Jeremy Laura: Detroit hits the wild card after 3-2 Overtime win in Vancouver

" last year’s walk up to free agency " Do you mean the TDL??

1st WC baby!!!!!!!

Hopefully the Wings are not so dependent on goaltending as they go on.

Love the fact they kept composed and got the win... My only concern is that I don't like this trend of being outshot. It's a recipe for losing (i.e. last season). They can't depend on goaltending to save their butts if they want to make the playoffs.

Lyon was outstanding once again. I'm a firm believer they should extend him now. He's 5 years younger than Talbot. Next season I would think Cossa can handle the backup job and take some of the load off Lyon. If Lyon goes to free agency he'll be gone in 60 seconds. He'll get a good pay raise and term from somebody else if the Wings don't resign him. My only concern is that he stays healthy. We'll see how things pan out.

Soderblom should stay in Detroit the rest of the season. He looks very comfortable out there. Needs to keep forechecking and just play his game. Even though I want Petry to get better... I don't want to see him in the lineup the rest of the season. He's lost his job in Detroit and needs to retire. We've got too many good defensive prospects coming up to have room for him.

Love the fact they kept composed and got the win... My only concern is that I don't like this trend of being outshot. It's a recipe for losing (i.e. last season). They can't depend on goaltending to save their butts if they want to make the playoffs.

Lyon was outstanding once again. I'm a firm believer they should extend him now. He's 5 years younger than Talbot. Next season I would think Cossa can handle the backup job and take some of the load off Lyon. If Lyon goes to free agency he'll be gone in 60 seconds. He'll get a good pay raise and term from somebody else if the Wings don't resign him. My only concern is that he stays healthy. We'll see how things pan out.

Soderblom should stay in Detroit the rest of the season. He looks very comfortable out there. Needs to keep forechecking and just play his game. Even though I want Petry to get better... I don't want to see him in the lineup the rest of the season. He's lost his job in Detroit and needs to retire. We've got too many good defensive prospects coming up to have room for him.
- Vladdie_Kon1

I love him Lyon, but if it makes Augustine move on would you still do it? He’s been scouted and may be on the list of guys for NIL offers to stay in college until they hit UFA. Teams see an opportunity and Lyon will (deservedly) want as much term as possible with Augustine looking at where he will fit

" last year’s walk up to free agency " Do you mean the TDL??
- HenryHockey

I did, apologies. Will correct

I love him Lyon, but if it makes Augustine move on would you still do it? He’s been scouted and may be on the list of guys for NIL offers to stay in college until they hit UFA. Teams see an opportunity and Lyon will (deservedly) want as much term as possible with Augustine looking at where he will fit
- Jeremy Laura

It feels like I've seen a number of comments about Augustine not signing. In a typical development cycle for a non-first round player college player who is developing on track, this would be his signing year. I haven't seen any indication why he wouldn't want to sign. He's a local kid, he never played on a team outside of Michigan. As a NTDP kid and primary tender his U18 season, he could have gone anywhere. He chose to stay in state with Michigan. When Mel got fired, he opened his recruiting back up and chose another Michigan school. I just don't see anything in his history, nor have I seen a single article about him, or comment by him, that suggests he's anything other than happy to be in the Wings prospect pool.

I love him Lyon, but if it makes Augustine move on would you still do it? He’s been scouted and may be on the list of guys for NIL offers to stay in college until they hit UFA. Teams see an opportunity and Lyon will (deservedly) want as much term as possible with Augustine looking at where he will fit
- Jeremy Laura

Well... I think Yzerman probably needs to have a sit down with Augustine and his agent and see if he's still planning to finish his schooling or may want go pro prior to graduation if given the opportunity by Detroit. I want him playing for Detroit as much as anybody, but he has yet to even play pro hockey in the AHL or NHL. He might want to join the Wings and finish school later if given the contract / opportunity. Haven't seen or heard anything about him not wanting to stay in the Wings organization... so I'm not too worried about it yet.

Well... I think Yzerman probably needs to have a sit down with Augustine and his agent and see if he's planning to finish his schooling or go pro prior to graduation if given the opportunity by Detroit. I want him playing for Detroit as much as anybody, but he has yet to even play pro hockey in the AHL or NHL. He might want to join the Wings and finish school later if given the contract / opportunity. It's a tricky situation for sure.
- Vladdie_Kon1

Here’s the part that I was holding for a writeup during the down days. We just saw this play out in football. A quarterback from Georgia (Carson Beck) was injured in December. Around 12/12 he declared for the NFL draft. 4 days later he removed his name from the draft after Miami offered 3.4 million dollars for him to play 1 year there. So many players left their teams that Marshall had to cancel their bowl game appearance due to not having a full roster. We know tampering is a problem. All his agent has to do is get multiple deals together to pay about 188k (ELC bonus plus ahl salary) one year and 100k the second year. Say Bauer/Body Armor/Gatorade plus a company affiliated with the team that wants him the worst. I asked a writer about a Lyon trade when the team wasn’t doing well. His injuries are becoming a concern. But, with a cap bump, he can probably get 5 or 6 years somewhere. Augustine sees that and his agent says, “you’ll be on a 3 goalie roster or team ‘x’ will give you a shot”. That happened with Mastrisimone before there was money. Finding 300k over 2 years is likely very easy for the interested agent/team. We saw Winnipeg have a player say, “trade me or I’m staying in school until i go UFA”. So we extend Lyon, and in year 2 or 3 he gets injured and now Augustine made a good chunk of change and is headed somewhere else. This scenario has the NHL concerned, as it should

It feels like I've seen a number of comments about Augustine not signing. In a typical development cycle for a non-first round player college player who is developing on track, this would be his signing year. I haven't seen any indication why he wouldn't want to sign. He's a local kid, he never played on a team outside of Michigan. As a NTDP kid and primary tender his U18 season, he could have gone anywhere. He chose to stay in state with Michigan. When Mel got fired, he opened his recruiting back up and chose another Michigan school. I just don't see anything in his history, nor have I seen a single article about him, or comment by him, that suggests he's anything other than happy to be in the Wings prospect pool.
- bluelineenforcer

Here’s the link for the QB I mentioned in the above comment: https://www.sportingnews..../43679d195381806e818d688f

Go back to the Bob Daniels interview on Strings and Pucks. Players have been interviewing with schools with an agent present for years, but they’re called “advisors” because it’s not legal for them to be agents. Augustine has made waves on the world stage and in the big 10 and scouts from around the league are looking. Only one team has to say “you’ll get 200k or 300k to wait 2 years then a spot”. The tampering turned football upside down with a senior in Belleville getting 10.5 million to change his commitment from LSU to U of M. The teams can’t do anything about that money and the tampering is well known enough that we knew contract details before UFA frenzy kicked off last year. Meaning that player had already negotiated while being signed with a different team. If Trey sees a scenario where Lyon will be in Detroit for the next 5 years, even 4, with Cossa likely getting a shot soonish he knows that turns into a 3 goalie situation. The kid from Belleville is named Bryce Underwood and in the fall will become a millionaire before his first pass is thrown. https://www.cbssports.com...edge-from-lsu-in-shocker/

Here’s the link for the QB I mentioned in the above comment: https://www.sportingnews..../43679d195381806e818d688f

Go back to the Bob Daniels interview on Strings and Pucks. Players have been interviewing with schools with an agent present for years, but they’re called “advisors” because it’s not legal for them to be agents. Augustine has made waves on the world stage and in the big 10 and scouts from around the league are looking. Only one team has to say “you’ll get 200k or 300k to wait 2 years then a spot”. The tampering turned football upside down with a senior in Belleville getting 10.5 million to change his commitment from LSU to U of M. The teams can’t do anything about that money and the tampering is well known enough that we knew contract details before UFA frenzy kicked off last year. Meaning that player had already negotiated while being signed with a different team. If Trey sees a scenario where Lyon will be in Detroit for the next 5 years, even 4, with Cossa likely getting a shot soonish he knows that turns into a 3 goalie situation. The kid from Belleville is named Bryce Underwood and in the fall will become a millionaire before his first pass is thrown. https://www.cbssports.com...edge-from-lsu-in-shocker/
- Jeremy Laura

Yeah... I can definitely see why the NHL is concerned. As for Lyon... I was thinking like a 2 year extension (maybe 3 year at most). That may or may not be to his liking... and he might just walk away to a different team. Augustine will still need to earn ice time like any other player. I don't see Yzerman guaranteeing anything before he's played any NHL games. I don't think that's in his DNA.

I remember Keith Petruzzelli the goalie prospect who refused to sign a deal with Yzerman because he got a swelled head... He's still in the minors and his career has gone nowhere. No sympathy for that dude.

Yeah... I can definitely see why the NHL is concerned. As for Lyon... I was thinking like a 2 year extension (maybe 3 year at most). That may or may not be to his liking... and he might just walk away to a different team. Augustine will still need to earn ice time like any other player. I don't see Yzerman guaranteeing anything before he's played any NHL games. I don't think that's in his DNA.

I remember Keith Petruzzelli the goalie prospect who refused to sign a deal with Yzerman because he got a swelled head... He's still in the minors and his career has gone nowhere. No sympathy for that dude.
- Vladdie_Kon1

I think Augustine is aware that in most scenarios he has to earn ice time. But, he got some pretty big attention at the world juniors when an injury to another goalie put him in net. For Lyon, he’s 32 and been working for sub 1m. He’ll know what the open market will offer. If he takes a 2 year deal, you have to hit free agency again at 34. So the scenario is, yes Augustine has to earn his time. But, he’s played on a fairly big stage and teams are impressed. He led MSU to a big 10 victory last season plus saw team USA success. He may need to earn it, but you’re looking at Talbot who has one more year and Lyon has to get his “retirement” deal. 2 years won’t likely cut it. That’s the scenario you’re looking at. Will you look back at keeping a guy heading toward the age when a lot of goalies drop off (and players in general) for a team that’s hoping to make the playoffs and be willing to give up on what the trajectory of Augustine is looking like amongst scouts? It’s a brutal decision, but if Detroit can’t get Trey on his ELC and he plays his jr year, you get a lot closer to him being a UFA. They need to talk, but the new reality is that players have a lot more sway. The NHL needs to get the ability to do a modified ELC for prospects that go to college. With CHL players now being allowed to transfer in, you already have “pro” contracts that were signed. Good for the players, but the NHL has to adjust, even if it’s limited to 1 per year or the top 2 rounds. The NCAA took a beating in court, they’re probably open to a negotiation

Here’s the link for the QB I mentioned in the above comment: https://www.sportingnews..../43679d195381806e818d688f

Go back to the Bob Daniels interview on Strings and Pucks. Players have been interviewing with schools with an agent present for years, but they’re called “advisors” because it’s not legal for them to be agents. Augustine has made waves on the world stage and in the big 10 and scouts from around the league are looking. Only one team has to say “you’ll get 200k or 300k to wait 2 years then a spot”. The tampering turned football upside down with a senior in Belleville getting 10.5 million to change his commitment from LSU to U of M. The teams can’t do anything about that money and the tampering is well known enough that we knew contract details before UFA frenzy kicked off last year. Meaning that player had already negotiated while being signed with a different team. If Trey sees a scenario where Lyon will be in Detroit for the next 5 years, even 4, with Cossa likely getting a shot soonish he knows that turns into a 3 goalie situation. The kid from Belleville is named Bryce Underwood and in the fall will become a millionaire before his first pass is thrown. https://www.cbssports.com...edge-from-lsu-in-shocker/
- Jeremy Laura

No matter what, Augustine has a least two more years of development, whether it's at MSU (not ideal) or in the minors. If you line him up with Cossa, he played a year in the WHL followed by a year in the ECHL, followed by two in the AHL. Trey is two years into his development. If he needs two to three more, he's slotting nicely to come is as Cossa is full-time and Lyon (or whoever else) should be on the way out. Austine had two years at a higher level than the WHL. The Wings are working with Trey, he said so in an interview, and all players are open to tampering. If given the Wings a choice of ponying up a few hundred K, or losing a protentional building block of their future, they're going to find the NIL $$ like any other NHL team could. I can't imagine the Wings signing Lyon to a 5 year deal, but even if they do, he's not their future goalie and would be expendable when Trey is ready. I can't see him being the type that would sign a NIL deal to stay an extra year, so he can go to a team that's going to fast track him to the NHL. That would be horrible for his development and I would think he understands the process.

By the way...it didn't work out too good for Petruzzelli...he's been demoted to the E this year.

No matter what, Augustine has a least two more years of development, whether it's at MSU (not ideal) or in the minors. If you line him up with Cossa, he played a year in the WHL followed by a year in the ECHL, followed by two in the AHL. Trey is two years into his development. If he needs two to three more, he's slotting nicely to come is as Cossa is full-time and Lyon (or whoever else) should be on the way out. Austine had two years at a higher level than the WHL. The Wings are working with Trey, he said so in an interview, and all players are open to tampering. If given the Wings a choice of ponying up a few hundred K, or losing a protentional building block of their future, they're going to find the NIL $$ like any other NHL team could. I can't imagine the Wings signing Lyon to a 5 year deal, but even if they do, he's not their future goalie and would be expendable when Trey is ready. I can't see him being the type that would sign a NIL deal to stay an extra year, so he can go to a team that's going to fast track him to the NHL. That would be horrible for his development and I would think he understands the process. *correction. Max pension right now is 255k at the 10 x 82 threshold

By the way...it didn't work out too good for Petruzzelli...he's been demoted to the E this year.
- bluelineenforcer

Here’s the big thing that I will circle back to, no contract. I have no sympathy either for someone who chooses their own path and it goes poorly. Many of us have taken promotions or switched jobs and it turned bad. However, for an anthlete under the current system Detroit has to get Augustine signed. Years of development needed or not, he’s 2 years from being a UFA if they don’t. Yes, they can throw money into the situation. Other teams will do the same. As for being a type to sign an NIL deal, take a step back. If you see your team sign a player that makes it harder for you to earn your way forward and you are offered 100k, 200k or more to stay in school and then can make your own choice would the current generation (for the most part) stay the course? Augustine has a unique amount of interest in him, and not just in the NHL. My suggestion to the NHL is simple. Allow a modified ELC that gives a bonus and an annual stipend. It’s a lot easier to sign the kids on draft day than when the agent shows them offers. Another college can now do the same. You’re looking at being a desirable UFA, being able to continue the college route and make a lot of money. Once he signs the ELC, apart from schedule bonuses, his rights belong to that team. If you put Lyon on even a 4 year deal we know that Cossa will likely have moved up within a year and at least given a chance. The honor system that pros like you were and others I get to interact with has shifted in a big way. Your career can be over in the blink of an eye and how many NHL games do you need before you qualify for a full pension? Here’s a link to that chart: https://transcanadawealth...nagement.com/nhl-pension/ a full pension is reached at 10 years x 82 games, roughly 820 games. Right now that’s 197k with COLA. Larkin just hit 700 games played, needs another season after this to get close to that threshold. We don’t talk about this stuff, but the players and agents do. It’s my opinion, but it’s based on what we just saw happen. Will do a write up during the 4 day off period

As an msu grad who grew up in east Lansing, I’m pulling for Augustine. I hope he stays with msu until he wins a championship. There are players who do this, and I’m not sold on Cossa. So many AHL goalies dominate, but are lackluster in the NHL. Wasn’t Lyon a stud in the AHL? I like yzerman’s bet on two horses with Cossa and Augustine. I think Ryan Miller signed out of msu after his junior year, right? Maybe there is some intrinsic factors for Augustine to have a huge Career as a Spartan. Yes, it may cost him 1 or 2 years development. However, in the long run, most goalies take longer to develop anyhow.

As an msu grad who grew up in east Lansing, I’m pulling for Augustine. I hope he stays with msu until he wins a championship. There are players who do this, and I’m not sold on Cossa. So many AHL goalies dominate, but are lackluster in the NHL. Wasn’t Lyon a stud in the AHL? I like yzerman’s bet on two horses with Cossa and Augustine. I think Ryan Miller signed out of msu after his junior year, right? Maybe there is some intrinsic factors for Augustine to have a huge Career as a Spartan. Yes, it may cost him 1 or 2 years development. However, in the long run, most goalies take longer to develop anyhow.
- NC_Scott

Before the money was there, right with you. He’s such a strong prospect and has been impressive. But that UFA loophole and the $ have me concerned. Would love to see him hoist a championship. Miller didn’t have the option of $. There are 4 rule changes that have NHL teams concerned, and should. Coach Nightingale also seems to be getting scouted. The team has been unreal and I love the NCAA route. Just hate what we’re seeing with $.

Before the money was there, right with you. He’s such a strong prospect and has been impressive. But that UFA loophole and the $ have me concerned. Would love to see him hoist a championship. Miller didn’t have the option of $. There are 4 rule changes that have NHL teams concerned, and should. Coach Nightingale also seems to be getting scouted. The team has been unreal and I love the NCAA route. Just hate what we’re seeing with $.
- Jeremy Laura

Good points. You are bringing me back down to earth. We will see! Izzo could have left and made more money in the nba… Rob mason… maybe nightingale wants to be the next legacy.

Good points. You are bringing me back down to earth. We will see! Izzo could have left and made more money in the nba… Rob mason… maybe nightingale wants to be the next legacy.
- NC_Scott

It sucks, honestly. Until last year I think Lyon’s most games played in a season were 15. Since 2017-2018 he’s only played 104. Now he’s giving Detroit some amazing performances. I have no idea how any of this pans out. We will have an open discussion on the big changes coming, but for now let’s see if they can close out the road trip with another win and another 7 game win streak under McLellan

It’s almost like Yzerman knows what he’s doing…….