Inside the Article:
Heading into the 2023 NHL Draft, outspoken 97.1 The Ticket host Mike Valenti made it clear that he believed it was time for Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman to start making some big moves. Well, on Thursday, Valenti went on the air following the Detroit Tigers game and he blasted Yzerman for his comments following the No. 9 overall pick.
What did Yzerman say at the NHL Draft?
Following the No. 9 pick, Yzerman joined ESPN and he made the following comments:
“We’re still in a rebuilding phase, we’re still in a collecting assets through the draft… we’re still there….we’re not at a point where we feel like, hey we can really start to go for it so to speak,” Yzerman said. “We’re progressing and I hope to be there sooner than later.”
Mike Valenti trashes Steve Yzerman: ‘That was an F-you to anybody’
Here is some of what Valenti had to say today on his show.
“What am I listening to?” Valenti asked. “In year 5 of a rebuild, do you understand the set of balls you gotta have? I mean, Stevie should have rolled up with a wheelbarrow, and they should have walked through the door before him. To go up there in year 5 of a rebuild when a franchise hasn’t been to the playoffs in seven years, and you’re just whistling dixie. We’re in the collection phase, what?!?! (Valenti said sarcastically mocking Yzerman).
You can’t go to the podium last night, do nothing, and then you do the interview. Saying nothing would have been better than saying that because that was an ‘F-you’ to anybody.”
Key Points
- Valenti pushed for Yzerman to make some big moves during the offseason
- Yzerman made some comments after the draft that upset many fans
- Valenti took to the air on Thursday and flamed Yzerman
Bottom Line: Do you still trust the Yzerplan?
Steve Yzerman clearly has a plan that he believes in, but there are quite a few people, including Valenti, that are becoming impatient. Do you still trust the Yzerplan, or are you with Valenti on this one?
Yzerman is being tight lipped as always. He is humble and not braggadocious which is the exact opposite of Valenti. Biggest difference between them is that Yzerman actually is good at what he does and has the track record to prove it.
Valenti is “outspoken” according to the blurb on here. In this day and age, outspoken is another way of saying “he’s an asshole”. What qualifies a big mouth, done nothing webcaster to tell a lifetime NHL’er how to do his job? I’m sorry how many years was Valenti a player? How many years has he been a GM? How many teams has he managed? How many players has he drafted. How many cups has he won? The answer to all these questions is NONE. So he’s not any more (or less) qualified to tell an NHL GM he’s doing his job wrong.
Secondly, did Valenti watch the job that SY did in Tampa? How long did it take to turn Tampa from a no-hoper into a double cup winner? Answer: The best part of a decade. These things don’t happen overnight, although I invite Valenti to take over any struggling NHL franchise right now and give it his best shot. At the end of the day, he has no right to be outspoken (an asshole) because he’s not bankrolling anything. It’s costing Valenti NOTHING – he has no right to complain, he has no cause to complain, and he’s not qualified enough to complain.
Who the F is Valenti? Never heard of this clown. There is not one or two moves Yzerman could make right now to make this team a cup contender. The big rumor was Debrincat . Debrincat is an average top 6 forward who was inflated by Patrick Kane. Happy they didn’t trade assets and sign him to a long term deal. What needs to happen is we see where these kids are in 2 years and then add big if they are ready
What Steve did in Tampa means NOTHING about his work in Detroit.
Let me preface this by saying that I don’t think every move Yzerman makes is a slam dunk move but, I do think Steve’s work in Tampa has a lot to do with what he can do here. Steve was the kind of player who wanted one thing when playing in Detroit: win a cup. Why would he stop that mission now as GM of the Red Wings? He is still passionate and wants to win a cup in Detroit. He’s not trying to run this team into the ground like some think, on the contrary, he is trying to build up what Holland and his “non-rebuild” policy had left behind – absolutely nothing to speak of. Holland helmed this ship for three of those seven years of non-playoff contending and no one is holding his feet to the fire like Valenti and others are doing to Yzerman right now. Yzerman wants to win a cup in Detroit again – I think that is clear and he wants to have us be in Cup contention instead of just playoff contention. When you have an empty cupboard, you have to fill it in the draft because what available, elite free agent is going cheerfully sign on to a rebuilding club for the next several years? Literally no one!
Let me ask this: what would you rather have if you’re so intent on making the playoffs? Are you content on making the playoffs and then bowing out in round 1 or 2 year after year? Wouldn’t that just make you just as, if not more, frustrated than not actually making the playoffs? Don’t know about you, I want a Cup and one big splashy bold move is not going to be enough. I like Alex Debrincat and think he would totally help out on scoring – no question. BUT, he is not the final Cup piece. He is not, I repeat, NOT Brendan Shanahan (who was our final piece for the ‘97 run).
Main point, do you want a Cup or not? If you do (and I do), I believe Steve is the guy. If you just want to mosey into the playoffs and make it to round 2 (like the 93-94, 99-01, 03-06, 10-16 Wings) at best year after year, then I suggest you head elsewhere.
Mike who? GTFOH.
Methinks – Youthinks too much of yourself! Do you REALLY think SY was listening to your podcast and decided to mock you? What an idiot! You are obviously way too young to remember the terrible 70’s and 80’s. That was 25 years of absolute depression. Seven years is nothing. Holland left DRW with terrible contracts and terrible players who came here to retire. As of this year, and once he gets rid of ZADINA, he has the players he needs to taste the playoffs
Players left from 2019 roster:
Zadina, Fabbri – and one, Dylan Larkin.
This is NOW – SY’s team! Time to get there!
What did you think the rebuild was going to look like after Ken Holland left the Red Wings compilation of assets so bare? The situation that Steve Yzerman stepped into as the Red Wings new GM was the worst in the NHL. This was always going to be a very lengthy rebuild. It doesn’t help when the Red Wings get screwed every year in the NHL draft lottery for almost a decade running. It’s tough to build a team without stars. It’s tough to find star players when you NEVER have a top 3 draft pick, have the worst asset pile in the league, and are handed a cap sheet with contracts like Justin Abdelkader’s still on the books through 2027. Larkin was the only player worth keeping when Yzerman took over. This is going to take some time.
They never talk about hockey ever on a sports channel that supposedly supports its local teams. And you have the one idiot who thinks he is an expert in hockey but knows nothing. How bout you fuck off Valenti and go back to the hole you crawled out of .
Valenti is right. The so called plan is into year 5, with nothing more than draft picks, who might make it, might not. NJ Devils turned it around in 1 yr. Yzerman hasn’t done much here and that’s a fact. Agree totally with Valenti.
I prefer the Yzerplan to anything this fool says. Just because Vegas did it in 6 doesn’t mean thats gonna work everwhere. Holland left us in a horrible position. Yzerman is rebuilding this team to be formidable for years to come not just round one washout runs. I would prefer to be battling for the cup for yrs rather than 5 good yrs then back to rebuilding again. Trust SY he will get us there. Dont 4get what he came to in the 80s, he doesnt want our Wings in that position again.
Time to unload Yzerman, and sell this team Illitch. This family is a disgrace. The city of Detroit paid for Little Ceasars Arena, and Commerica Park. The fans are fooled by Steve Yzerman. He looks lost on draft day. Larkin in a soft player, over rated for sure. He’s not a super star, he’s average at best and way over paid. When the wings drafted Danielson, the announcers were lost, didn’t know what to say about him
They were as stunned as the entire city of Detroit. Time to boo Yzerman exactly how that clown Bettman gets it. Go back to Tampa Steve and work on drafting skills
Well said. My thoughts exactly.