Yzerman Season-Ending Press Conference

hkydave04

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Mar 8, 2016
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How do you know we didn't go after Gallant, or Laviolette or Boudreau?


My thoughts exactly! Especially the way SY responded and got defensive when asked about Blashill. I get the feeling he was turned down by one or maybe 2 of his candidates so decided to stick with Blashill one last yr and hopes someone else becomes available and with a better season by the Wings, will become slightly more attractive as a young and up and coming team?
 

hkydave04

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Mar 8, 2016
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By the way, when we do decide on a captain, I hope we put the C back on the left shoulder! I hate it on the right side. Looks backward. I know why the Wings did it because the enlargement of the crest but they can make it work.
 
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PullHard

Jul 18, 2007
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So instead of going after someone of Gallants caliber we stick with proven NHL loser Blashill?

Not exactly a recipe for success, talented line up or not

I appreciate the fact that there are a few considerably good, solid, veteran coaches available and can see where you're coming from, but IMO the timing is wrong

Say Gallant (or whoever) gets hired, Yzerman makes a couple of nice additions in the offseason through trades and free agency, we get someone like Lafreniere or Byfield in the draft who are probably too good to cut, and our existing young players progress a bit.

We win something like 10-20 more games and fall out of the playoff race sometime between American Thanksgiving and the holidays.

We finish something like 22/31 in the league and get a ho-hum prospect after another losing, albeit improved, season.

While all of those things show general forward progress, the result at the end of the season is the same, but all the organisation has done is fast track our competitiveness into the average/ below average range.

I guess I'm assuming worst case scenario for improving the coach. I hope Yzerman and his scouting staff can do what he was able to do with his former guys in Tampa and come up with 2/3 of a 1st line outside of round one of the next couple drafts. But the surer route would be to go a bit more organic with the what we have, suffer at/ near the bottom for another season, get one more high pick, and go from there. Getting guys like Laf/ Byfield, Raty, Wright would set us up for a solid 10-15 years. Obviously nothing is guaranteed, but from my point of view, I'd rather not force the roster into the middling no man's land.

Also I am of the mind that at some point you have to stop the bleeding if we have another season this dismal, so if that is something you're thinking of when suggesting hiring someone else, don't worry - I get that 100%. However, I think replacing Ericsson, Daley, and Green with any sort of competent UFAs/ trade targets/ Seider is already going to help quite a bit in shaping our overall roster and its effectiveness.
 

Flowah

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However, I think replacing Ericsson, Daley, and Green with any sort of competent UFAs/ trade targets/ Seider is already going to help quite a bit in shaping our overall roster and its effectiveness.
Yes.

Yzerman has had literally one season. And we were still saddled with some real bad holdover contracts from Ken Holland's time. Let's not forget we still have Abby and Nielsen....

We need a couple of years to cut the fat. Some of it will happen on its own with expiring contracts on the players you listed. Others Yzerman will trade away. The roster must be the priority. Coaches are always secondary to a roster in my eyes. A great coach can push you over the edge but no coach can turn a losing roster into a winner. No matter how you see Blashill replacing him just isn't a priority and can even be a bad thing. If you think he's a great coach, why drop him? If you think he's a bad coach, we still need another year or two at the bottom and he gives us a good chance at that. And Blash being a bad coach just doesn't jive anyway. Whenever he's had a good roster he's done good things. Granted it's never been in the NHL but still.
 

FMichael

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My thoughts exactly! Especially the way SY responded and got defensive when asked about Blashill. I get the feeling he was turned down by one or maybe 2 of his candidates so decided to stick with Blashill one last yr and hopes someone else becomes available and with a better season by the Wings, will become slightly more attractive as a young and up and coming team?
Yup - I was thinking the same...Also - Lane Lambert has been rumored...Well he's gonna be busy for a while with the NYI, and their playoff run.

Timing is just off for everything...Least path of resistance is to let Blashill ride out his last season under contract, and hopefully the summer of 2021 will be more 'normal', and maybe then there's a change in coaching.
 
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ChrisReevesLegs

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Yup - I was thinking the same...Also - Lane Lambert has been rumored...Well he's gonna be busy for a while with the NYI, and their playoff run.

Timing is just off for everything...Least path of resistance is to let Blashill ride out his last season under contract, and hopefully the summer of 2021 will be more 'normal', and maybe then there's a change in coaching.

Right, Covid has seriously thrown a wrench in the timeline. Plus Jeff's buyout is like 300K. I know that doesn't feel like a lot when you see players making millions, but it's still not an amount you can casually toss away. It's making a lot of sense to just let Jeff finish his last year. We're not winning dick next year anyway.
 

Mlotek

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Yes.

Yzerman has had literally one season. And we were still saddled with some real bad holdover contracts from Ken Holland's time. Let's not forget we still have Abby and Nielsen....

We need a couple of years to cut the fat. Some of it will happen on its own with expiring contracts on the players you listed. Others Yzerman will trade away. The roster must be the priority. Coaches are always secondary to a roster in my eyes. A great coach can push you over the edge but no coach can turn a losing roster into a winner. No matter how you see Blashill replacing him just isn't a priority and can even be a bad thing. If you think he's a great coach, why drop him? If you think he's a bad coach, we still need another year or two at the bottom and he gives us a good chance at that. And Blash being a bad coach just doesn't jive anyway. Whenever he's had a good roster he's done good things. Granted it's never been in the NHL but still.

upload_2020-5-30_4-19-4.png
 
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Zetterberg4Captain

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to be honest I am surprised SY didn't go in a different direction coaching wise.

Not sure it sends the right message that the same old is acceptable or good enough

It sorta sounded like and looks as though we have thrown our hat in on the 2020-2021 season.

That is not to say I expected or want huge changes and pursuit of high end FAs to maybe finish 9th worst, but changes need to be made 100% without a doubt beyond letting Ericsson walk
 

Ghost of Ethan Hunt

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to be honest I am surprised SY didn't go in a different direction coaching wise.

Not sure it sends the right message that the same old is acceptable or good enough

It sorta sounded like and looks as though we have thrown our hat in on the 2020-2021 season.

That is not to say I expected or want huge changes and pursuit of high end FAs to maybe finish 9th worst, but changes need to be made 100% without a doubt beyond letting Ericsson walk
Gone:
Big E, Daley, Green, AA, Howard &Perlini (likely out), perhaps Gagner

Timashov KHL bound or bs rumor?

maybe more trade(s) @Draft/offseason? UFA signings? Backup G?
plus reupping Mantha/Bert/Fabbri

Erne/Ehn/Bowey?

+ some of: Svech/Ras/Veleno/Hirose/Lindstrom/Cholo could make the team out of camp.

Lots of variables everywhere.
 
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GreatGordie9

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It doesn't sound like Stevie will make a big splash in free agency. I would expect a free agent defenceman, goalie and a forward. If you think the Wings will sign Krug, Hall, and Lehner it won't happen. They may sign one of the high price free agents but the rest no.
 
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Mlotek

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85-86, SY was hurt, only 51gp, not so coincidentally our record was also poor, vs. 86-87. That's not to say a good/better coach won't make a difference though either.

View attachment 348262
With and without Yzerman in 85-6, its such an insignificant difference I won't even label which is which.
21.6 WIN %
20.7 WIN %

Yzerman missing 30 games that year clearly wasn't that significant on the overall team performance.
 

Ghost of Ethan Hunt

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With and without Yzerman in 85-6, its such an insignificant difference I won't even label which is which.
21.6 WIN %
20.7 WIN %

Yzerman missing 30 games that year clearly wasn't that significant on the overall team performance.
Are we talking about the same thing? ...per your snippet win%'s are .250 vs. .488, that's almost double & a huge difference 85-86 vs. 86-87.
upload_2020-5-30_4-19-4-png.348248
 
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The Zetterberg Era

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It doesn't sound like Stevie will make a big splash in free agency. I would expect a free agent defenceman, goalie and a forward. If you think the Wings will sign Krug, Hall, and Lehner it won't happen. They may sign one of the high price free agents but the rest no.

If Krug wants to come home, I can see them working it out.

I don't think Yzerman will get in a bidding war scenario though, they will have a number they are comfortable with on guys is what I took out of Yzerman. There is a plan, it can be altered for certain things, but he isn't going to make sweeping changes in his vision. He still has a very similar plan to when he took over, in that sense we are on schedule in terms of what he wants to alter on this team so far. That can be horrifying to some and I get that, but I don't think his three year plan changed a whole lot regardless of how brutal year one was. I like that steadiness, I understand those that will not be okay with it though.
 
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Winger98

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If Krug wants to come home, I can see them working it out.

I don't think Yzerman will get in a bidding war scenario though, they will have a number they are comfortable with on guys is what I took out of Yzerman. There is a plan, it can be altered for certain things, but he isn't going to make sweeping changes in his vision. He still has a very similar plan to when he took over, in that sense we are on schedule in terms of what he wants to alter on this team so far. That can be horrifying to some and I get that, but I don't think his three year plan changed a whole lot regardless of how brutal year one was. I like that steadiness, I understand those that will not be okay with it though.

And there doesn't have to be a huge move this summer just to have a more respectable team. The Wings have to sign a goalie just to have a workable tandem. Get one that isn't expected to be a tire fire and it'll be a big upgrade. They almost definitely have to get at least one D (they could elect to just run with McIlrath and Lashoff all year, but I doubt they'll look at that as Plan A). A couple of upgrades, some better luck on health, and this team is still bottom5 bad, but should not be historically awful. And, hopefully, the 2021 draft for the Wings is like this year's draft for Ottawa - a lot of high picks from dealing guys off. Flip, Helm, and Glendening starting the year strong could be a big positive when it comes time to move them.
 

The Zetterberg Era

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And there doesn't have to be a huge move this summer just to have a more respectable team. The Wings have to sign a goalie just to have a workable tandem. Get one that isn't expected to be a tire fire and it'll be a big upgrade. They almost definitely have to get at least one D (they could elect to just run with McIlrath and Lashoff all year, but I doubt they'll look at that as Plan A). A couple of upgrades, some better luck on health, and this team is still bottom5 bad, but should not be historically awful. And, hopefully, the 2021 draft for the Wings is like this year's draft for Ottawa - a lot of high picks from dealing guys off. Flip, Helm, and Glendening starting the year strong could be a big positive when it comes time to move them.

I think people will want Flip, Helm and Glendening. Honestly hopeful they can move Helm in the off-season. He wasn't actually that bad this year, it might be the best return we can get on him, eat some of his salary and give somebody a season of Helm, perhaps it gets us a round higher by doing that.
 
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Lazlo Hollyfeld

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Mar 4, 2004
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That's from hockey reference.

They denote point %.
I was using win % which is different as that ignores ties.
Demers certainly helped turn things around but to credit all of it to a coaching change is a big oversimplification.

The previous season was split between two historically awful coaches in Harry Neal and Brad Park. The next season they brought in Demers but Devellano also took on a bigger role in director of player personnel, and guys like Yzerman, Oates, Burr, Veitch and Klima were healthy and growing into their roles. And the goalie carousel from the previous season had finally settled on a tandem of Hanlon and Stefan.

Like I said, Demers was absolutely a factor, but it wasn't just coaching. And whatever people think of Blashill, I don't put him in the same category of inept coaching as Harry Neal and Brad Park.
 

Henkka

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I think people will want Flip, Helm and Glendening. Honestly hopeful they can move Helm in the off-season. He wasn't actually that bad this year, it might be the best return we can get on him, eat some of his salary and give somebody a season of Helm, perhaps it gets us a round higher by doing that.

See the guys going only as deadline deals. Cap won't rise so every contender is hunting more for UFA bargins, or going with own cheap kids. 50% retented Helm is too much for full season. Only Glendening could work.

These deals are most tradeable not until the deadline.
 

Winger98

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I think people will want Flip, Helm and Glendening. Honestly hopeful they can move Helm in the off-season. He wasn't actually that bad this year, it might be the best return we can get on him, eat some of his salary and give somebody a season of Helm, perhaps it gets us a round higher by doing that.

I think they'll be wanted, but I'm hoping they can up their value a bit and maybe we can pull a 1st for at least one of them. Add Nemeth to that list, too. This C19 thing is making a mess of this off-season. I wonder how much it will impact Yzerman's moves before next season. I see a lot of lineups posted here with kids moving up, but I have a hard time seeing it with those three still in the lineup. If Yzerman moves them before the season, I think it sends a pretty clear signal that he trusts the kids to step in and not be, well, disasters. It's impossible to say for sure what moves will be possible before next season, though.
 

bedtime20

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Mlotek

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Demers certainly helped turn things around but to credit all of it to a coaching change is a big oversimplification.

The previous season was split between two historically awful coaches in Harry Neal and Brad Park. The next season they brought in Demers but Devellano also took on a bigger role in director of player personnel, and guys like Yzerman, Oates, Burr, Veitch and Klima were healthy and growing into their roles. And the goalie carousel from the previous season had finally settled on a tandem of Hanlon and Stefan.

Like I said, Demers was absolutely a factor, but it wasn't just coaching. And whatever people think of Blashill, I don't put him in the same category of inept coaching as Harry Neal and Brad Park.
Klima had pretty much identical numbers both season.

Magically Stefan's GAA dropped by over 1! You don't improve by 1 GAA just by splitting starts with another goalie.

Oates played more but performed at the exact same level offensively.

AFAIC, Blash is intentionally coaching to tank.


RIP Swedish Mafia.
Let's face it, the Michigan Militia era of the Red Wings is awful. Keep Larkin dump the other 4 (including Blashill).

maxresdefault.jpg
 

LeftWingLocked

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Right, Covid has seriously thrown a wrench in the timeline. Plus Jeff's buyout is like 300K. I know that doesn't feel like a lot when you see players making millions, but it's still not an amount you can casually toss away. It's making a lot of sense to just let Jeff finish his last year. We're not winning dick next year anyway.

I'm assuming Blashil makes more than 300k? I always wondered how much his salary was.
 

Oddbob

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Jan 21, 2016
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While I agree with Yzerman that a bad roster makes judging a coach's record a much harder task, the problem I have with bringing back Blashill is it sends a message that being record level bad isn't a big deal and it really shouldn't be treated so lightly. Our team is bad, that said, this is the NHL and the parity is such that the worst team in the league should never be 15+ pts behind 2nd, 3rd, 4th last etc. We were 23 pts behind the 30th place Ottawa Senators who are also horrendous. Clearly Blash is not good at getting compete level on a consistent basis. Losing is one thing, competing pretty much every night is a another. Also, that a losing coach is now 3rd longest tenured in the league is another reason why he should have got axed, and having watched hockey for 30+ years, I can't remember a single other coach that got this amount of runway, and there have been plenty of horrendous rosters and teams over the years, both before and after cap. I don't recall any going into a 6th year with a team after posting 4 straight losing seasons, one of which was record level bad. Even in 85-86 our last super horrible year, we replaced the coach at season's end. If this past season had been Blashill's 2nd season than I would say ok, I can see giving him a chance, but he was more than used up his welcome.
 

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