Ansar Khan: Khan thinks the vets will have a short leash.

[Hammettf2b]

Q: What do you think Blashill has learned from his first season in the NHL? I got the impression that he really, really did not want to miss the playoffs during his first season as coach and as a result he overplayed his aging vets and made a lot of hyper conservative decisions that looked like he was coaching not to lose. – Justin

A: I think you'll see a different approach in how he handles veterans. Kronwall won't be leading the team in ice time again. I would think he and Henrik Zetterberg will have their minutes reduced and perhaps they'll be rested on some back-to-back situations to keep them fresher the second half. If Jonathan Ericsson struggles I think Blashill will sit him. If Vanek doesn't deliver or Ott isn't doing his job I think they'll be scratched.

http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2016/09/ask_ansar_on_competition_for_j.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

So will we actually see Blashill sit Ericsson if he continues his mediocre play?

Like what I'm hearing about cutting minutes, but I'll believe it when I see it.

Click to read more...

 

[tfong]

Didn't they say this last season too?

 

[Frk It]

I don't really think this thread title is an accurate assertion to draw from this article.

He does say he is going to limit vets minutes, but I don't really get the impression that they are on any kind of a short leash. I'd bet a substantial amount of money Ericsson could be a dumpster fire and still won't get benched.

Mostly just a lot of posturing by Khan, per usual.

 

[Claypool]

Khan doesn't know anything here. Just stating his opinion.

 

[Hammettf2b]

I don't really think this thread title is an accurate assertion to draw from this article.

He does say he is going to limit vets minutes, but I don't really get the impression that they are on any kind of a short leash. I'd bet a substantial amount of money Ericsson could be a dumpster fire and still won't get benched.

Mostly just a lot of posturing by Khan, per usual.

How so? I basically said it was Khan's opinion. Never even eluded that it was the plan for the season.

 

[SirloinUB]

Didn't they say this last season too?

There is some misleading commentary pertaining to vet usage on this board. Since 13/14:

Kronwall's ATOI dropped by 2 minutes
Ericsson ATOI dropped by 2.5 minutes
Zetterberg is playing a 60-90 less seconds a night
Datsyuk was playing 30 less seconds
Quincey was playing a minute less/game.

 

[Frk It]

How so? I basically said it was Khan's opinion. Never even eluded that it was the plan for the season.

Thread title makes it sound like multiple vets will be on a short leash. The only vet that Khan mentioned could be benched is Ericsson, and we know that's a hell of a stretch.

He was saying he is going to try and conserve Kronwall and Zetterberg, and threw in a comment about Ericsson. I don't really think the vets are on a short leash.

 

[Hammettf2b]

Thread title makes it sound like multiple vets will be on a short leash. The only vet that Khan mentioned could be benched is Ericsson, and we know that's a hell of a stretch.

He was saying he is going to try and conserve Kronwall and Zetterberg, and threw in a comment about Ericsson. I don't really think the vets are on a short leash.

He mentioned Vanek and Ott as well. That's what I meant about short least. Not pertaining to Kronwall and Z

 

[Frk It]

He mentioned Vanek and Ott as well. That's what I meant about short least. Not pertaining to Kronwall and Z

I legitimately missed that part. Makes sense now, my fault.

 

[PullHard]

The Ericsson bit is the biggest talking point IMO

Holland has been saying players like Z and Kronwall need to be relied on less all summer and I think it is evident by the circumstances in which the organization obtained Vanek and Ott that they aren't infallible and in fact are on their last NHL legs.

Would be deluxe to see Ericsson actually sit if he is too injured to be effective

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Khan's speculation makes sense, but that doesn't mean it'll happen. Though I could see Ott especially being a healthy scratch if he doesn't perform.

As for Z and Kronwall's minutes coming down like they should, I'll believe it when I see it. I'm worried that when the Wings hit a rough patch Z is going back to center with Larkin on his wing and will be getting 19+ minutes.

 

[Hammettf2b]

The Ericsson bit is the biggest talking point IMO

Holland has been saying players like Z and Kronwall need to be relied on less all summer and I think it is evident by the circumstances in which the organization obtained Vanek and Ott that they aren't infallible and in fact are on their last NHL legs.

Would be deluxe to see Ericsson actually sit if he is too injured to be effective

That was the thing that caught my eye the most. Maybe with guys being out of waiver options it's forcing his hand?

 

[PullHard]

That was the thing that caught my eye the most. Maybe with guys being out of waiver options it's forcing his hand?

I think it has come to a point where players like Ericsson and Smith have either regressed or not really grown into the role the organization had hoped. They are both bottom pairing type guys on a team that has any sort of contending hope. E has come out and stated he is playing hurt and it shows in his play, we all see he is slogging up and down the ice most nights. Babcock said 2 or 3 years ago now that Ouellet is an NHL defender. Seems only logical that he gets some opportunity this year.

Now that the Ken Holland 12-36 month buffer period has passed since Ouellet has been deemed NHL ready by the team's (old) head coach he will get a shot at becoming a regular!

 

[njx9]

Less minutes for Z and Kronwall (and others) would be fantastic and would make us a lot more likely to play more like 2 seasons ago, rather than last season, if we make the postseason again. That aside from the thought that E might actually sit if he's not playing well.

 

[Squirrel in the Hole]

The bit about Erickson could be related to this I saw in an article last week:


Hip problem
Jonathan Ericsson said he’s been dealing with a hip impingement for the last several years, but is putting off surgery until his hockey career is done.
Ericsson, 32, said there’s a four-month recovery process after the surgery, so he isn’t planning on the surgery anytime soon.
“I’ve had this hip issue for years,†Ericsson said. “It’s going to have its ups and down, and it’s been the biggest issue for me the last few years. But the rehab is at least four months, so it’s nothing I want to do in the first place.â€
Ericsson said there’s arthritis in the area, too, and “that’s not helping out.â€
Dealing with the issue has impacted his skating on certain nights, said Ericsson.

 

[chances14]

The bit about Erickson could be related to this I saw in an article last week:


Hip problem
Jonathan Ericsson said he’s been dealing with a hip impingement for the last several years, but is putting off surgery until his hockey career is done.
Ericsson, 32, said there’s a four-month recovery process after the surgery, so he isn’t planning on the surgery anytime soon.
“I’ve had this hip issue for years,†Ericsson said. “It’s going to have its ups and down, and it’s been the biggest issue for me the last few years. But the rehab is at least four months, so it’s nothing I want to do in the first place.â€
Ericsson said there’s arthritis in the area, too, and “that’s not helping out.â€
Dealing with the issue has impacted his skating on certain nights, said Ericsson.

ericsson has had known hip problems for years. it's nothing new

 

[The Zermanator]

The bit about Erickson could be related to this I saw in an article last week:


Hip problem
Jonathan Ericsson said he’s been dealing with a hip impingement for the last several years, but is putting off surgery until his hockey career is done.
Ericsson, 32, said there’s a four-month recovery process after the surgery, so he isn’t planning on the surgery anytime soon.
“I’ve had this hip issue for years,” Ericsson said. “It’s going to have its ups and down, and it’s been the biggest issue for me the last few years. But the rehab is at least four months, so it’s nothing I want to do in the first place.”
Ericsson said there’s arthritis in the area, too, and “that’s not helping out.”
Dealing with the issue has impacted his skating on certain nights, said Ericsson.

'Certain nights', ie game nights.

 

[WingedWheel1987]

Spend the off season signing 540 vets, but vets will be on a short leash.

 

[Winger98]

With regards to players like Ott and Vanek, I think the question is also what exactly is meant by a short leash. Typically, the Wings talk about a season taking about 20 games before they really start getting an idea of what they have and where they are giong. So, I would assume we start there with the length of the leash.

Unless we have a godawful record, I think the majority of vets would have to be trash fires to be benched.

 

[PullHard]

With regards to players like Ott and Vanek, I think the question is also what exactly is meant by a short leash. Typically, the Wings talk about a season taking about 20 games before they really start getting an idea of what they have and where they are giong. So, I would assume we start there with the length of the leash.

Unless we have a godawful record, I think the majority of vets would have to be trash fires to be benched.

And even if they are benched, it won't be publicized as a "our guys have to be better if they want to play" thing. It will be publicized as a "they've been playing hurt for a long time and we need to think proactively about their usage if we want to get the most out of them" thing.

It is just too bad we couldn't have been doing that for guys like Bertuzzi, Samuelsson, Cleary, etc. so maybe they could have made hard decisions on prospects a bit sooner. And maybe not lose them for nothing or whatever.

 

[Winger98]

And even if they are benched, it won't be publicized as a "our guys have to be better if they want to play" thing. It will be publicized as a "they've been playing hurt for a long time and we need to think proactively about their usage if we want to get the most out of them" thing.

It is just too bad we couldn't have been doing that for guys like Bertuzzi, Samuelsson, Cleary, etc. so maybe they could have made hard decisions on prospects a bit sooner. And maybe not lose them for nothing or whatever.

We went into that last lockout with entirely the wrong thought process. I think Holland&Co. thought that with a bunch of vets they'd have guys who would be professional enough to make themselves ready for a shortened season and that the older guys could hold up for a ~40 game sprint rather than an 80 game marathon. Unfortunately the opposite happened. The old guys couldn't get up to speed and just broke down in the process, making our roster a mess all year.

Have to think we would have been better off going into that year assuming we'd empty several top players out of GR instead and maybe we would have hit the ground running that year.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

So Ericsson has hip problems. But he won't fix it until he's done? Ok cool I guess he got hit too many times

Unless his hip is so fragile it breaks again in one hit. Why does he even play hockey?

 

[Z40]

It's crazy that Ericsson would continue to play professional hockey with this many ailments. I also question management for allowing him to play. Kronwall's case is not much better. They must be experiencing tremendous chronic pain throughout the season. The game is only getting faster and these guys can barely skate anymore.

 

[odin1981]

It's crazy that Ericsson would continue to play professional hockey with this many ailments. I also question management for allowing him to play. Kronwall's case is not much better. They must be experiencing tremendous chronic pain throughout the season. The game is only getting faster and these guys can barely skate anymore.

Would you willingly give up 4+ million per year? Unless he is about to be wheelchair bound for the rest of his life or a chance at death there isn't even a chance that it would come across his mind.

In the immortal words of ESPN "Come on man".

 

[SpookyTsuki]

Would you willingly give up 4+ million per year? Unless he is about to be wheelchair bound for the rest of his life or a chance at death there isn't even a chance that it would come across his mind.

In the immortal words of ESPN "Come on man".

Yeah if he keeps thinking he can play with a bad hip for 2-5 years he will be wheelchair bound