Steve Yzerman is a GENIUS for this

[@RobTalksHockey]

How would you grade your teams roster construction? A? B? F??

[@xTheSwizzle]

Calgary Flames: D-

[@QuackAttack]

Canadiens: B

[@DrTieYT]

I'm not from North America, so I just root for separate teams in each game, but my most favorite has been the Vancouver Canuks and the Canes. The Canuks to me ar a A- while the Canes are A+. The Canes fixed their problems at the trade deadline.

[@triptheory14]

Dallas Stars: A

[@beneasler8868]

Penguins. C-. It's a roster that would've done great 10, even 5 years ago. But Sid and Geno need more support now than they have.

[@AaronMQuantz]

Ken Holland absolutely destroyed the Wings depth chart in order to chase that pointless "consecutive seasons of making the Stanley Cup Playoffs". Steve had been in complete rebuilding mode because of it by not just stocking the proverbial cabinet with picks but totally rebuilding the house!

[@Outta-hz1ej]

I've always thought that call came from ownership. I'm sure Mr. I loved the extra playoff revenue and marketing a 25 year playoff streak also helped. Nobody wants to watch a rebuilding hockey team

[@Woody10719]

by order of Mike Illitch

[@FC-tq1yj]

As an Oilers fan I can confirm that Holland is the opposite of Yzerman... where SteveY has indepth knowledge of his prospect pool... Holland only knows his 'early' first round picks names. If you look at the trades he's made... it's bonkers how many solid prospects he just throws away in trades... it's one thing to throw away picks... but to throw away your depth that in many cases has familiarity with 25-50% of the NHL club.

[@apt7prod]

The abdelkadr contract. Thats all.

[@tomwilson3969]

To be fair that was the owner pushing him to keep the streak going

[@hosersupreme]

Thank you very, very much for this analysis - I'm so sick of the "Fire Yzerman" brigade on social media. The Yzerplan will work, they're just still digging out from the compost heap that Ken Holland left behind.

[@workshoptelescope]

The team is too good to be bad enough to rebuild. Too bad to be a contender. Fans on the app keep speaking out of both sides of their mouths with the team “being a playoff team” but also “still rebuilding”. The way the team has played was not the making of a playoff team, according to the head coach and Yzerman himself.

[@logan9758]

@@workshoptelescoperemember that this is a very young team with a good mix of veterans but in 2-3 years from now I think they’ll be a very similar team to the Dallas stars

[@workshoptelescope]

@@logan9758 i just can not agree this team projects to have the talent to be a division leader like Dallas. I get that’s a matter of opinion and discussion likely just ends there but it’s just too generous a perspective for me.

[@jamesevans5086]

Respectfully, I can’t wait till you eat your words

[@workshoptelescope]

@JohnnyNoPockets mine’s long enough to remember Yzerman didn’t draft Stamkos, Hedman, or Killorn or sign Schenn, Rutta, Goodrow, Shattenkirk, McElhinney, Maroon, Bogosian, Coleman… Steve did fine. But he didn’t build it himself, nor did it become a championship team until after he left. Nine. Nine years he was there, not one cup. Despite inheriting a comparatively better circumstance than Detroit AND drafting better players. He’s still just a guy.

[@mariofarias8745]

From someone from Tampa Bay, let the man cook.

[@solacexserenity]

From someone who watched him make trades with my team (NYR) Literally let Steve cook.

[@odelljl]

As a TBL fan from day one of the franchise I came to say the same thing. You got Stevie Y as your GM? Say thank you to the deity of your choice.

[@odelljl]

@@solacexserenity One of my best friends is a die hard Rangers fan and those trases drove him. nuts. You will fare better this season however

[@Migmaw]

From a Wings fan who watched the man lives in Canada and watched Stevie play for the Pete's till retirement to Team Canada and Tampa GM to Wings GM With all the awards and accolades and proven track record let the man add the spices now because we are there. At the playoff door. Stay blessed 😂

[@jamesevans5086]

I can taste it! We’re on the verge of something special! LGRW!!!

[@Chaosmite]

Yzerman inherited bad contracts and bad prospect pool, plus the lotto was against the team every year except for one year where they didn’t went down, but didn’t went up either. So the Yzerman haters need to shut up

[@thebeatleswin1]

Whole lotta excuses for a whole lotta not doing any thing for yzerman.

[@lowtierduster-7254]

didn’t went down and didn’t went up makes you sound like you’re 7 years old, don’t try to sound smart by using words out of your calibre lmao

[@Chaosmite]

@@lowtierduster-7254 insult, best form of stupidity. There was a year when the wings got 8th overall when they were bottom 8. They didn’t went to 9+ for the first time nor did they gained any spot. Get off the internet if you can’t read.

[@Chaosmite]

@@thebeatleswin1 facts are facts, not excuses. Besides, you can’t be a Stanley Cup winner with a bad team and building through drafts within 5 years especially when your divisions are filled with teams that has super stars.

[@slipperyseal95]

@@lowtierduster-7254caliber. Don’t step out of your own depths there bucko.

[@KLMarc]

The idea of a wings team fully drafted by Yzerman absolutely terrifies me as a leafs fan.

[@mrjojo2836]

Thats the idea 😈 Cant wait for a rivalry to heat up in the coming years...

[@BobTheBob647]

As a Leafs fan, I welcome it! Need someone else in the division to kick Boston’s ass

[@QuacksThePoet]

@@BobTheBob647 Next year you can count on us to do some of that lifting

[@mrjojo2836]

@@BobTheBob647 yeah I hear you. Good luck to you guys in the playoffs Ill be pulling for you. Canada in general is overdue.

[@Mario-qw2fo]

@@BobTheBob647when did the laughs do that?

[@potsmashgaming3196]

Probably the most egregious thing Ken Holland ever did was pick Zadina instead of Quinn Hughes.

[@Lesevesel]

THIS.

[@Slush_]

Hey, just wanted to say my daily thank you to Ken Holland for that

[@apt7prod]

Nah at the time everyone thought zadina was a massive steal. Thats not in ken its on zadina. All the bad veteran contracts are on ken.

[@kylefinn]

In hindsight, since we were all still hyped Zadina fell to us at the time.

[@segasys1339]

Source?

[@JeffreyFournier]

Yes! I have not heard anybody in real life, as a Wings fan who lives in Detroit, say Yzerman has done a bad job. Nobody who watches and understands Hockey thinks he is failing. If at the beginning of the season now me goes back in time and tells then me A: The wings are fighting for a playoff spot B: Patrick Kane is a Red Wing and C: You will watch Raymond approach the precipice of NHL superstardom ... I would shit my pants. This season has been another improvement in a series of improvements.

[@mediaisthevirus]

Was a really fun year and it was a treat to watch those last 3 games

[@captbloodbeard]

Sam Flannel from Woodward Sports isn't very happy with Yzerman right now. He's been very critical of his off-season moves and, while I don't think he's on the Fire Yzerman bus yet, has called this season a failure.

[@bradmaguire9611]

Why do you mention that name, he's a joke, never gets anything correct for any Detroit sports team, probably never played a sport in his life, spent too much time playing WOW, and his haircut is brutal. If that's your best source of mention, you need to get off social media delusionville, because Stevie knows what he's doing, but it takes time to fix the dumpster fire the most overrated GM in NHL history, Holland, has created. I have no idea how that trashfire GM has a job today, oh yeah that's right because he benefitted from devallano, Bowman, and hakaan making him look good. Holland's a fraud.

[@captbloodbeard]

@@bradmaguire9611 oh dude, I'm right there with you. I'm sick of hearing it from him too, just thought I'd point it out that there actually are plenty of idiots over the season that have been knocking Steve.

[@bradmaguire9611]

@@captbloodbeard what shocks me is I just found out that Ken Holland got in the HHOF??? For what? Inheriting a good team from the other GMs? In 2 years the wings will be in the finals and the oilers fans will be begging them to get rid of Holland.

[@calvincharlie999]

I never questioned Yzerman once. He led Detroit to a lot of metal. So chill. Only in a game is where a team can rebuild and remain good. For Detroit being doing as good as they have been is still quite good.

[@gearswarrior902]

Ken Holland was a goalie, he played 4 NHL games. He won 0 games. Steve Yzerman was a Center, he played 1514 NHL games. He scored 692 goals, had 1063 assists for 1755 points. There you have it.

[@doyleismylastname]

And 3 Stanley Cups…. Which he didnt win his first one until his 14th year!!!!

[@QuacksThePoet]

​@@doyleismylastname 4, one as front office

[@JD-gv4uz]

Scotty Bowman never played int he NHL there you have it tool

[@QuacksThePoet]

@@JD-gv4uz Shows how little you know, he would've gone pro if he didn't fracture his skull in juniors by another NHLer. Trying to equate Bowman to Holland is fucking wild, they aren't even in the same realm let alone galaxy

[@TheScreenScience]

@@QuacksThePoet Tells guy how little he knows then confirms guys statement in the same sentence LOLOL 🤡

[@permafrost2064]

Thank you so much for making this video. As a life long Wing Nut, I'm getting really sick of the online chatter about the "failing" Yzerplan. I completely understand the frustration, but we seem to have a real short memory and lack perspective. Yzerman may have had the GM position for 5 years, but it took him 3 years just to get the books right and stock up picks. The rebuild imo is only 2 years old.

[@Dogeekush]

I compare it to the dynasty that was build from the dead wings era of the 80s into the powerhouse of the 90s. Yzermans first season 83-84 and we didn’t win a cup till 96-97. So to me it’ll be 13 years from larkins first season, so ill only be mad if we are serious contenders by 2028 haha

[@Roetorooter]

I had my torch and pitchfork ready for the first half of this video, but dammit if you didn't hit the nail on the head in the 2nd half. The amount of people calling Yzerman a failure is one of the most aggravating things about being a Red Wings fan. So many people have so little patience nor understanding of how hockey works as a whole. This summarized my thoughts in such a great way. Thank you Rob

[@MadeOnTape]

the same people will come out and criticize the current Detroit Lions. Arm chair, social media GMs

[@kraqah]

Casual sport fans are absolutely idiotic. Every time something non positive happens its fire everyone and cut the whole roster. Demanding trades for every veteran put on the block. Its sad.

[@beelzeebub1]

He's an IDIOT !!!!!!! Open your eyes and look at the swings and misses

[@brendanjohnmichael4058]

Don’t forget Ken Holland traded a first round pick to Steve Yzerman and TBL for Kyle Quincey The pick? Vasilevsky PS Ken Holland was VERY against drafting Datsyuk. Håkan Andersson is the one who scouted and convinced holland to draft him so they picked him in the 7th round.

[@JeffreyFournier]

And Yzerman, as a player, told the brass they should lock Datsyuk down.

[@wesbrannick8269]

Ken Holland kept Johnathan Ericsson. That's all.

[@TheVlad1616]

Doesn’t even matter that Vas was the pick, he traded a 1st rounder for Quincey, who wasn’t even a top 4 D-man.

[@troynedderman9334]

And that was after Kenny Boy put him on waivers and lost him for nothing. Most overrated GM in the league. His drafting sucked ass since 2000 and exposed what a fraud he is.

[@iagmusicandflying]

I get the frustration of my fellow Wings fans, in fact, I share it. But one of the reasons we're so frustrated is we are SO CLOSE to that inflection point from bubble team to legitimate deep run playoff team it's difficult to keep the long view, ESPECIALLY right now with the utterly bonkers way the Eastern Conference is finishing out. I said on another hockey channel, the fact we're even contemplating a possible path to a playoff berth in April, much less heading into our last regular season game is so much better that we've been. As frustrating as this season has been, I see nothing but good things for the Wings and their fans for the rest of the decade.

[@Monster-o1q]

Ken Holland had 2 major faults: #1. Every year he traded away our #1 draft pick for an aging veteran. #2. He put too much faith in Tyler Wright and held that faith for far too long. Tyler Wright is the root cause reason that Detroit's farm system was so depleted. Holland takes 2nd responsibility for that because he blindly let Wright keep picking and picking year after year. Good riddance to both. It's a shame that it will end up taking 6-10 years to fix the mess that Holland left behind. Ultimately a large amount of responsibility goes to Christopher Ilitch for not recognizing that his father's prize possession was being run into the ground sooner and not being a proactive owner. He didn't necessarily have to wait for Yzerman. Holland needed to be replaced 5 or more years before it eventually did happen. But I guess when you're making profits one can turn a blind eye to win/loss records and believe what you're being told.

[@WarioSaysSo]

6:58 - All I can say is that the sucsess with Drafting Pavel Datsyk and Henrik Zetterberg is NOT on Ken Holland's credit. He just picked them because they where avaible at a stage when teams interest dwindle and had not been that interested in what the scouts had reported about them. Sure that can be said of all other GM's as well who ignored them but the point is the Red Wings scouts was the ones who had studied them and saw potentials others did not see or believed in. They hammered on Holland to pick these tallents.

[@QuacksThePoet]

And those back to backs were Jim Devellanos build

[@WarioSaysSo]

@@QuacksThePoet Fully agree!

[@QuacksThePoet]

@WarioSaysSo Yep, 02 cup was a free agent win and 08 was piggy backing the rookies and 5 yr vets of the 02 cup (plus Hasek and Ozzie) both products of Devellano and 02

[@QuacksThePoet]

@@WarioSaysSo I attribute 0 cups to Ken Holland and only cap hell and trading picks and prospects for aging vets that were injury prone

[@WarioSaysSo]

@@QuacksThePoet Well put!

I'm a lifelong Vancouver and Montreal fan, yet, Yzerman is my favourite pro athlete and hockey executive. To this day, I fondly remember watching him, Rusty Courtnal and Dave Andrewchuk playing for Team Canada on Boxing Day, 1982, the first time the World Juniors were televised. One of my favourite Canadian traditions. That centre-ice goal after stripping Gretzky of the puck to begin double overtime in game seven of the Western Conference semi-final, is my favourite goal of all time. Go 'Nucks' Habs and not-so-Dead-Wings!

[@joangreenhill3057]

HEAR , HEAR . Well said my friend .

[@bixbiederbeck5564]

Love that goal. Also a good physics problem. If a player can shoot 100 MPH while skating 20 MPH, how much has the kinetic energy of the puck increased versus a standing shot at 100 MPH?

[@freiflug83]

Jeff Skinner playing 1,000 games with ZERO in the playoffs is an embarrassing NHL record 😬

[@EMLeth]

And also not really his fault He's on the Sabres like

[@codyge18]

​@@EMLethplayed over half those games in Carolina

[@kevinbadger8030]

@@codyge18Still not his fault

[@threefiveorzero]

Wait, this is a real stat? WTF.

[@kevinbadger8030]

@@threefiveorzero Yes it is, and Skinner is the record holder.

[@TheScotian82]

Imagine how good Dallas would be if they werent being weighed down by like $25million dollars a year in Benn, Seguin and Suter.

[@jonathanlong4066]

Or even if they made 1-3 million less a piece. Team would be a nightmare to play against.

[@Flp6_3hole]

I think yzerman is looking for more then just 1 stanley cup and then done. He is trying to build a generational dynasty that will be competitive for a long time. Which is what the red wing franchise deserves. The red wings are still the gold standard even though they have not been very comepetive for 8 years or so. But u wait.....there's a a small ember burning and smoke is starting to build and it is getting quite hot and soon will burst into a huge flame. Then we are cooking filet gentlemen.

[@jamesevans5086]

Say it louder for the ones in the back!

[@Badass420EX]

Tom and bill patriots if you would

[@jonmendelson1104]

7:25 "has drafted star after star after star." Nowhere near as many stars as Dallas has drafted. Just making a dumb joke, don't mind me.

[@vivid_prizm]

Honestly though Dallas’s drafting is elite too. The 3 franchise players in 2017 with Otter, Heiskanen, and Robertson is crazy. Getting Stankoven another good pickup

[@MichaelJW72]

@@vivid_prizmYou can add Wyatt Johnston as well. Truthfully, the moment Jim Nill left to become the Stars GM is when Detroit started free falling.

[@nickniehaus1763]

It was a great joke

[@SYLFan2008]

​@MichaelJW72 : Nill's record from 2013-2016 isn't stellar. The Gurianov pick in 2015 was a shit-show display of "off the board" pick, especially when Ehlers, Barzal, Boeser, and Joel Eriksson-Ek were still available. He would hit on Hintz in that very 2nd round, but when you look back, Hintz is all he has left from those 4 years of drafting. Post-2017 has certainly been a major turnaround, albeit that 2017 haul of Heiskanen, Oettinger, and JR skews the results.

[@MichaelJW72]

@@SYLFan2008 There have been some misses, but on the whole it’s been very good. Meanwhile, the Dead Things were an utter disaster.

[@markhoward8373]

As a MI native and Red Wings fan, Stevie holds a special place in our hearts. Great player, great person.

[@LordBitememan]

Three moves Ken Holland made that left Steve Yzerman in deep mess. He traded a first round pick to obtain Kyle Quincy. He traded a first round pick for cap relief. He picked Filip Zadina. The alternative: keep the Quincy pick, draft Vasilevskiy. Keep the cap relief pick, draft Chychrun. Instead of drafting Zadina, draft Quinn Hughes. That out of the way, Lucas Raymond is a 30 goal scorer now, so W for Yzerman.

[@garretthohn]

Yeah the Zadina one burns like gonorrhea.

[@iprey4surf]

@@garretthohn He's gonna fill their net with gonorrhea. Hahaha

[@jonathanlong4066]

Totally agree. Yzerman is building such a stable team from the ground up. In every metric the team has been better year over year for the past 5 seasons. The prospect pool is developing nicely, a lot of middle 6 and top 6 guys in there. Three top 4 defenders from Seider, Edvinsson, to ASP. Maybe also two of the four best goalie prospects. Once Abdelkader's money is off the books is when Id be expecting DET to be getting into the playoffs and at the very least into the second round. Teams like DET, NJ, ANA, BUF, and MTL look terrifying 1-5 years from now. Maybe OTT too.

[@zTeaTheCoffee]

Holland wasn't responsible for Datsyuk and Zetterberg, that's all Håkan Andersson, who is a scouting genius. I can imagine a lot of the draft success the Wings have had as of late is down to Yzerman letting Andersson do his job, whereas Holland probably overruled him a lot

[@RichardHead93]

I clicked on this video wanting to throw hands. After watching, I still do, but your voice calmed me down a lil bit

[@robynsnest8668]

Great video. Wish my fellow Winged Wheel fans could see it. 25 years of success blinded everyone to how bad Holland left us

[@jonmendelson1104]

8:00 No love for Pavelski in that image. I know he doesn't quite match up in points per game but he's close (0.802) and he's had sufficient longevity that he has the most points from one of the greatest drafts of all time (2003) despite going 205th overall.

[@RobTalksHockey]

Pavelski is definitely up there. Ageless wonder

[@williammontroy9024]

As a wings fan .. idk I guess I'm still in the mind set of I have seen so much winning in my life time with this team so I'm not so anxious for them to complete the rebuild. He came to about the worst situation a GM could have taken over and hasn't had any luck in the lotto . This was never gonna be a quick process without getting Pittsburgh or Edmonton special lottery gifts .

[@bigleaguesnipes]

You are just mad you haven't won the draft lottery like come on its all luck right 😏

[@williammontroy9024]

@@bigleaguesnipes eh . After you see your team win everything there is to win many times over the course of a lifetime as a fan and see some of the best players of all-time on your team you kind of don't have much to get mad about . Never know you may get there someday too .

[@bigleaguesnipes]

@@williammontroy9024 Maybe Someday but not the present

[@RedWingCody]

That Goldeneye pause music 🔥

[@markostertag1101]

Immediately noticed that. Amazing. Solid call out.

[@stgirat]

When I read the title, I thought "wtf, you better not go there! Don't touch my all-time hero!". Thank you for the in-depth analysis and keep it up, your videos/analysis are top-notch.

[@jamesevans5086]

Same! Definitely click bait for Wings fans

[@TRB1497]

Love the use of the 007 pause menu music 👌👌

[@roostercogburn5005]

This was perhaps the single best team breakdown analysis I've ever heard. Nothing but facts and clear thinking commentary. Pure gold. New subber here.

[@iandenning3216]

Haven’t watched the entire video. I love your videos Rob, with from the title and the game the Wings played last night, the timing is just so funny 😅

[@codyyoutz]

Yzerman is our captain. He basically can do whatever he wants for as long as he wants in my eyes.

[@edwardmm737]

Agreed

[@justin2956]

100% I don't just believe in Yzerman, I have FAITH in him, forever. He has nothing to prove to anyone that he hasn't already proven as a player, a team leader and a GM. He literally played his entire career for a redwings organization that valued teamwork and good culture over individual stardom. He's now bringing that mentality back to this franchise that had strayed from that path and anyone that's been paying attention can see it. We are so blessed to have this man at the reigns of our team, his team.

[@pwvincil]

Easy path: Sell draft picks and prospects for old guys. Immediate gratification, but in 2 or 3 years, we are back to post Holland days. Hard path: Draft players like Seider and Raymond, clear out bad contracts. Have one of the best prospect pools in the league and build a dyansty team. Instant gratification is possible but it just leads to more work and more pain in a few years.

[@jeffreyboonev]

This is making me feel better as I'm biting my nails watching the wings down a goal against Montreal in a MUST WIN game to make the playoffs

[@wesbrannick8269]

Dude, Ken Holland destroyed this team and the amount of damage was criminal. I mean he's the same guy who though Johnathan Ericsson was good.

[@Kevinb-z2p]

Both Montreal games were NUTS

[@danglesnipecelly13]

Wings currently have the best prospect pool in the NHL. This team is gonna get better and better for years. Ken holland sent this team backwards a few years or so and Yzerman has come in and so far cleaned the mess. Not done yet but he’s working and things are coming along. If the wings simply don’t go on a 7 game losing streak in march they make the playoffs. Stuff was so frustrating

[@lonewuhf]

Ken Holland F'd the Wings HARD. Yzerman is STILL cleaning up Holland's garbage.

[@FlyingSaucerSafari]

The secret to Tampa's success in the draft wasn't Yzerman, it was our scout Al Murray.

[@gavynbaker6109]

I will ride with the yzerplan the same way I run with Dan Campbell

[@OutandAbout-h6o]

Lots of great work done on this video analysis. Good stuff!

[@BostonShovinstuff]

I just got a papercut on the webbing of my fingers (yes , seriously)... and I forgot ALL the pain just to watch this video 😜 F paper

[@RobTalksHockey]

You the man 🫡

[@BostonShovinstuff]

@@RobTalksHockey Wicked tough guy , right lol . * crisp high five * from Boston bud

[@paulrietveld9837]

This guy absolutely slobknobs the hell out of Yzerman when he actually hasn't shown anything that indicates how much of a genius he is. Like, hes making very common moves that GMs make 😂 4 months later and my point has more than been proven.

[@Adam-vs2in]

The wings are finally back. They may not slip in the final playoff spot tonight but they will be in it next year. People don’t understand Yzerman had to wait out several bad contracts and stock up on draft picks the first 4 years. They’re finally competitive again.

[@timmygressler7468]

Thank you so much for making this video

[@somethingcrazywithextrache9129]

What a fucking breakdown holy shit also side note wings could still make playoffs if Washington loses one game and they beat mtl in a back to back

[@Kevinb-z2p]

It was close 😔

[@classic.cameras]

The Red Wings will be a NIGHTMARE for other teams very soon. The Yzerplan will most very likely succeed.

[@Johnny-fw9xj]

Red Wings fans today: Why the hell won't they fire Yzerman??? Red Wings fans post-Yzerman: Who the hell fired Yzerman???

[@emersonmanning1124]

One thing you didn’t mention is that when Yserman left for Tampa. He took some of Detroits scouting staff with him

[@topiheimola69]

People have already forgotten that the Wings weren't even supposed to make the playoffs yet this season. Before the season it was widely accepted that they MIGHT make the playoffs this season, but most likely 24-25 OR EVEN 25-26.

[@mijtii]

One of the best hockey videos ive ever watched

[@ericmyers3561]

Excellent video on Yzerman. Tired of hearing the negative stuff about him

[@johnburns9634]

The Red Wings can still make the playoffs. And this last game was off the wall crazy!

[@whydoyoutroll99]

Great video! Glad you defended the slander on Yzerman as he had to clean Hollands horrible mess

[@badandy3082ify]

I'm a wings fan, and I can tell you right now, Larkin is not a star. He's above average at best. 9 10 years and only hit 30 goal mark what, 3 4 times lol but yet we're paying him a super star salary....😂😂😂😂

[@RobTalksHockey]

Larkins a star, but nowhere near the level of the top guys in the league. If he stays healthy his contract is justified. In 3 years it’ll be the equivalent to $6-7 million

[@iprey4surf]

Great vid brother! Keep it up. You earned my sub

[@Widacow91]

To think the Sharks today are like the Wings from 20/21, and realizing it’s going to be a while until we’re back in the playoffs sucks. At least Mike Grier seems to be the right guy for it. And now with Celebrini, Smith and Eklund, the games will be fun to watch.

[@HumanAction76]

Detroit is just one solid top15 goalie away from the playoffs. They don't need an all-star goalie, just an above average. Alex Lyon might be the man for the job, and that makes them dangerous next season.

[@reuben8140]

Excellent point on team culture - the ‘heart’ of the team was on full display in Game 81 & 82

[@thefamilymans2545]

Mr steve is doing what he set out to do. This yr is first time in many, that i actually believe the Wings can win any game, right up til the end of the 3rd, and beyond. Case in point, last nights exciting comeback win!! LGRW!!!

[@theDaveStanzito]

I'll admit you got me with clickbait title. Nice in-depth look at the organization. I think casual fans fail to realize just how bad Holland left the organization. The Wings might be in Year 5, but the first 2 were spent shedding bloated contracts. Nice work Rob!

[@stuartzoo]

How is Stevie doing it-makes ya Wonder 😏 Another great vid Rob. Thanks for your insights.

[@ericduncan7908]

Yzerman absolutely does not just listen to his scouts... look at his prototypes... Size with strong 2 way upside on D (hedman, sergechev, cernak, foote) high motor undersized centers (his focus on former U of M centers who are hard work, high motor guys wh ok are motivated by working in the Michigan market... trying to find a top line winger who scores off chances that most wingers would pass on with youth and/or a deal that make sense... (debrincat/kane) the difference is that the draft lottery has been unkind and that there hasn't been a high upside (future hall of famer) goalie lingering in the draft and that high upside players in the hardest to scout areas (Russia) aren't as apt to move over to play in east Michigan as they were in south Florida (duh)

[@Hurricanesfan123]

Most of the drafting success is due to the amateur scouting staff, not the GM. GMs get way too much credit for the yearly work of draft scouts

[@RobTalksHockey]

Absolutely. Some GMs take a lot of time personally scouting players. Yzerman is one of those GMs. It’s also important to note that GMs are in charge of recruiting scouts. GMs are directly and indirectly involved in scouting

[@calvinchambers839]

Jim Nill was the scout behind zetters and the magic man. Holland had at one point McCellan Babcock and Nill.

[@GabrielHodge]

Yzerman always has the yzerplan

[@thenightmaricsenpai524]

The biggest problem with Detroit is something that's out of their control: The Atlantic Division, especially this season, has been an absolute bloodbath. Unless they were to luck into a wild card spot (which can still happen since they're tied with Washington), the only way they'd make the playoffs is if Tampa slows down or if either Toronto, Florida or especially Boston fell off a cliff. Sure it sucks that the Wings haven't reached the playoffs yet, but let the man cook. Once some prospects start budding from Grand Rapids, Detroit will be a force to fear in the next few years.

[@davidwaxter66]

Detroit has only been getting closer and closer to playoff contention every year. A 5 year turn around to being a competitive team again after a complete rebuild is pretty good

[@theprovoked321]

Is that Johhny Depp playing as Steve Yzerman?

[@Kevinb-z2p]

😂😂😂

[@gmac2558]

Could be...

[@Lcngopher]

The wings couldve easily made the playoffs this season if not for some rough patches late in the season like the long losing streak in late february/early march. Dont think they wouldve been a cup contender but it wouldve been some good experience for the younger players like raymond and seider

[@thart1338]

Bro as a Red Wings fan we are fine. Still young with lots of promise I’ll give it another year before I start acc losing faith.

[@altonstuchlik8501]

The Ken Holland "Rebuild" left the cupboard virtually non-existent. I remember when he said "Rebuilds are ugly, they take around 10 years". We are on the right track as painful as it seems. SY has been solid, he doesn't wallow in mistakes, just moves on, each year is better and better, just hang in there...

[@lunar33icious]

Awesome video. Ya got me on the "gigantic fraud" though, as I thought Yzerman has been a solid player & Brass in his career! Glad I wasn't wrong!

[@theMoerster]

Been a Red Wing fan since Stevie Y was in youth hockey. We need to let him do his thing. He's not looking to win one fluke title...he's looking to build a consistent contender like he did in Tampa and you don't do that quickly by trading away picks for one veteran player that might allow us to make the playoffs or even win a round. Ken Holland was a great GM pre-salary cap. He didn't have the ability to build once he couldn't just use blank checks from Mr. Ilitch, however. Yzerman can get us there and keep us there. Being impatient and trying to go too fast just makes you the Bluejackets.

[@mattcraig163]

Great video man. I don't think Yzerman has done a perfect job, but i still feel pretty confident with the team in his hands. I couldn't agree more that you have to take into consideration the way Holland left the team when grading Yzerman's management. His hands are all over the prospects and its no accident that the Wings are consistently rated in the top 5 Prospect Pools in the league. I think Yzerman has earned our trust, at least for now.

[@cameronfranke8566]

If you don’t believe yzerman has done a perfect job then you’re delusional,the players he drafted and signed is what helped us get to this point in the season and if it weren’t for yzerman we wouldn’t even be in this spot today,so ya you’ll ref say yzerman hasn’t done a perfect job when he turns us into a dynasty again.

[@rayb8976]

Thank you for reiterating what I have been feeling! There have been some haters out there and I'm trying not to get dragged down with them. I believe what Stevie is doing is building a dynasty not a one and done type of team! You know what I mean, the type of team he was on!!!!!!!

[@djostrand2176]

Great take on the red wings. I think they have made many changes and improvements.thanks

[@Kraghack259]

Detroit could care less about what you think.. Stevie was and is our captain In Yzerman we trust.

[@Knyght69]

Great video, clearly you understand hockey. Those chirpin Yzerman, have no vision, no understanding of the long game.

[@drock13]

As a Bolt Yzerman is nothing short of a magician. Give him time, Detroit had a lot of issues with contracts and everything. We also had Jeff Vinik, Stamkos and The Crunch farming us, it was a perfect storm. They will get there

[@KScott-x2t]

Minor league situation is worse than I suspected

[@DooBee710]

Yzerman is just getting started. We are on our way to another dynasty team!

[@unplugged123]

u should have named this video "Ken Holland is a GIGANTIC FRAUD"

[@jasonvega8619]

😂 he was great in tampa

[@HoaxNA]

Best hockey content channel , keep it up

[@Sleeper_productions]

great video, not sure why people doubt the Yzerplan. Rebuilds don't happen over the course of one season. It takes time to become a 5-10 year playoff regular

[@Givens43]

Talking about hitting being up this season and mentioning the single-game record but not Lauzon breaking the single-season record (which is way more impressive) is a wild oversight to me.

[@ShotBySlayed]

Best hockey channel on yt

[@BabyfaceMasters]

I appreciate the break down and makes sense for sure, I understand the phrasing to pull views, but the title of this video is egregious.

[@rwsaldrich]

This might be one of the best explanations of what I've been saying all season

[@ronlangill8689]

The fraud is the video title.

[@vivid_prizm]

As wings fan, looking back at the obvious could have had Quinn Hughes over Zadina, it’s painful, but I do understand why someone would take Zadina when he was thought to go top 3 and had 40+ goal scorer potential. I get it. Still sucks. What’s actually worse to me though is the multiple other 1st rd flop picks Holland made other than that. Cholowski, Svechnikov, and to some degree Rasmussen. 4 years of basically not having a 1st rd pick because of bad scouting and choices. Don’t even get me started at who else we could have taken with those picks. Pain.

[@jeremycoyle2782]

Rasmussen is a very good hockey player for the Wings and His new contract says that Yzerman trusts him. No he isn't going to get you a lot of goals but as a checker he is really good. Big body and hard to handle around the net for other teams. One of the 2 or 3 players that has a plus rating on this years Wings team proves it. Showing my age here but he reminds me of Bob Gainey of the 70's Montreal Canadiens. Not a star but an integral part of a cup winning team.

[@vivid_prizm]

@@jeremycoyle2782 I like Ras, he does provide a lot of intangibles for the team and is good in his bottom 6 role. For a 9th overall pick it’s a little disappointing. I was just including him in the context of 4 years in a row of Holland picks that all either didn’t stay in the NHL or at best with Ras, is a bottom 6 player

[@Chad-u8s]

I trust Yzerman and am happy that he is our GM, his record as a GM speaks for itself. The lighting don’t make 3 cup finals without Yzerman’s leadership.

[@tb95ai]

Some of your best work.

[@buckyhermit]

Re: Every GM has their specialty... When my Ducks got Brian Burke as GM, I knew that we were in for a few lopsided deals. The man is excellent at fleecing teams in trades. But oh my god, he could NOT draft. Besides the Sedins (which were acquired using draft picks that he - wait for it - got via trade by fleecing other teams), he couldn't really do much in the first round. Names like Patrick White and Mark Mitera were examples of his first-round selections. But then he'd pull off a Pronger trade, or get quality assets in return for Bure that set up the core for much of the 2000s. And then the Ducks had Bob Murray for a while, whose specialty was salary cap management, as well as reloading without rebuilding. This worked for a long time too. And now we're waiting to see if Pat Verbeek (an Yzerman protege) can repeat in Anaheim what they did in Tampa Bay. It's a very interesting time to be a fan indeed.

[@tmlms1313]

You can also look at his Leafs draft history 2008 - 2013. Outside of Morgan Rielly, Nazem Kadri, it is pathetic, and that's EVERY round combined, not just the 1st round...... His trade history is just as bad too.

[@buckyhermit]

@@tmlms1313 To be honest, I think his magic wore off after the Cup win in 2007.

[@muddum9230]

“In this graphic…” 💪

[@Panic_Shart]

Let's go red wings!!

[@monabear7287]

Yzerman's draft record in TB was heavily bolstered by amazing scouting. Specifically outside the top 20. Scouts have nearly the biggest say in who gets drafted in most organizations. He was just smart enough to listen when they were emphatic.

[@nathanrobinson1099]

Remember it took Yzerman awhile to be big in the playoffs in his playing days too