News Article: Ken Holland: Detroit Red Wings to extend Jeff Blashill's deal

[raymond23]

I mean when we have the right players on the ice (Larkin, Bert, Green, etc.) they seem to play the system really well.

Some forwards have seen some great progression under him.

My biggest concern with Blash is if he can turn these defenseman into good players. Our organization has sucked at it for two decades. We NEED to be able to develop defenseman internally or we are royalfy f***ed

I hate switching coaches every couple of years when you aren't winning. Replacing Blash with Quinneville, for instance, does not help us at all.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

Again, Holland never actually said the Wings were re-signing Blashill. But if it's not Blashill it's almost certainly going to be Bylsma stepping up into the position. Holland is all about conservative incremental change.

 

[kliq]

One can be a terrible coach and be coaching a terrible roster. The things are not mutually exclusive.

His player usage and lineup decisions are bottom tier - Dekeyser starting the overtime game a week ago or so when the Wings have Green and Jensen available is just one example of how much of an idiot he is.

I dont think the poster you were responding to was implying they were mutually exclusive. I think the point is that the expectation of a coach, is to get the most out of their roster.

Given the roster Blashill has, the team has pretty much performed to where it should. Its a bottom 5 roster, playing like a bottom 5 roster. Its not a Colorado situation from a couple years ago where the team has elite talent but is playing dreadful, or a Philadelphia situation where the team is built for the playoffs, but is simply under performing. I dont think Blashill is a great coach, but I dont think he is a bad one either. Just like a young player, I think he is a developing coach. As long as the kids are progressing, I am happy, and this year Larkin, Bertuzzi, AA, Hronek, Chowolski (at least early on) etc. have all elevated their games.

Also, "idiot" is a bit harsh. As much as we like to think we are all hockey experts, I guarantee he schools 95% of the people on this board when it comes to his knowledge of the game.

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

Definitely not a long term solution, but I don’t think Blashill is actively hurting the team.

 

[SirloinUB]

Blashill is a quality coach who has one of the finest resumes in the game (relative to experience). I'm glad they are extending him as he is not to blame for the teams current struggles.

I'll be curious to see his salary as his previous contract had him at the lowest known coach's salary in the league.

 

[Henkka]

If Yzerman takes the charge at 2020, I think Blash could be extended to 2020-21.

If that season is a failure, Stevie can fire him at mid-season and and bring his own guy in.

 

[Shaman464]

Blashill isn't the worst coach ever. But, he still lives, willingly, in the shadow of Babcock. He's his best when he doesn't try to be Babcock. And at his worst when he's trying to play the game 'what would Babcock do'.

 

[RedWingsfan55]

To be honest, I dont know how I feel about this. Part of me feels that he is a bad coach because of his roster decisions. Giving people like abby and helm first line minutes when they dont be long there. Or putting someone good on the 3rd or 4th line.

But on the flip side I think he has done a decent job of teaching the young guys. Mantha, AA larkin and bert especially have seen growth under him. Mrazek bombed out and it's too early to tell with raz, zadina and cholo.

He also has been given a less than good roster to coach, yet they've been competitive.

So giving him another couple years isnt the worst thing in the world. I'm still not sure if he is a good coach but the youth growth is there. As long as they continue to progress, more wins should follow.

 

[RedWingsfan55]

Blashill isn't the worst coach ever. But, he still lives, willingly, in the shadow of Babcock. He's his best when he doesn't try to be Babcock. And at his worst when he's trying to play the game 'what would Babcock do'.

It's funny you say this. Am I the only one that notices how EVERY SINGLE FRIGGEN PERSON tries to talk like Babcock? The pauses, the sucking in of air, the ums and uhs. Holland, blashill and helm all come to mind from the last week in their interviews. But theres more than just them.

 

[Dotter]

I
Also, "idiot" is a bit harsh. As much as we like to think we are all hockey experts, I guarantee he schools 95% of the people on this board when it comes to his knowledge of the game.

95% seems like a conservative number, I'm sure it's probably more like a 100%. [mod]

That said, I hope Kenny re-signs Blash. He's been great for the kids! And I think he's a good coach.

 

[ElysiumAB]

It's funny you say this. Am I the only one that notices how EVERY SINGLE FRIGGEN PERSON tries to talk like Babcock? The pauses, the sucking in of air, the ums and uhs. Holland, blashill and helm all come to mind from the last week in their interviews. But theres more than just them.

It bugs me more than it should.

Go back and watch some of Blashill's WMU interviews....... it annoys me and also makes me laugh.

I can't listen to the guy, because while he's talking all I'm thinking about is that it seems like he changed his voice to sound like Babcock. It's really bizarre.

 

[TheOtherOne]

I mean when we have the right players on the ice (Larkin, Bert, Green, etc.) they seem to play the system really well.

Some forwards have seen some great progression under him.

My biggest concern with Blash is if he can turn these defenseman into good players. Our organization has sucked at it for two decades. We NEED to be able to develop defenseman internally or we are royalfy ****ed

I hate switching coaches every couple of years when you aren't winning. Replacing Blash with Quinneville, for instance, does not help us at all.

Has our organization sucked at it though? Or have we just been unlucky with the material? Have any of our defensemen escaped to do great things elsewhere?

Sometimes it's not an institutional failure. Sometimes the students just suck.

 

[Hen Kolland]

It's funny you say this. Am I the only one that notices how EVERY SINGLE FRIGGEN PERSON tries to talk like Babcock? The pauses, the sucking in of air, the ums and uhs. Holland, blashill and helm all come to mind from the last week in their interviews. But theres more than just them.

I think it’s less about sounding like Babcock and sounding as generically “hockey” as possible. I never thought Babcock’s speech patterns were unique because of the “well, uhh” he would use in every sentence, I think everyone uses that. Hockey management, coaches, and players all try to avoid tipping anything, so they veil it with a bunch of nonsense and generic lines and phrases. I hear Babcock when you hear a Canadian/northern Michigan accent come through in those moments.

 

[SCD]

The one thing that bothered me this year was Cholowski's treatment when they played in Vancouver. I wonder if Blashill does other stupid **it like this that we don't hear about.

 

[Lazlo Hollyfeld]

It bugs me more than it should.

Go back and watch some of Blashill's WMU interviews....... it annoys me and also makes me laugh.

I can't listen to the guy, because while he's talking all I'm thinking about is that it seems like he changed his voice to sound like Babcock. It's really bizarre.

I feel the same.

I imagine him standing in front of the mirror wearing a fedora, practicing his Babcock glare.

I know he was raised in Sault Ste. Marie but he doesn't sound like a yooper to me, he sounds specifically like Babcock.

 

[Henkka]

The one thing that bothered me this year was Cholowski's treatment when they played in Vancouver. I wonder if Blashill does other stupid **it like this that we don't hear about.

You are hanging too much on special cases. Big picture is what matters.

 

[Larkin1578]

Meh...

 

[Datsyukian Deke]

 

[raymond23]

Has our organization sucked at it though? Or have we just been unlucky with the material? Have any of our defensemen escaped to do great things elsewhere?

Sometimes it's not an institutional failure. Sometimes the students just suck.

Idk to be honest. Either way it has got to change!

 

[FMichael]

How do you know he is a terrible coach if all he has to work with is a terrible roster? Do you think another coach would get more out of our roster? The Wings young players are growing and progressing. That is the good that Blashill is doing.

This I can agree with.

While I'm not Blashill's #1 fan - far from it, but it's not like he's Mike Yeo who's Blues woefully underperformed...He has a below average roster, and the results indicate as such.

Now if the Wings continue to miss the playoffs with some top end talent - then that's a different story, and we'll see what becomes of things in a few years.

 

[FMichael]

Blashill isn't the worst coach ever. But, he still lives, willingly, in the shadow of Babcock. He's his best when he doesn't try to be Babcock. And at his worst when he's trying to play the game 'what would Babcock do'.

IMHO the Leafs are gonna be golfing by late April.

 

[Zetterberg4Captain]

No need to have an elite proven coach without an elite proven roster.

So who cares

 

[Bench]

You've got to consider Blashill's worst years are behind him. We often look at players as having developmental curves and peaks, and honestly the same is true for any other job. Think about your current job and your first couple years versus today. Odds are you're a lot more efficient, confident, and don't make the same mistakes you once did.

We've invested years into this guy, so let's give him a real team and see what he can do. Obviously there's enough there to like for management (and we can include Yzerman here) to keep faith he's on the right track.

I think one massive mistake struggling franchises make is the coaching carousel. NHL coaches provide leadership, structure, and polish to a team. You don't create that overnight unless you carry significant cache like Bowman. We're all chasing better results and fast, but I like the team is at least looking at the idea it's the team, not the coach.

 

[PelagicJoe]

One can be a terrible coach and be coaching a terrible roster. The things are not mutually exclusive.

His player usage and lineup decisions are bottom tier - Dekeyser starting the overtime game a week ago or so when the Wings have Green and Jensen available is just one example of how much of an idiot he is.

I'm with you on this one. Trash the Blash. Throw the bank at Q.

 

[TCNorthstars]

I'm with you on this one. Trash the Blash. Throw the bank at Q.

How many more wins would Q have than Blashill?