People don't get the Wings' moves but I do
Plan A
Make playoffs, select with a pick in the late teens or early 20s
Plan B
Miss Playoffs narrowly, select with a pick from 7-14
Plan C
Miss playoffs decidedly, sell veterans for picks and prospects. Pick in the top ten with their own pick, give Boston's pick to Ottawa and use the cap space and roster flexibility to do better next year. Perron, Gostisbehere, Reimer, Sprong and Fischer are all on expiring contracts.
With the extra draft capital and another high pick, Detroit gets one step closer to being a powerhouse once more. With Sandin-Pellikka, Danielson, Kasper, Edvinsson, Cossa, another top 10 pick next year coming up the pipeline Detroit, Buffalo and Ottawa will knock Boston, Tampa Bay and possibly Toronto out of contention in the Atlantic Division .
This isn't about the Red Wings, but I find it outrageous how barren the Maple Leafs cupboard is. They picked first overall in 2016 to get Auston Matthews and now, if they don't go deep in the playoffs they're facing down the barrel at another rebuild. Matthews, Nylander, Bertuzzi, Domi, Brodie, Klingberg, Samsonov and Giordano are all UFAs after next season. They don't re-sign Matthews, which is a must, there's probably no one left as a UFA to replace him. Lindholm? Scheifele? Stephenson? Roslovic? Duchene?
Anyways, I rest my peace.