urgency as he gets older.

Meditating perhaps.

First of, my thoughts are that you have the facts wrong. Pavel Datsyuk has definitely been the Red Wings best player in the last number of years, not Lidstrom.

One of the Red Wings strong points over the years has been patience and well timed moves from their management. I see no reason to worry. I think Detroit is resigned to the fact they probably will not contend for the Cup in the next couple seasons. They will aim for a Cup and few years down the line. Like a 3 to 5 year plan as most teams do if they don't believe they can win right away. Nonetheless they will do their best to win, but it is unlikely in the next couple years and I believe they know it. The only way they would have a legitimate chance to contend this year is if they added at least two really good defenders now or during the season. But who is going to let them do that? Probably no one. I do think they will bid for Suter and they may sign him, I think they are the front runner for Suter really. But it may take another year or so before they can get another real quality d man.

Kenny Holland should get the GM award every year. When they make the actual award it is for the second best GM in the league. Someone who comes close in one year what Kenny does every year.

As for the recent trade activity. As Burke said about the Jordan Staal trade, we were in the running but didn't have a Staal already on the roster. One of the conditions that others looked at in trading for Staal is would he sign in his new location? Everyone knows that $6MM per year wasn't enough to keep him in Pittsburgh So is he worth more? As for the Michalek trade, Holland knows that there are a lot more and better $4MM defencemen on the market. Best to add that $4MM to the Suter offer.

@Shakey ... Detroit's system is that players who play for the Red Wings must play the Red Wings style of play. Almost every player on the Red Wings has apprenticed in the AHL in Grand Rapids prior to making his NHL debut with the Wings. The Red Wings stress that the Griffins play the Red Wing style rather than attempt to win the Calder Cup. The Red Wings are not as active at the draft as other teams because they don`t deviate from their system. They fill a specific need. Rather than adapt a need to fit a fill.

He's waiting to sign Ryan Suter. Nick Lidstrom left, so-I'm guessing- he wants to save some money to get Ryan Suter.

I also heard some rumors that he's trying to get Suter and Parise in a package deal. The Wings have a lot of Cap space, so he may be targeting both Parise and Suter.

I'm sure he'll sign some impact players like Suter starting July 1st.

The Wings don't have the same level of assets to trade that other teams have. Since the 2005 Draft, the only everyday Wings that Detroit has drafted are Abdelkader and Helm, and from 2006 onward Detroit doesn't have one single prospect that they drafted to have played at least 82 games in their NHL career. Carolina, Pittsburgh, and Phoenix all have the prospects to deal with, while Detroit will focus on using money/cap space to their advantage.

I'm not an expert on Detroit's system, but it looks like their draft picks to me just haven't panned out for the past 7 years.

The Wings have a ton of Cap Space, but having the signing rights to Sutter and or Parise and having a ton of Cap Space would be better. I think you should be worried, rumors of where someone wants to go are still just rumors until the deal is done.

Suter is Holland's obvious target come July 1, Canada Day. I am sure he will also make a play for Parise but I'm betting Parise re-signs with the Devils.

Well Staal was only going to Carolina only, so the Wings wouldn't have got him. He is probably just waiting to go after Suter next Sunday. You are being somewhat paranoid because FA hasn't started yet, so relax and wait for the 1st.

No, he should be awake by now, it's 4:00.

He's obviously waiting for July 1st to come.