News Article: Chris Ilitch noncommittal on Holland’s return

[newfy]

I've come around on the idea of Draper, I would also give it a chance.

I saw someone mention on here about how competitve Draper is. I dont think he would sit by and make no moves like Holland has done recently because he would want to put his stamp on the team and wants to win cups. Yzerman left Detroit and was his own style of GM that will make moves, Nill went to Dallas and instantly made a block buster.

Draper is one of the few wings I would say is as hard working and competitive as Yzerman was, he almost fought Roberts at the winter classic alumni game for god's sake. I'm not saying he should get the job, but if he does I will give him a chance for sure. Hes in the same role Yzerman was in under Holland and look at Yzerman now

 

[Nut Upstrom]

Dear lord we are becoming the Oilers.

I do hope we look for someone from the outside. We really need an outsiders perspective/review on this organizations current prospects, scouting team, and future plans. Also an outside GM won't have the attachment to players like a current hire from within person might have.

EDIT: Does anyone remember a quote from Holland years ago about how he wanted to build a team of 20G scorers? Think it was a few years into the cap era but he thought it was going to come down to having lots of depth vs having a few superstars and building around them.

I don't remember him saying that, but is does seem to be the way the team is going. I don't mind the idea of stock-piling 20 goal scorers and having them and a solid D in place for when we land some superstars. But without Superstars or elite talent eventually coming on board it doesn't sound very exciting.

 

[Nut Upstrom]

I saw someone mention on here about how competitve Draper is. I dont think he would sit by and make no moves like Holland has done recently because he would want to put his stamp on the team and wants to win cups. Yzerman left Detroit and was his own style of GM that will make moves, Nill went to Dallas and instantly made a block buster.

Draper is one of the few wings I would say is as hard working and competitive as Yzerman was, he almost fought Roberts at the winter classic alumni game for god's sake. I'm not saying he should get the job, but if he does I will give him a chance for sure. Hes in the same role Yzerman was in under Holland and look at Yzerman now

For sure. Can't question Draper's drive, heart or desire to win but, to be blunt, is he smart enough?

 

[newfy]

For sure. Can't question Draper's drive, heart or desire to win but, to be blunt, is he smart enough?

Not really sure any of us know the answer to that. He definitely seems well spoken and not a dumb jock in interviews and stuff like that. I keep coming back to it but.. did anyone know if Yzerman was smart enough? I mean, I doubt Draper gets a position that hes holding in the wings organization if hes dumb. Guys like Dmac arent holding high end positions on the team, but guys like Draper and Fischer do.

The wings have "developed" a lot of front end/coaching staff that is all throughout the league, so I do somewhat trust their judgement on that. Guys like Yzerman, Nill, Mcllellan, Peters and more are all with other teams in high roles after developing with the wings.

 

[Nut Upstrom]

Not really sure any of us know the answer to that. He definitely seems well spoken and not a dumb jock in interviews and stuff like that. I keep coming back to it but.. did anyone know if Yzerman was smart enough? I mean, I doubt Draper gets a position that hes holding in the wings organization if hes dumb. Guys like Dmac arent holding high end positions on the team, but guys like Draper and Fischer do.

The wings have "developed" a lot of front end/coaching staff that is all throughout the league, so I do somewhat trust their judgement on that. Guys like Yzerman, Nill, Mcllellan, Peters and more are all with other teams in high roles after developing with the wings.

I agree with you, he doesn't come across as dumb and he was placed int hat position for a reason, rather than being shipped off to Western Canada to scout the minors, so I think the organization has faith in Draper's abilities and, as you say, I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt if they make Drapes the new GM. But, like Yzerman, no one knew if he was ready or not to be GM of an NHL team. He did have some success in the olympics, but it's team Canada, it's not the same thing as building sustained NHL success. I know there was apprehension about Stevie becoming our GM, many concerns about tarnishing his legacy if the team started to suck - there's going to be plenty of that surrounding Draper once talk heats up about Holland's replacement being named. Not so much the legacy concerns, but just wondering if he's up for the task or if he's simply a nice, popular guy who is just competent enough to land in the GM's chair.

Whichever direction we go, there's going to be apprehension around here

 

[Frk It]

This is kind of just a "feeling", but I feel like Draper may be more willing to take risks. I was not a fan of it at the time, but he really put his neck on the line with the Bertuzzi pick and it has paid off so far. By all accounts that was a guy that Draper scouted and vouched for. He seems like has some balls, and I think that we could use that.

 

[Pavels Dog]

For one thing I don't want Holland running the ship anymore. A new GM takes over with motivation to implement their vision now, instead of waiting a year twiddling their thumbs. Holland at that point is a lame-duck. If he's staying then stay, if he plans on leaving in a year than the Wings should move forward immediately with a plan. I agree with what was said about waiting on Babcock's decision to stay or go; it was weak and proved a lack of direction.

If the plan is for Draper to be the new GM than go ahead with the promotion now instead of a year later.

All depends on what ownership wants imo. Can a new GM potentially lead to better drafting while still remaining patient and thinking long-term? Sure. But if ownership’s major problem is drafting, shouldn’t the scouting people be the ones to go?
If the contracts are the problem, ownership can tell Holland not to sign any big contracts right now.

I just don’t see what kind of ”plan” a new GM could have that would be more effective than what we’re already doing; stockpiling picks and drafting higher. It takes time no matter the GM. But a worse GM could be tempted to try for shortcuts.

 

[Nut Upstrom]

This is kind of just a "feeling", but I feel like Draper may be more willing to take risks. I was not a fan of it at the time, but he really put his neck on the line with the Bertuzzi pick and it has paid off so far. By all accounts that was a guy that Draper scouted and vouched for. He seems like has some balls, and I think that we could use that.

I could not agree more. We (our hockey team's management, not us literally) could definitely use some balls.

 

[Nut Upstrom]

All depends on what ownership wants imo. Can a new GM potentially lead to better drafting while still remaining patient and thinking long-term? Sure. But if ownership’s major problem is drafting, shouldn’t the scouting people be the ones to go?
If the contracts are the problem, ownership can tell Holland not to sign any big contracts right now.

I just don’t see what kind of ”plan” a new GM could have that would be more effective than what we’re already doing; stockpiling picks and drafting higher. It takes time no matter the GM. But a worse GM could be tempted to try for shortcuts.

At my impatient worst, I want Holland gone soon. When I'm more rational of mind I tend to agree with you. I think Kenny has a plan in place now and is slowly building toward it. That should have been happening years ago, but, unfortunately, it's where we are at now. For all of his fault's Ken Holland has patience in spades, obviously it can be infuriating for fans, but I believe it's a very important quality for a GM to have. I'm trying to be patient and will initially roll with whatever the organization decides.

 

[Henkka]

I just don’t see what kind of ”plan” a new GM could have that would be more effective than what we’re already doing; stockpiling picks and drafting higher. It takes time no matter the GM. But a worse GM could be tempted to try for shortcuts.

This. Everything in a nutshell.

 

[SoupNazi]

Custance profiled the top Assistant GM's ready for promotion

Top 5 was:

1.) Paul Fenton, Nashville
2.) Julien BriseBois, Tampa Bay
3.) Tom Fitzgerald, Dallas
4.) Bill Guerin, Pittsburgh
5.) Kyle Dubas, Toronto

Would be very happy with either of those first 2.

I'd be very happy with either of the first two, but I'd prefer Fenton by a long way. Guy's going to be a very good GM in this league.

 

[tfong]

Willing to try anything new at this point Any defining features about Fenton?

 

[Run the Jewels]

Really leery of Draper as GM. Sure he'd probably make a trade to make his stamp on the organization but I don't think he'd make any changes to the front office or scouting staff. This organization is so comfortable it's really unsettling. Holland gets zero heat outside of a small portion of the fan base. The awful attendance is given silly excuses like people are enjoying the concourses way too much. If Draper is named GM I think it's going to indicate the organization is still living in the past and has not acknowledged - let alone come to grips with - reality in today's NHL.

 

[jkutswings]

I could not agree more. We (our hockey team's management, not us literally) could definitely use some balls.

Indeed. Let's start with some lucky lottery balls.

 

[Wingsfan 4 life]

I thought it made Holland look weak and ineffective.
Now, I already thought he was ineffective.
But the whole thing just made Holland look weak and it didn't reflect well on the franchise, either.

Sometimes, you need to make the decision before indecision makes you.

What indecision? Blashill was flat out being refused being interviewed by other teams a full year before babcock left.

 

[Redder Winger]

What indecision? Blashill was flat out being refused being interviewed by other teams a full year before babcock left.

Indecision is the wrong word.
He allowed Babcock to make the decision and to control the process.

 

[Henkka]

I'd be very happy with either of the first two, but I'd prefer Fenton by a long way. Guy's going to be a very good GM in this league.

I think Poile retires if they win Cup and Fenton takes the charge at Nashville.

Brisebois? A cap guru? Fine, but that's nothing at hockey business. Evaluating talent is the real thing.

I would try to hire some people from Anaheim, because they have done nice drafting job lately.

 

[Frk It]

I think Poile retires if they win Cup and Fenton takes the charge at Nashville.

Brisebois? A cap guru? Fine, but that's nothing at hockey business. Evaluating talent is the real thing.

I would try to hire some people from Anaheim, because they have done nice drafting job lately.

Yeah, but he might bring scouts with him, like Nill did when he left.

Agree on Anaheim, they’ve been consistently drafting good defenseman.

 

[Pavels Dog]

Yeah, but he might bring scouts with him, like Nill did when he left.

Agree on Anaheim, they’ve been consistently drafting good defenseman.

Good, not great I’d say.

 

[Henkka]

Yeah, but he might bring scouts with him, like Nill did when he left.

Agree on Anaheim, they’ve been consistently drafting good defenseman.

Yeah, the biggest statement from them is still that Hampus Lindholm pick, outside of "normal" ranks. And he turned to be best defenceman of that 2012 class.

It really has impressed me afterwards. They absolutely knew what they were doing.

Montour, Theodore, Lindholm, Manson, Fowler, Vatanen, Gardiner, Schultz, that's damn impressive list of defencemen from a short period of time. 7 years in-a-row between 2008-2014 they got NHL-caliber defencemen from each draft, multiple guys on some years.

Also Anaheim does good work overall, finding Gibson on the net (TOP3 4-year SV% of all starters), and being able to trade Fredrik Andersen away to be a starter at Toronto.

And they are also finding forwards outside the TOP15, like Sam Steel, Rickard Rakell, William Karlsson and Ondrej Kase.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

How do you not fire Ken Holland in this situation?

1. You wanted to make the playoffs to sell tickets. That didn't happen.
2. Because the team has been horrible, you can probably expect ticket sales to take a hit for next year.
3. Holland spent tens of millions of dollars on veterans explicitly to ensure we made the playoffs. But because we didn't make the playoffs, and because these guys aren't long-term assets, Holland just wasted millions of dollars.
4. So you have a non-competitive team with young assets that must be signed. But Ken Holland has tied up a fair amount of cap space on the aforementioned veterans.
5. Ken Holland has stated before in the media that he doesn't believe in a scorched Earth rebuild. And yet here we are. That's a PR black eye; it makes Holland look incompetent, and it makes the organization look dumb and poorly run.
6. Ken Holland has kept Jeff Blashill on, despite the team's collapse. This is troubling because Ken Holland also believes strongly in keeping a "winning culture." Through 10 games, Detroit is winless, and the team looks lost. Are the Wings losing their winning culture because Ken Holland didn't fire Jeff Blashill earlier in the year? It's possible, which is not comforting.

I could probably keep going. I just don't see a scenario where he isn't gone. He's had an amazing career, but this season has been brutal for him.

 

[LeighDx59]

Im on the Fenton train, we could definitely use some of Nashvilles drafting tactics to get better so he would definitely be my first pick. I do think they would turn to Draper though just because I dont see them going for someone outside the organization.

 

[ShelbyZ]

Really leery of Draper as GM. Sure he'd probably make a trade to make his stamp on the organization but I don't think he'd make any changes to the front office or scouting staff. This organization is so comfortable it's really unsettling. Holland gets zero heat outside of a small portion of the fan base. The awful attendance is given silly excuses like people are enjoying the concourses way too much. If Draper is named GM I think it's going to indicate the organization is still living in the past and has not acknowledged - let alone come to grips with - reality in today's NHL.

x2.

I don't see the Red Wings FO bringing in an outside guy that will scorch the Earth and completely turn over the scouting/etc staff. Just doesn't seem to be their MO. They either promote from within (Draper? Martin?), or bring in someone with past ties to the organization that will make transition as comfortable as possible without upsetting any loyalty to entrenched guys. Same thing they did with the Tigers.

I also don't think they ever really "let go" of Holland. If they truly don't want Holland in the GM spot, he'll get moved up to some higher up President/VP role like he already has outside of being GM. Of course, he'll then be free to look for a GM job elsewhere.

As for Draper/Martin/etc., I don't think it's going to matter how smart they are or what kind of moves/ideas they may cook up. I'm sure whatever they decide to do will have to be approved by a committee consisting of ownership, Devallano, and a "promoted" Holland etc.

I doubt this team sees any real "new direction" unless/until the team hits an Oilers/Leafs level of continual failure and playoff drought that calls for a "Shanaplan" style rearranging of the FO.

 

[TheMule93]

I remember in a recent interview draper was asked about if he'd rather see the team win or have the team play well but come up a goal short.

He said he didn't want to answer that because he has friends in the locker room.

This makes me feel OK about him because he seems to on board with rebuilding. His friends in the locker room also concern me though... he'll probably remain too loyal to them just like Holland.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

If Draper had the right mind as a GM, I could see him ready to get really involved in the rebuilding process. The team is already about as close to the bottom as they can get, anyway.