I've heard some pretty big praise for Blashill from Yzerman, McCarty, Draper, Osgood, etc. in relatively candid contexts. I really couldn't care less what the fanbase thinks of him. We have no idea how the guys in the room feel about him and that's what matters.
Which would be why he would stay. I see it as Blashill is just doing what Yzerman has told him to do, and he has agreed with it. I don't think it's like Yzerman says one thing and Blashill an coach however he'd like. I think this will be in the future, but right now, they have agreed on what to do, what to focus on and even though it's not allowed to say in public, make the team stay close to bottom to draft good players while developing parts of players game.
Actually, when I see Blash talking about the prospect of returning, it's like he's trying to find silver linings, not throwing his hands up, but I don't see where any of the things he lists are really a result of his coaching. For example, he recently mentioned the team finished better this year than last. Well, it was a given that they would improve a little over last season because they got some goaltending. We all said they would get more points.
As mentioned above, I think he and Yzerman has agreed on how to play, what to focus on, but stay close to a high draft pick. Playing with limits basically.
You don't go from historically bad to true Stanley Cup contender overnight most of the time. We're going to hit a phase where we are a bubble team. We might even hit that phase next year if Veleno, Seider, Berggren and Zadina start to be impact players.
That is true, but I don't want a "quick fix" to bubble team status. Then I would rather get the right pieces and tactics in order and finish 5/6th in the conference and take steps from there. Alternative like Penguins in 07, where they were a bubble team with young core pieces and next year conference champion.
The Wings have a huge cap advantage, shit tons of draft picks, and good, respected prospects coming in. Because of the pandemic and cap crunch lots of players are going to hit free agency who normally wouldnt. Passing up on all of that would be willful malpractice and keeping Blashill would be a sign to me that this team is not serious about building or fielding a winning roster, and a sure sign that Chris Ilitch is the second coming of "Dollar Bill" Wirtz, running a storied franchise into the ground.
Which I hope they don't waste on players to end up in mediocrity in terms of being a playoff team that can't acheive anything. A lot of those players don't do magic elsewhere, so why would they suddenly do magic here?
I can only speak for myself, but I just want to watch a more exciting brand of hockey for the time being. Wether we play with Blashill's current system, where the focus is on defensive responsibility and limiting offensive risks, or we hire a new coach with a new system, we are still nowhere near a playoff team yet.
I would rather watch exciting 4-3 games, maybe win some games 4-2 and 4-3, as opposed to trying to shut the door defensively, only to lose 2-1 or 3-1. I am ready to see some goals. It's been too many years of bland/boring hockey.
Also, why not make a change? Don't you think a new voice behind the bench would be a breath of fresh air for some of these guys? I get what Blashill tries to do, and sure he has made a few of our players become more complete players..BUT we didn't draft Zadina to be a defensive specialist...
I do agree with that. I also want to see more offensively minded hockey. But not if your defense is just lackluster and no cup can be won because of it. If they rather build that defensive qualities and confidence and then let go on limits offensively and let players play, I think that approach would be better. The alternative is to trade for or sign real quality D-men from FA. Which doesn't often come by and are available.
The Vegas Golden Knights showed that you could build a competitive successful team fairly quickly with the right coaches, staff and players in place.
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Trades[edit]
In return for agreeing to select certain unprotected players, the Golden Knights were granted concessions by other franchises.
Post-draft[edit]
Not all players selected by the Golden Knights in the Expansion Draft would remain with the team. Some players were traded in the following days, some the day after:
Other players who were no longer on the Golden Knights' roster at the start of the
2017–18 NHL season include the following:
This is Vegas opening draft player and roster moves.
They acquired a number 1 goalie in Fleury
Florida Panthers gave them Reilly Smith for them to take Jonathan Marchessault.
https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/33903/reilly-smith
Jonathan Marchessault at eliteprospects.com
Both solid NHL-players, both having acheived 50 points before, Smith did it twice.
https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/23166/cody-eakin
Drafted Cody Eakin who had several 35 points seasons and quite servicebale bottom six or low end 2nd line center.
I don't want to go through all, but they drafted many very servicable d-men, who albeit not top notch, still no slouch's either. They also got young talent to draft less talented, but experienced players. For example Theodore and Tuch. And they got pieces for the future and took on some contract to example take William Karlsson, which they in turn could use in a bigger role than what he had where he was. That goes for some other players as well, which in logjams elsewhere could cherish some freedom there. Plus all of the assets the team got to take on players and then to trade some players away again.
Point is, they got an NHL-ready roster, and more so especially on the back end, even though most didn't expect their offense to flourish as much as they did. We don't have that back end, nor enough forwards with upside and future in the roster at this time. However, they are coming.
Biggest concern and difference is defense quality, goalie quality and future. That is not comperable from Red Wings to what Vegas were able to weal and deal.
Agreed! Blashill is well respected around the league and he has not lost the locker room which is important.
Which again has to do with people probably have word of or know by experience that he is coaching with limits and in a specific way for more planned and hopeful future benefits in regards to development and other assets coming into the team at a later stage.
Sadly, that roster of expansion draft leftovers is exponentially more talented than the trash we run out every night.
The "expansion leftovers" where a mix of quality pieces, solid NHL'ers still with future and possibility to trend upwards and exciting talent in the mix.