Ansar Khan: I reckon this is the plan...

[Squirrel in the Hole]

Interesting Q and A with Khan:


http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2017/02/ask_ansar_on_future_of_red_win_2.html


Makes you wonder if this is our beloved brain trust leaking "the plan" to the fan base.


Aside from the formal declaration that we are sellers, the more interesting aspects are regarding Holland and Blashill.


Holland will serve out his contract: well, ok. We're sellers, and I suppose that Holland can do a passable job at that (Dombrowski did a good job at it with the Tigers in 2015, this has the same sort of feel). But, it's interesting that a longer future is not projected for him.


Blashill is safe for the rest of the season, then will be re-assessed: No point in changing now, it's too late for that. But combining that with the scathing critique of Blashill (the regression list, the comments on playing time), it's not hard to see the handwriting on the wall for ol' baldie. But, if you put this together with Holland having one more year, would someone else take the job knowing that there's a new boss in a year that will no doubt want his own guy. A guy like Todd Nelson could sign on, hoping he impresses enough next year to hang on for a while.


I really think that Holland's been the guy because he was seen as the best one to "paper over the cracks" and eake out one more Cup for Mike Ilitch. Now, I would not be surprised if the Wings follow the Pistons model of bringing in a "hockey guy" and giving him the run of the place. The problem is: who? Stevie and Shanny are your two most likely candidates, and neither is going anywhere. So, who else is there?

Click to read more...

 

[FissionFire]

It's a dark day for us. We had the future all mapped out with our choice of Nill, Yzerman, Shanahan, or even Bowman Jr. but stubborn old Holland refused to let go and move upstairs to make room so they are all gone now. We don't have a succession plan anymore and that's truly scary to me.

As an aside, funny to think that 2/3 of the coaches Holland hired have been huge busts (Lewis and Blashill). Babcock signing on probably saved Holland from being booted a decade ago.

 

[Pavels Dog]

Sounds like speculation mostly. He may have a more educated guess than most of us, but I doubt there's any plan being leaked here. The most interesting bit is about Holland moving upstairs but that could easily be undecided at this point.

It's a dark day for us. We had the future all mapped out with our choice of Nill, Yzerman, Shanahan, or even Bowman Jr. but stubborn old Holland refused to let go and move upstairs to make room so they are all gone now. We don't have a succession plan anymore and that's truly scary to me.

As an aside, funny to think that 2/3 of the coaches Holland hired have been huge busts (Lewis and Blashill). Babcock signing on probably saved Holland from being booted a decade ago.

Nill? Stars are tied with the Wings in points. Yzerman? Tampa is 2 points ahead. The road was all mapped out... towards this point, no matter what.
Don't see how we had the inside track on Shanahan or Bowman either, one of which has not accomplished anything yet.

 

[SirKillalot]

It's just plain stupid to blame Blashill for not getting results with this roster. The roster is basically an veteran improvement of what his Grand Rapids roster was, but the level of opponents is much better than in the AHL.

So, I think he needs to be given more time. One should however expect more of a roster change. That's were the problem is. In addition to that, there is no one of the younger players who are actually taking responsibility on the ice and making plays happen. Everyone is waiting for someone else to do it.

 

[Marky9er]

I could see them interview Dubas and/or Hunter if Holland steps aside before Lou retires, but honestly I think a name would come out of left field in the end. Maybe Bill Zito. Overall experienced former agent and assistant GM.

Zito, who was a member of the USA Hockey National Team advisory board at the 2015 IIHF World Hockey Championships at which Team USA won the bronze medal, has nearly three decades of experience encompassing numerous aspects of the game. He joined the Blue Jackets in August 2013 and has been an integral part of the club’s management team in the areas of contract negotiations, player evaluation, salary cap management and budgeting.

Prior to his arrival in Columbus, Zito spent two decades building Acme World Sports into one of the top hockey agencies in the world. Among the players he represented during that time were Vezina Trophy and Conn Smythe Trophy winner Tim Thomas, Vezina Trophy winner Tuukka Rask, Vezina Trophy finalist Antti Niemi and All-Stars Kimmo Timonen and Brian Rafalski.

Zito, 50, is a Milwaukee, Wisconsin native and graduate of Yale University, where he played varsity hockey from 1984-87. He then attended law school at the University of Wisconsin and during that time served as an assistant coach for the Badgers varsity hockey team and was a radio color commentator for Badger hockey. Upon earning his law degree, he went on to practice at major firms in New York and Chicago before founding Acme World Sports, LLC in 1995

 

[JPE123]

Some men grow into jobs and some jobs outgrow the man. Blashill is the latter

 

[jkutswings]

Some men grow into jobs and some jobs outgrow the man. Blashill is the latter

Sounds like both the coach and the GM to me.

 

[Mount Suribachi]

It's just plain stupid to blame Blashill for not getting results with this roster. The roster is basically an veteran improvement of what his Grand Rapids roster was, but the level of opponents is much better than in the AHL.

Exactly. I look at the standings and see TB, LA and Dallas just above us and think WTF, people are complaining about Blashill?

I imagine they're waiting till the off-season to fire him as there's probably a clause in his contract that says he can be let go for nothing if we fail to make the playoffs. Bringing in coach X might give us a temporary bump, but at the end of the day its going to make the difference between picking 5th and picking 10th

 

[HIFE]

Interesting Q and A with Khan:


http://www.mlive.com/redwings/index.ssf/2017/02/ask_ansar_on_future_of_red_win_2.html


Makes you wonder if this is our beloved brain trust leaking "the plan" to the fan base...

Such an encouraging article! I missed this, thanks for posting it here. It has to be the plan. Not the wording I would use to call it "leaked" because Khan typically writes with details peppered in that only an insider could have. No way he goes this far off the cuff without some type of authorization.

He's not coming back in the summer...Vanek, as much as he has enjoyed his time here, probably will want to go to a Stanley Cup contender, not a rebuilding team.

Now that the run has all but officially ended, it's time to rebuild in earnest.

1) Holland will retire or move upstairs after next season!

2) Vanek will be traded.

3) Blashill is gonesville!

Wonderful news to consider.

 

[vladdy16]

Just yesterday, with a team that is 3W-10L in overtime, and 7-0 in the shootout, Blashill started OT with 3 F's on the ice. Who's gonna try to defend that?

 

[Inspiration]

It's interesting to see Khan saying that Vanek won't be back this offseason when HSJ (and the national media) have both suggested that a reunion will be strongly considered. Khan and HSJ are usually in lockstep when it comes to predicting the Wings' future moves. I don't know who to believe on this one.

 

[Inspiration]

Just yesterday, with a team that is 3W-10L in overtime, and 7-0 in the shootout, Blashill started OT with 3 F's on the ice. Who's gonna try to defend that?

Why is this bad? I'm glad to see Blashill experimenting. Who cares if it costs them a point this year? I hope they use these last 25 games to experiment with players and strategies that could provide them an advantage in the future.

 

[vladdy16]

Why is this bad? I'm glad to see Blashill experimenting. Who cares if it costs them a point this year? I hope they use these last 25 games to experiment with players and strategies that could provide them an advantage in the future.

It's bad because it shows that the coach is either illogical, tone deaf or uninformed.

Set aside the games we lost cuz we didn't start on time, or games we couldn't hang on to. Just pushing a few of those 10L into the shootout, where you're currently batting 1.000, could've been the difference in making the playoffs or not.

 

[chances14]

It's bad because it shows that the coach is either illogical, tone deaf or uninformed.

Set aside the games we lost cuz we didn't start on time, or games we couldn't hang on to. Just pushing a few of those 10L into the shootout, where you're currently batting 1.000, could've been the difference in making the playoffs or not.

blashill had never had 3 forwards on the ice at one time in overtime all season that i can recall until yesterday. having 10L in overtime, obviously the previous lineups were not working so why not try something else? blashill is a terrible coach, but i didn't mind that decision one bit.

 

[vladdy16]

blashill had never had 3 forwards on the ice at one time in overtime all season that i can recall until yesterday. having 10L in overtime, obviously the previous lineups were not working so why not try something else? blashill is a terrible coach, but i didn't mind that decision one bit.

Fair enough. I saw the decision as a compounding of the error, not recognition of it. Certainly didn't end up looking good.

 

[cjm502]

I really liked the idea of starting with 3 forwards in OT, it caught me by surprise even though they didnt look that great during their short shift.

 

[Tasteslikekevinbacon]

blashill had never had 3 forwards on the ice at one time in overtime all season that i can recall until yesterday. having 10L in overtime, obviously the previous lineups were not working so why not try something else? blashill is a terrible coach, but i didn't mind that decision one bit.

He did do it one other time on an offensive zone face off a couple weeks ago w mantha, aa and I believe Vanek.

 

[DanZ]

It's bad because it shows that the coach is either illogical, tone deaf or uninformed.

Set aside the games we lost cuz we didn't start on time, or games we couldn't hang on to. Just pushing a few of those 10L into the shootout, where you're currently batting 1.000, could've been the difference in making the playoffs or not.

So the team is 3-10 in OT and you're upset he's trying something new? Doing the same thing as before makes sense to you? I don't mind three forwards in OT. It's not a bad idea when our defense is so offensively inept outside of Green.

 

[aar000n]

It's just plain stupid to blame Blashill for not getting results with this roster. The roster is basically an veteran improvement of what his Grand Rapids roster was, but the level of opponents is much better than in the AHL.

So, I think he needs to be given more time. One should however expect more of a roster change. That's were the problem is. In addition to that, there is no one of the younger players who are actually taking responsibility on the ice and making plays happen. Everyone is waiting for someone else to do it.

Thats the excuse that people give to loser coaches and blashill is a loser. Every play had regressed in his system. He no longer has players that are NHL caliber in a AHL world where is masks the server deficiencies in his system. He has NHL players playing NHL players and he is getting less just like grand rapids. He cant manage ice time and not there are even rumors that he doesnt control ice time.
His power play has regressed from crappy to historically bad numbers. no more excuses no more BS its time to fire him because he is a LOSER.

 

[DanZ]

Thats the excuse that people give to loser coaches and blashill is a loser. Every play had regressed in his system. He no longer has players that are NHL caliber in a AHL world where is masks the server deficiencies in his system. He has NHL players playing NHL players and he is getting less just like grand rapids. He cant manage ice time and not there are even rumors that he doesnt control ice time.
His power play has regressed from crappy to historically bad numbers. no more excuses no more BS its time to fire him because he is a LOSER.

He has zero elite players to work with. Zero. He's not worth worrying about right now in my opinion there are much bigger issues.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

Thats the excuse that people give to loser coaches and blashill is a loser. Every play had regressed in his system. He no longer has players that are NHL caliber in a AHL world where is masks the server deficiencies in his system. He has NHL players playing NHL players and he is getting less just like grand rapids. He cant manage ice time and not there are even rumors that he doesnt control ice time.
His power play has regressed from crappy to historically bad numbers. no more excuses no more BS its time to fire him because he is a LOSER.

Babcock couldn't even get the powerplay to work. Except for one season recently

 

[aar000n]

He has zero elite players to work with. Zero. He's not worth worrying about right now in my opinion there are much bigger issues.

he is playing with the big boys and failing. Weekends like this proves it. This team is better than the record and that goes on coaching.

 

[vladdy16]

So the team is 3-10 in OT and you're upset he's trying something new? Doing the same thing as before makes sense to you? I don't mind three forwards in OT. It's not a bad idea when our defense is so offensively inept outside of Green.

Well I was posing a question, I see the other side now, though I still don't agree with it.

Going into the ot I wasn't hoping for the same thing as before, I was hoping for a concerted effort to simply survive the 5 minutes.

 

[chances14]

Well I was posing a question, I see the other side now, though I still don't agree with it.

Going into the ot I wasn't hoping for the same thing as before, I was hoping for a concerted effort to simply survive the 5 minutes.

playing not to lose is losing hockey. it's why the wings have given up so many 3rd period leads

 

[vladdy16]

playing not to lose is losing hockey. it's why the wings have given up so many 3rd period leads

I don't think there is any correlation between 5x5 for 60 mins and 3x3 for 5 in that regard. Lots of different possibilities in 3x3.

This is just my opinion, but I want to see a concerted effort to get to the shootout, if my team is 3-10 in ot and undefeated in shootouts. And again, it's not like the 3F strategy for the second time all year came close to working, it was a bullet barely dodged. I thought it was ridiculous, but I hear the at least he was trying something point.

Good timing on the Khan article. I'm of the belief that the rebuild on the fly only started when the coach changed, so I'm still happy to see what the Wings can do as an underdog for the next few years. Next year being a make or break year for Holland should make for an interesting offseason, and hopefully hasten his impatience with the Head Coach. Bob Hartley is a terrific coach for a transitioning youngish underdog team, I think he and Holland could make some noise together.