Jeff Blashill - Half Season Impression

[Actual Thought*]

Over half way through the season we have a pretty good sample size of the "Uber Fresh Voice" of Blashill. I have made no secret that I didn't like him from the start but I am quite amazed at the free pass he gets. Last season nearly every thread was filled with posts about how his fresh voice was going to be an improvement over Babcock. He was going to rejuvenate the likes of Kindl, Smith, and Jurco and turn this team into a more offensively dynamic squad. None of that has happened. Kindl is waived, Smith is still the same, Jurco can barely make the line up. Nearly every player has regressed.
Last season every thread was permeated with posts saying we needed a RHPMD. Not 2 or 3 or 4 but 1. We got that guy in Green.
We added Larkin who has been fantastic.
We swapped out Weiss for Richards which is a net positive.

Now just past the half way point of the season the team is in a playoff spot despite playing some pretty bad hockey.

The PP is atrocious. Not only does it rarely score but more often than not it destroys momentum. 26th in PP%
The offence 5 v 5 is bad. Goals for is in the bottom of the league at 21st.

25th in shots for. 9th in shots against

The team is currently the only EC playoff team with a negative goals differential having given up 5 more than they have scored.

They are the lowest scoring team in playoff position.

In the last 10 they are 5-5.

There isn't a single area of play other than goaltending where the team has improved.

Are you happy with this? The roster is better and the team is worse.

Click to read more...

 

[TheOtherOne]

Sorry I'm like 3 sentences in and I'm blown away by how ridiculous your premise is.

It has been half a season and you expect us to crucify a coach who's brand new to the nhl?

Give him time. And that's all that needs to be said here.

 

[WingedWheel1987]

The roster is only better if you ignore the decline of Zetterberg and Kronwall's play and Datsyuk's health.

Brad Richards sucks. No surprise there.

So you we left with Green and Larkin left to cover the decline. That isn't enough.

 

[Flowah]

What's surprising to me is you didn't think enough to compare this team to last season when we were apparently coached by god himself.

Last season we were 24th worst in 5v5 goals ahead of only NJ, Buffalo, Arizona, Carolina, and Edmonton. We're actually better this season. But it's terrible when it's 21st in the league with Blashill but nothing to worry about when we're 24th worst with Babcock. How about judging by the same standards? Too much to ask perhaps?

The very fact that Smith, Kindl, and Jurco need to be "revitalized" was because they weren't exactly thriving under Babcock. Now you think because Blashill can't turn them into winners that speaks to Blashill being bad.

Just to get this straight:
half a season with Blashill where Kindl/Smith/Jurco aren't good = Blashill sucks.
2+ seasons with Babcock where Kindl/Smith/Jurco aren't good = Babcock is way better than Blashill and we made a mistake letting him leave.

Good logic.

Meanwhile "every player has regressed." Tatar is on pace for 51 points which is pretty damn close to the 56 he had last season. Gus is on pace for 44 while he's in one of his worst slumps. He goes on a little run and he's right back to the 54 points he put up last season. Abby is on pace for 26 goals which is 3 more than last season and 43 points which is 1 less than last season.

So I'm not sure where you're getting this "everyone has regressed" business. Perhaps you mean our THREE OLDEST PLAYERS WHO ARE ALL PAST 35? Maybe that has more to do with their age than Blashill? Nah. Must be Trashill.

I mean, those are the actual numbers for the things you complained about. If you are bellyaching so much this season about the poor play of Kindl and Smith and Jurco, and you're upset about our 5v5 scoring, and you're upset about the "regression" of our players, why weren't you crying last season? It's pretty clear you have no factual basis for your complaints, just your biases.

 

[Electric Eric]

Ok, so I was going point by point responding to your post but I got bored with that.

Basically what it boils down too is we have an ageing core, a rookie NHL coach who's still learning the ropes, a plethora of secondary pieces everyone was hoping would turn into elite talent, and yet we still have a playoff spot.



My question to you, since honestly I rarely seen you post anything other than Blashill bashing is this:

What would you have done different?

Additionally, what would you have us do now?

 

[chances14]

I wasn't aware that rookie head coaches had to instantly get results that match that of hall of fame coaches

nice standard you got going there

but the bottom line is this team is NOT better than last year when you factor in the massive decline due to age from kronwall, zetterberg, and datsyuk

 

[ElijahR92]

This is such a lame complaint thread.

 

[DatsDeking]

I think the biggest issue is that most of us, myself included, over hyped Blashill and thought that it would be an automatic fix when he took over.

I agree with the majority of this hoard's complaints. Our PP has sucked but the rest of our issues don't seem to be too heavily coach related. Our D is slowly getting better by subtraction. We have the names on paper to be good up front. The goaltending has been really good for the most part. We're just having issues putting everything together.

I blame the PP for a good chunk of our current issues with production but at the end of the day it comes down to the fact that we had soaring expectations for this team because it was a new year. I had the same ones, maybe a few more. Just because we fixed a few glaring issue doesn't mean we have an overall net gain.

For all we know Larkin could regress pretty hard next year and then we're in even bigger trouble.

 

[Claypool]

Blashill is a great coach.

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

Why.

 

[SoupNazi]

The roster is better with Zetterberg, Datsyuk and Kronwall all declining?

Explain please.

 

[HockeyinHD]

It's simply impossible to know if Blashill is more like Babcock or more like Lewis at this point in time.

There are two general camps of complainers on this board:

1) The group of people like AT who think that Blashill sucks. Given that the team is in 3rd or 4th in the conference that must mean the roster is really good.

2) The group of people who thinks Holland sucks and the roster he's built is awful. Given that the team is 3rd or 4th in the conference this must mean that the coach is amazing.

We should just have a thread where those two groups can yell at each other about how the other side is wrong in diagnosing which portion of the team needs to be fired/waived/dumped into the garbage.

I would imagine detente would only be reached when both groups decide that everything about the Wings suck and they are as successful as they are through simple provenance.

The reality of the team is:

A) Blashill is an untested NHL coach bringing a new approach or system or process onto a team where the majority of the players have heard the same coaching voice for the majority (or even the totality) of their careers. It is going to take time for the effects of that change to make themselves known, and still more time to see if the team needs to populate its roster differently to fully accommodate those changes.

B) There are holes on the roster which prevent the team from being truly dangerous. Lead dman, lead center. Other teams beat our ***** at the tops of the depth chart at those skater positions. There's not a lot of coaching that can make up for a talent/performance gap at high-profile positions like that, and there aren't a lot of plausible front office solutions to quickly address them, either.

This year is the transitionest of the fairly transitiony years we've seen post-Lidstrom. When Kronwall could at least fake people out into thinking he was a #1 it wasn't quite as bad, but with him on the slide down to strong 3 instead of mediocre 1b, other issues down the blue line depth chart are metastasizing.

When, then, do I think we can start seriously talking about what Blashill is as a coach? We can reasonably start gurgling about him after his second full year and openly questioning his future by the ASB of year 3.

 

[Heaton]

The roster is better with Zetterberg, Datsyuk and Kronwall all declining?

Explain please.

> Worst roster than last year, even with Green and Larkin added
> Same record as last year
> Babcock was the issue last year (for some people), Blashill is the issue this year (for some people
> Virtually the exact same record as last year
>

 

[JPE123]

I'm not happy but I'm not that surprised. I think fans always over rate their own players. We have a mediocre roster that requires top level play from an aging Dats and Z(not happening) to be more than a one round and out playoff team. We have gotten some outstanding goaltending that has helped us a lot in the standings. It's a fairly competitive team on a good night but mostly mediocre.

Green is a plus and the same time Kronner is having a terrible year.
Richards is a plus compared to Weiss but so would a cardboard cutout
Nyquist and Tatar are proving they won't be the next Dats and Z.
Still have hope for Mantha, AA, and Sheahan. Don't know about Pulks.

And I don't blame Blash. Half a season in the NHL is too quick to judge.

In sum, I had mediocre expectations and they have been met

 

[ArGarBarGar]

> Worst roster than last year, even with Green and Larkin added
> Same record as last year
> Babcock was the issue last year (for some people), Blashill is the issue this year (for some people
> Virtually the exact same record as last year
>

"While everything changes, everything still stays the same."

 

[Kronwalled55]

It's pretty much the same as it was under Babcock... The guy regarded as the best coach in the NHL. I think Blashill has been fine.

 

[Hammettf2b]

Over half way through the season we have a pretty good sample size of the "Uber Fresh Voice" of Blashill. I have made no secret that I didn't like him from the start but I am quite amazed at the free pass he gets. Last season nearly every thread was filled with posts about how his fresh voice was going to be an improvement over Babcock. He was going to rejuvenate the likes of Kindl, Smith, and Jurco and turn this team into a more offensively dynamic squad. None of that has happened. Kindl is waived, Smith is still the same, Jurco can barely make the line up. Nearly every player has regressed.
Last season every thread was permeated with posts saying we needed a RHPMD. Not 2 or 3 or 4 but 1. We got that guy in Green.
We added Larkin who has been fantastic.
We swapped out Weiss for Richards which is a net positive.

Now just past the half way point of the season the team is in a playoff spot despite playing some pretty bad hockey.

The PP is atrocious. Not only does it rarely score but more often than not it destroys momentum. 26th in PP%
The offence 5 v 5 is bad. Goals for is in the bottom of the league at 21st.

25th in shots for. 9th in shots against

The team is currently the only EC playoff team with a negative goals differential having given up 5 more than they have scored.

They are the lowest scoring team in playoff position.

In the last 10 they are 5-5.

There isn't a single area of play other than goaltending where the team has improved.

Are you happy with this? The roster is better and the team is worse.

At some point the players need to start taking responsibility, no?

 

[GoAwayDanCleary]

Let. It. Die.

 

[GBFP]

Hopefully he sends his assistant coach buddy to GR next season when Nelson is hired away and gets a real NHL level assistant coach added to his staff.

 

[SimplySolace]

This thread summed up in one emote:

 

[Actual Thought*]

Sorry I'm like 3 sentences in and I'm blown away by how ridiculous your premise is.

It has been half a season and you expect us to crucify a coach who's brand new to the nhl?
Give him time. And that's all that needs to be said here.

MOD
How could I possibly expect a rookie coach to perform his duties?

On day one our boy sees fit to have "Greatness is a Daily Choice" painted on the wall. This is one of the most transparently pretentious things ever done. It says that Blashill himself believes or is trying to convince himself that he makes the daily choice to be great and therefore is qualified to lead others to greatness. This despite the fact that many of them have already achieved much more in the greatness department than he has.

Contrast that with Babcock's "To Whom Much is Given Much is Expected" and you get a crystal clear picture of the intellectual difference between the two men. While these may just be slogans they both speak volumes about the individuals who placed them.

Major league sports is not the place for on the job training. There are only 30 NHL HC jobs in the world. Those who get those jobs should be capable of doing them on day 1.

 

[Claypool]

Hopefully he sends his assistant coach buddy to GR next season when Nelson is hired away and gets a real NHL level assistant coach added to his staff.

You should look up how much NHL level experience Jim Hiller had when Babcock hired him.

 

[Eggberto]

Major league sports is not the place for on the job training. There are only 30 NHL HC jobs in the world. Those who get those jobs should be capable of doing them on day 1.

Given the stats Flowah laid out it appears Blashill is in fact capable of performing at the NHL level. If he can hold his job down now then maybe just maybe he will continue to improve at his job.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

On day one our boy sees fit to have "Greatness is a Daily Choice" painted on the wall. This is one of the most transparently pretentious things ever done. It says that Blashill himself believes or is trying to convince himself that he makes the daily choice to be great and therefore is qualified to lead others to greatness. This despite the fact that many of them have already achieved much more in the greatness department than he has.

Can you please explain this leap of logic? It's a freaking motivational quote used for motivation, for crying out loud. It's also a motivational quote he used in Grand Rapids as early as 2012.

Also, can you please respond to this quote?

What's surprising to me is you didn't think enough to compare this team to last season when we were apparently coached by god himself.

Last season we were 24th worst in 5v5 goals ahead of only NJ, Buffalo, Arizona, Carolina, and Edmonton. We're actually better this season. But it's terrible when it's 21st in the league with Blashill but nothing to worry about when we're 24th worst with Babcock. How about judging by the same standards? Too much to ask perhaps?

The very fact that Smith, Kindl, and Jurco need to be "revitalized" was because they weren't exactly thriving under Babcock. Now you think because Blashill can't turn them into winners that speaks to Blashill being bad.

Just to get this straight:
half a season with Blashill where Kindl/Smith/Jurco aren't good = Blashill sucks.
2+ seasons with Babcock where Kindl/Smith/Jurco aren't good = Babcock is way better than Blashill and we made a mistake letting him leave.

Good logic.

Meanwhile "every player has regressed." Tatar is on pace for 51 points which is pretty damn close to the 56 he had last season. Gus is on pace for 44 while he's in one of his worst slumps. He goes on a little run and he's right back to the 54 points he put up last season. Abby is on pace for 26 goals which is 3 more than last season and 43 points which is 1 less than last season.

So I'm not sure where you're getting this "everyone has regressed" business. Perhaps you mean our THREE OLDEST PLAYERS WHO ARE ALL PAST 35? Maybe that has more to do with their age than Blashill? Nah. Must be Trashill.

I mean, those are the actual numbers for the things you complained about. If you are bellyaching so much this season about the poor play of Kindl and Smith and Jurco, and you're upset about our 5v5 scoring, and you're upset about the "regression" of our players, why weren't you crying last season? It's pretty clear you have no factual basis for your complaints, just your biases.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

We all know my feelings on Blashill. I think he is an excellent coach and he is going to evolve into something special. Eventually his message will wear out its welcome as well. But I am going to enjoy the ride until then more than likely.

Very pleased with Blashill, I think this is the best team we have had since 2012 and we are making gains as the season goes along. Holland could really put us in the position to do something with a trade but I am encouraged.

Also remember that McCollum, Pearce, Mrazek both in GR and now have talked about how much they like Blashill. Keep in mind he is a former goalie himself and started initially coaching that position before gaining more duties on down the line. Could be he is really good with goalies..... Will be really pleased if he can turn Howard around because as we all know when he goes in his swoons he has a really hard time pulling out of them. But he takes a more hands on approach with the goalies than most coaches, so he and not just Bedard will likely be huge for Petr moving forward.