Speculation: This is Ken Holland's Last Season as GM

[Datsyukian Deke]

KH is not going anywhere, just like Blashill, as long as Chris is at the helm.

KH and Chris are very close, and Blash and Chris brew it up together, most nights...

Sorry, just dont see KH being shown the door. Just my $.02 with some facts behind it ^^

If that's the case, it shows you just how truly clueless & inept Chris Ilitch really is. His father gave him the ultimate example for years on end, on how to run a franchise, and it would seem he only cares about the numbers, in the end, which is a slap in the face to his father.

 

[newfy]

Draper could be alright. I would prefer an outside hire but look at Yzerman when he went to Tampa, he made deals and was aggressive. I'm not saying hes the first choicce but if he is given a chance I'll withhold judgement for a bit

 

[jkutswings]

I think he is philosophically against it, so I don't expect him to endorse it. And as long as we have a new GM, I don't care if he does or not.

But that's my issue with it. If he moves into some sort of advisory role, yet is philosophically against the approach being taken, how effective can he be? Perhaps still helpful, but if he's scouting players or suggesting moves, based on a strategy that's counter to the current direction of the franchise, that seems extremely counter productive.

Or, if he wants to stay the course, yet manages to do his job within the framework of a plan he doesn't agree with, either said plan starts showing progress fairly soon, and he starts buying in, or I don't see him staying involved for long.

 

[jkutswings]

If that's the case, it shows you just how truly clueless & inept Chris Ilitch really is. His father gave him the ultimate example for years on end, on how to run a franchise, and it would seem he only cares about the numbers, in the end, which is a slap in the face to his father.

And while we don't know this to be the case, this possibility is what concerns me the most about the near future of the franchise.

Ultimately, if ownership still demand excellence and accountability, then eventually, there will be turnover (hopefully for the better).

But if it's all about the safest path to profit, then things could stay ugly for a long time.

 

[Frk It]

But that's my issue with it. If he moves into some sort of advisory role, yet is philosophically against the approach being taken, how effective can he be? Perhaps still helpful, but if he's scouting players or suggesting moves, based on a strategy that's counter to the current direction of the franchise, that seems extremely counter productive.

Or, if he wants to stay the course, yet manages to do his job within the framework of a plan he doesn't agree with, either said plan starts showing progress fairly soon, and he starts buying in, or I don't see him staying involved for long.

You are a few levels removed at that point, though. I imagine you state your case, and then carry on with your nice cushy exec role, and that's about it. If you want to actually call the shots, you search out another GM job.

I mean Jimmy D has said some things that conflict with what Holland talks about as his goals as GM, and that doesn't seem to matter. As long as you have checks in balances in place, and you give the GM the authority to do what they feel is best, it shouldn't be a big deal.

 

[Winger98]

So Holland is avoiding a long-term rebuild by taking another 5 years just to get rid of the bad contracts?

Even still, the real way out of this is ultimately to hit big on multiple draft picks at key positions. There better be a very smart regime on deck...

Yeah, I'm not really questioning when these guys can be dealt but this idea that these trades will be a part of some larger rebuild that the team is actually pursuing and working towards. We're definitely not going to see any good teams in Detroit for the next few years, but I don't think we draft inside the top5 without some help/luck. We draft around 7-12 for three years and we probably get some good players but do we get anyone likely to carry this team, to be that elite player the club builds around for 10 years? The odds are against it. And as we accumulate more good players through the draft, we likely push ourselves up the standings a bit but that's only going to make it harder to get that elite piece or two.

Of course, that could be mitigated a bit if we had the cap/roster space to make some other deals, but we don't.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

And while we don't know this to be the case, this possibility is what concerns me the most about the near future of the franchise.

Ultimately, if ownership still demand excellence and accountability, then eventually, there will be turnover (hopefully for the better).

But if it's all about the safest path to profit, then things could stay ugly for a long time.

Chris Ilitch has never shown the same passion and drive that his father had. So I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Nut Upstrom]

Chris Ilitch has never shown the same passion and drive that his father had. So I'm not holding my breath.

Sadly I agree. The Wings and championships will not be the priority that they once were.

 

[Flowah]

Chris Ilitch has never shown the same passion and drive that his father had. So I'm not holding my breath.

I would personally not even care about passion or drive in this situation. It feels like it should be personally embarrassing to be the owner of such a bad to mediocre product, to have your name attached to it. It just takes a little pride.

 

[theYman]

How is it that this team can never ever draft a Vezina potential goalie since Sawchuk?? Ever notice any other given team has this newcomer up and coming playing great for them. Murray for the Pens did it on their 1st of the back to back cups. Tampa has Vasilevsky. Washington has Holtby..etc
And we have Mrazek whom not sure what mental status this guy's day to day. Headcase

 

[Frk It]

How is it that this team can never ever draft a Vezina potential goalie since Sawchuk?? Ever notice any other given team has this newcomer up and coming playing great for them.

Let me take you back to a faraway time known as 2016...

Petr Mrazek has crashed Braden Holtby’s Vezina party
Capitals' Holtby on way to winning first Vezina Trophy

 

[Red Stanley]

How is it that this team can never ever draft a Vezina potential goalie since Sawchuk?? Ever notice any other given team has this newcomer up and coming playing great for them. Murray for the Pens did it on their 1st of the back to back cups. Tampa has Vasilevsky. Washington has Holtby..etc
And we have Mrazek whom not sure what mental status this guy's day to day. Headcase

I wouldn't judge goaltending too harshly on a team that can barely claim to have a defensive corps. I'd say our goalies have done admirably well given the circumstances.

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

How is it that this team can never ever draft a Vezina potential goalie since Sawchuk?? Ever notice any other given team has this newcomer up and coming playing great for them. Murray for the Pens did it on their 1st of the back to back cups. Tampa has Vasilevsky. Washington has Holtby..etc
And we have Mrazek whom not sure what mental status this guy's day to day. Headcase

Any other given team, eh?

Carolina
Arizona
Calgary
Ottawa
Colorado
Dallas
Boston
NYR
NYI
Vancouver
Philadelphia
NJD
San Jose


None of these teams have a good young goalie... or if they do, they dealt for him from another roster. That's over a third of the league... off of the top of my head.

You can also toss in teams like Winnipeg, Edmonton, Minnesota, and the like because while they have guys with that caliber of talent, they're all headcases who are just as inconsistent as they are good.

 

[theYman]

Any other given team, eh?

Carolina
Arizona
Calgary
Ottawa
Colorado
Dallas
Boston
NYR
NYI
Vancouver
Philadelphia
NJD
San Jose


None of these teams have a good young goalie... or if they do, they dealt for him from another roster. That's over a third of the league... off of the top of my head.

You can also toss in teams like Winnipeg, Edmonton, Minnesota, and the like because while they have guys with that caliber of talent, they're all headcases who are just as inconsistent as they are good.

Since I'm saying since Sawchuk you can toss out NYR Lundqvist and Boston Rask. Both have won Vezinas. NJD had Brodeur for forever. Philadelphia brought in Bobrovsky. And Vancouver had Schneider at one point. Calgary had Kipper. I'm talking overall in like the last 50+ yrs. Not one goalie that's come through this organization has been Vezina worthy. Ozzie is the only one that comes close but I never thought of him as elite. He was a backup half his career.

 

[raymond23]

Let me take you back to a faraway time known as 2016...

Petr Mrazek has crashed Braden Holtby’s Vezina party
Capitals' Holtby on way to winning first Vezina Trophy

I still remember how absolutely dominant Mrazek was that stretch. I tuned in to games simply to watch him.

 

[Shaman464]

I still remember how absolutely dominant Mrazek was that stretch. I tuned in to games simply to watch him.

The new goalie coach has been trash for him. And with Howard being very streaky that has me worried that they sacrificed Mrazek to restart Howard's career.

 

[Winger98]

The new goalie coach has been trash for him. And with Howard being very streaky that has me worried that they sacrificed Mrazek to restart Howard's career.

The guy they replaced Bedard with? My understanding was that he was Mrazek's "guy" and was brought on full time primarily because they saw Mrazek as the future starter. Or did we let that guy go to and sign another one?

 

[Ezekial]

The guy they replaced Bedard with? My understanding was that he was Mrazek's "guy" and was brought on full time primarily because they saw Mrazek as the future starter. Or did we let that guy go to and sign another one?

Nope, that's the gist of it. Jeff Salajko is still our goalie coach.

 

[Reddwit]

Businesses don’t work that way. You can’t just bleed money and settle that issue over a cold one. The Wings aren’t the Lions; Hockey isn’t football. Like I’ve said elsewhere, if/when things get ugly, heads will roll even if it’s a PR sacrifice.

 

[Shaman464]

The guy they replaced Bedard with? My understanding was that he was Mrazek's "guy" and was brought on full time primarily because they saw Mrazek as the future starter. Or did we let that guy go to and sign another one?

The spin when they resigned him was he was the guy resposnible for Coreau's rise to Calder success and made no mention of him and Mrazek having any connection, yet the year before he was Mrazek's guy. When it comes to Detroit media (free press and FSN especially) I tend to discount most of it as fluff.

 

[The Flying Octopus]

If that's the case, it shows you just how truly clueless & inept Chris Ilitch really is. His father gave him the ultimate example for years on end, on how to run a franchise, and it would seem he only cares about the numbers, in the end, which is a slap in the face to his father.

See Detroit Tigers...

 

[chances14]

I always find it amusing that when a young player falters or doesn't live up to expectations, it's always somebody else's fault (i,e, coach, management, ownership, etc) but never the player's fault. I mean at some point fans just need to accept the fact that said player simply isn't as good as we thought he was

 

[HockeyinHD]

Yes that stealth 80 million dollar tank.

Kenny sure is smart.

How much did the team get from Detroit for the LCA again?

 

[Ezekial]

Shrimps

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

See Detroit Tigers...

So wait... is this supposed to be a "he's so motivated by money that he's cutting salary" or "he wants to win so he's greenlighting a rebuild that will cut into profits because people will start staying away when the team sucks". I feel like that's an important distinction.