As we know, the Detroit Red Wings organization has made many moves this offseason. Some were near-universally agreed on to be great, like removing Datsyuk’s cap hit just to move down four spots in the draft (and getting an additional pick out of it).

Others, not so much. Signing Darren Helm again? Signing Steve Ott at all? Signing Danny DeKeyser for 6 more years at 30 million dollars? The list seems to never end.

And then there was a third category: the “I like it but…” moves, that followed such transactions as signing Petr Mrazek, but to not a long-term deal, or signing Frans Nielsen, but to probably too long a deal. 

So we posed the question to our writers: even though the Wings are probably done making major offseason moves, what’s one move you’d like to see them make before training camp opens?

The biggest hole the Red Wings have in their lineup right now is on defense. 

With the abundance of forwards currently under contract, there is a lot of speculation that Ken Holland will package some of them up to bring a top-2 defenseman to Detroit. 

But let’s remember something: Kenny Holland seemingly never does what the fans are expecting or what will make the team better. 

That being said, I would love to see him package up some forwards for a bonafide NHL top-2 defenseman. I’d be okay with him coughing up one current roster player (Nyquist or Tatar), one prospect (Jurco or Pulkinnen), and a defensive prospect (Sproul or Ouellet) in a deal like this. Anyways, it’s never going to happen so I’m going to crawl back under my covers, plug my ears, and keep telling myself that the playoff streak matters. It matters, guys! Ah, forget it.

Although it won’t ever happen, the Wings should really waive a couple of the veterans they are bringing into camp. It only ensures that the old school way of thinking will stick around this upcoming year. It isn’t fair to the fans and it isn’t fair to Jeff Blashill either. 

Drew Miller and Steve Ott are players that are way past their prime and need to be waived from the opening night roster. Mantha and Athanasiou were demonstrably better than both of those players last year, yet they have a chance of not making the team? Is this team going to be remembered for its sweetheart contracts, or for continuing the streak? If you decide to not embrace the youth movement, your answer has already been selected.

As a pretty strong critic of just about everything the Wings do these days, it’s been something to see more and more of the fanbase get on board with the idea that “hey, maybe not everything is going well in the organization”. And even though the Wings have stretched themselves pretty thin with the new signings, they’ve still made an arguably even bigger mistake: poorly evaluating what they do have.

What I’d like to see before training camp opens? 

I’d like to see anyone on the coaching staff say “Andreas Athanasiou is a legitimate top-six forward in our organization.”

Like Sam Blazer touched on, it really doesn’t make sense to treat Athanasiou the way he has been. No longer really a prospect but legitimately one of the team’s best talents, he’s seen his ice time cut short to be given to statistically far worse players. 

Athanasiou may not be a Sidney Crosby or a Connor McDavid, but it’d at least be nice for the organization to recognize he’s a player worth getting a lot more out of than the Wings have done so far.

Detroit the last few years has been developing players to the benefit of other teams. We watched them lose Ferraro and Nestrasil to waivers and countless players lost in deadline moves just to squeak into the playoffs.

I’d love to see some decisions made now on a few of these guys. If they have a future with the team, make that clear. If you can’t see them fitting (Callahan, Frk probably) then make a move. Even a prospect for prospect swap or some picks for some kids, let’s see something move. Maybe just replace that third rounder spent on Sadowy.