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

[CaptainZetterberg40]

It was to be expected as I'm sure the alternative options were slim (which I can understand and why I won't bark at the moon for his extension), but now it's time for Blash to assert himself and prove his philosophy of how the game should be played is not only one that wins, but also one that transcends the deficiencies our roster on paper sets forth. While some may say that even with a similar roster next year, he would be able to hide under the safe umbrella of this poor roster, at what point will we truly begin to criticize him for what he can control? Next year I am expecting a team with different detailed habits and thought process of the game. As well as players to take that next step by being given a strong list of what they all need to work on to be "elite" (not just physically but mentally) in Blashill's view. Rise above, adapt and make your mark Blash. All of us will stand behind you as long as you have this team win. One thing I seek from Blashill the most is his answer on how we can finally beat high forechecking teams which as a team has been pur greatest weakness I can think of. When we consistently win again such teams is how I know we may be ready for the big show, until then if we can't beat that we have no chance at winning a cup, playoffs or not.

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

Using that reasoning then Ken Holland has to get rid of AA to the highest possible bidder ASAP. Do.Not.Extend!

Yes let's get rid of our second best player thats under 25 that's also our best scorer. Is a RFA too for his next contract. That's a smart move just because you dont like him.....

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

I always get the best laugh for this kind of comments about "carbage salary cap era GM", who did win a Cup at salary Cup era.

Only had probably the best defenseman in NHL history and a few other generational players too.

 

[TCNorthstars]

Only had probably the best defenseman in NHL history and a few other generational players too.

Nope, Datsyuk and Zetterberg are really great, but nowhere near generational. Good try though.

 

[Hen Kolland]

It was to be expected as I'm sure the alternative options were slim (which I can understand and why I won't bark at the moon for his extension), but now it's time for Blash to assert himself and prove his philosophy of how the game should be played is not only one that wins, but also one that transcends the deficiencies our roster on paper sets forth. While some may say that even with a similar roster next year, he would be able to hide under the safe umbrella of this poor roster, at what point will we truly begin to criticize him for what he can control? Next year I am expecting a team with different detailed habits and thought process of the game. As well as players to take that next step by being given a strong list of what they all need to work on to be "elite" in Blashill's view. Rise above, adapt and make your mark Blash. All of us will stand behind you as long as you have this team win.

I love the mindset, but I think most people will say their expectations for next year is a bottom five-ish finish, so is there an expectation that you are placing on Blashill that can be measured? I feel like the fan base in general expects him to win a lot of games to prove his value, but also wants him to lose a lot of games to preserve the draft position. It’s very conflicting.

I think Athanasiou is showing us what Blashill’s coaching is capable of producing, and if he consistently does it, we will be in luck.

 

[Hen Kolland]

Nope, Datsyuk and Zetterberg are really great, but nowhere near generational. Good try though.

Datsyuk was, imo, the best player in the league for a short period of time. I consider anybody who can hit that level to be somewhat close to generational. Zetterberg definitely not, but that’s not to take away how damn great he was for the organization.

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

Nope, Datsyuk and Zetterberg are really great, but nowhere near generational. Good try though.

Name 10 Russians all time better than Datsyuk.

 

[Henkka]

Datsyuk was, imo, the best player in the league for a short period of time. I consider anybody who can hit that level to be somewhat close to generational. Zetterberg definitely not, but that’s not to take away how damn great he was for the organization.

Pavel Datsyuk retired as having the best combined 8-year CorsiFor%, best 8-year GAR and 8-year WAR statistics.

Pretty effective player, if I would say.

And without any stat things, he was most entertaining to watch.

 

[Hen Kolland]

Pavel Datsyuk retired as having the best combined 8-year CorsiFor%, best 8-year GAR and 8-year WAR statistics.

Pretty effective player, if I would say.

And without any stat things, he was most entertaining to watch.

As much as I would hate it as a pretend GM, I’d love it even more just for one more season of Pavs.

 

[CaptainZetterberg40]

I love the mindset, but I think most people will say their expectations for next year is a bottom five-ish finish, so is there an expectation that you are placing on Blashill that can be measured? I feel like the fan base in general expects him to win a lot of games to prove his value, but also wants him to lose a lot of games to preserve the draft position. It’s very conflicting.

I think Athanasiou is showing us what Blashill’s coaching is capable of producing, and if he consistently does it, we will be in luck.

I certainly can understand the prospect of a bottom five finish and even land of that possibility myself from time to time, but that lies under the premise that we are the same team next as we are this year (more so gameplan than anything else). If all variables remain the same we get the same result. However if one of the variables (Blash in this case of focus) evolves and changes positively in nature then we can certainly get better. I dont expect the Cup or playoffs next year. But I am damn tired of sucking and losing whether it was our time in the cycle in the league or not. While Lafreniere would be awesome to have, we can't stay at the bottom forever and hoarding bottom picks, there has to be a point of rising. If our team misses the Lafreniere train, so be it, just as long as we can win and finally start to be taken seriously. To answer your question directly, if I had to give a tangible measure of expectation for this team next year, I am hoping for a jump out of the basement we call home and rise to at least the 10th or 13th (from last) spot. That would be a 9-10 spot increase which means this team would finally be evolving rather than remaining stagnant. In my opinion that is not too harsh of an expectation.

 

[DInTheB]

Oh for sure, I was just thinking if you knew you had a guy like SY coming aboard in three months, wouldn't you wanna let him make that call?

It’s a weird situation because if Yzerman does come in, it’ll likely be as Holland’s boss. That said, Holland can’t just assume he’s out and Illitch can’t assume Yzerman is in the fold. He has to let Holland run the team as he sees fit. Blash coaching on an expiring deal is what truly complicates matters though. If Holland is going to stay GM and he likes Blash, he can’t let him go into the summer as a free agent.

 

[Hen Kolland]

I certainly can understand the prospect of a bottom five finish and even land of that possibility myself from time to time, but that lies under the premise that we are the same team next as we are this year (more so gameplan than anything else). If all variables remain the same we get the same result. However if one of the variables (Blash in this case of focus) evolves and changes positively in nature then we can certainly get better. I dont expect the Cup or playoffs next year. But I am damn tired of sucking and losing whether it was our time in the cycle in the league or not. To answer your answer directly, if I had to give a tangible measure of expectation for this team next year, I am hoping for a jump out of the basement we call home and rise to at least the 10th or 13th (from last) spot. That would be a 9-10 spot increase which means this team would finally be evolving rather than remaining stagnant. In my opinion that is not too harsh of an expectation.

I’m on board with the idea, I think next year is the year that we should be winning some of these one goal games with the influx of more experienced, young talent. I don’t think it’s a playoff push, but I could see us having a jump like Buffalo from last year. That’s what I’m looking for performance wise for me to want to stick with him.

I also think we are still in a phase where we should be assessing Blash on his development of players. How Ras and Mantha look coming into next year will be big. How Zadina and Cholowski return and evolve next year will be big.

 

[GBFP]

Meh, I can't see him being paid enough that it would prevent Yzerman from firing him in a years time even if he gets a three year deal. This buys Yzerman a year to get his footing and better understanding of what he likes and doesn't like here. Also worth Blashill accepting any deal because there is only 30 other jobs so he gets a year "try out" under Yzerman and gets probably a three year contract out of it (ideally only two from Wings org perspective).

 

[CaptainZetterberg40]

I’m on board with the idea, I think next year is the year that we should be winning some of these one goal games with the influx of more experienced, young talent. I don’t think it’s a playoff push, but I could see us having a jump like Buffalo from last year. That’s what I’m looking for performance wise for me to want to stick with him.

I also think we are still in a phase where we should be assessing Blash on his development of players. How Ras and Mantha look coming into next year will be big. How Zadina and Cholowski return and evolve next year will be big.

We're on the same page =). The players themselves have alot to work on too and their summers are of huge importance. I too am hoping for Zadina to make a push for a top 9 roster spot as well as Rasmussen & Svechnikov. Would love Veleno to earn a spot on the team but that might be too hopeful as well as too much inexperience at once, but we'll see. Mantha could be an x-factor but he has a TON to work on if he wants to stay with us long term, especially if we add another forward this draft.

 

[Steve Yzerlland]

I don't mind Blashill. He was given an awful roster. It's a talent league he's doing the best with what he's got. I just hope Yzerman was factored into this.

 

[JustJokinenAround]

I don't mind Blashill. He was given an awful roster. It's a talent league he's doing the best with what he's got. I just hope Yzerman was factored into this.

i dont love blashill, but what is any coach supposed to do with this roster? they are horrendous

 

[TCNorthstars]

Name 10 Russians all time better than Datsyuk.

That doesn’t much have to do with generational, but:

Greatest Russian hockey players

Who are the Top 50 Russian NHL players of all time? - TheHockeyNews

 

[Bench]

That doesn’t much have to do with generational, but:

Greatest Russian hockey players

Who are the Top 50 Russian NHL players of all time? - TheHockeyNews

Are you proving his point? Your first list is from 2014 and has Dats at 13. He probably moves up considering he's played another 5 years of hockey. Also consider on that first list Alex Ovechkin is #10 which is a hot garbage take that hasn't aged well. The second list has him at #5.

Look I don't care what else is happening in this thread, but Zetterberg and Datsyuk were the top centers for a decade and literally the top 2 in the world around their 2008-2009 runs.

No they didn't put up the big numbers, but f***, we're talking about players that controlled every single zone and every part of the ice. They were the best. The results speak for themselves. The Wings were incredible to watch and should have been a back to back champion and were only robbed by another dynasty team.

Zetterberg is our Forsberg. There, I said it. Come at me, bros.

 

[TCNorthstars]

Are you proving his point? Your first list is from 2014 and has Dats at 13. He probably moves up considering he's played another 5 years of hockey. Also consider on that first list Alex Ovechkin is #10 which is a hot garbage take that hasn't aged well. The second list has him at #5.

Look I don't care what else is happening in this thread, but Zetterberg and Datsyuk were the top centers for a decade and literally the top 2 in the world around their 2008-2009 runs.

No they didn't put up the big numbers, but ****, we're talking about players that controlled every single zone and every part of the ice. They were the best. The results speak for themselves. The Wings were incredible to watch and should have been a back to back champion and were only robbed by another dynasty team.

Zetterberg is our Forsberg. There, I said it. Come at me, bros.

Since I don’t know squat about Russian hockey players all time I need to rely on other lists. The second list you might have an argument on, but that lists NHL players only. There were great hockey players before the Russians started playing in the NHL.

On the first list maybe he moves up a couple of spots, but Malkin (probably get crucified for this) moves above him.

So during their 2008-2009 runs they were better than Sidney Crosby? Who actually is a generational guy.

I think your heart has overtaken your head on this one!

Perhaps you should put up a poll on the mains asking if either one was “generational”.

Edit* looks like there was a thread asking if Dats was generational. Was Datsyuk Generational?

 

[jkutswings]

Zetterberg is our Forsberg. There, I said it. Come at me, bros.

Zetterberg had fewer instances of diving in his career than Forsberg had in any given season. I reject your entire methodology.

Oh wait, I actually agree with nearly everything you said. (Although I'd draw a closer comparison between Fedorov and Forsberg, but that's in terms of style, rather than legacy.) Shoot, never mind.

 

[jkutswings]

So during their 2008-2009 runs they were better than Sidney Crosby? Who actually is a generational guy.

I think your heart has overtaken your head on this one!

Yes, they were.

Do I think that 13 & 40 were generational players in the traditional sense of the word? No, not quite. But they absolutely had an extended stretch of time where you simply couldn't find a better 1-2 punch in the league, including Crosby and Malkin (who I agree is underrated). The Eurotwins simply dominated the ice, but they did it almost like Lidstrom played defense: Not busting down the door with gaudy offensive numbers, but so incredibly well rounded and smooth, that no defensive assignment was out of reach, while still putting the puck in the net early and often.

 

[Winger98]

Are you proving his point? Your first list is from 2014 and has Dats at 13. He probably moves up considering he's played another 5 years of hockey. Also consider on that first list Alex Ovechkin is #10 which is a hot garbage take that hasn't aged well. The second list has him at #5.

Look I don't care what else is happening in this thread, but Zetterberg and Datsyuk were the top centers for a decade and literally the top 2 in the world around their 2008-2009 runs.

No they didn't put up the big numbers, but ****, we're talking about players that controlled every single zone and every part of the ice. They were the best. The results speak for themselves. The Wings were incredible to watch and should have been a back to back champion and were only robbed by another dynasty team.

Zetterberg is our Forsberg. There, I said it. Come at me, bros.

The second list is just NHLers. Trying to put guys like Ovechkin and Malkin into a proper slotting with their old Soviet Union counterparts can make a number of lists look goofy. That top5 is a pretty hard spot to crack, though. And 6-10 isn't easy, either. The guy that I see getting a short shrift, probably because his career was cut short, is Pavel Bure.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

I don't mind Blashill. He was given an awful roster. It's a talent league he's doing the best with what he's got. I just hope Yzerman was factored into this.

I am more amazed that people don't understand he is also endorsing this and are just upset with Holland. You mean the guy that employed his best friend and has Tampa running the system they developed together won't like what Blashill thinks about the game.... Unlikely and Stevie defended Cooper massively when Tampa missed the playoffs, it isn't really how he has evaluated coaches. We will see how long it lasts but Blashill, Lalonde, Cooper are all cut from the same cloth in terms of guys that believe in the same things hockey wise, Yzerman likes those guys.

 

[NickH8]

I am more amazed that people don't understand he is also endorsing this and are just upset with Holland. You mean the guy that employed his best friend and has Tampa running the system they developed together won't like what Blashill thinks about the game.... Unlikely and Stevie defended Cooper massively when Tampa missed the playoffs, it isn't really how he has evaluated coaches. We will see how long it lasts but Blashill, Lalonde, Cooper are all cut from the same cloth in terms of guys that believe in the same things hockey wise, Yzerman likes those guys.

With Cooper it's clearly worked. So we'll see what Blashill can do with an Yzerman team.

 

[Hen Kolland]

It's amazing how dense the average fan is. HF is the only place where I have seen what appears to be a relatively even split for and against (or indifferent about) Blashill, and that's probably realistic as to where it should be. Whether it be the fallout from Twitter or Reddit or WiiM, it has to be about 95-99% negative opinions of Blashill, and the worst part is it's not an open discussion. People who arrive with an optimistic mindset, or a hopeful mindset are immediately ridiculed. Using Barry Trotz as an example of how a coach can change things is true, but he also arrived in NY with a team that had a stronger defensive core, had established scoring, which is something Blashill has not had the luxury to experience.

Just look at the state of the coaching market right now and be honest, who would be a higher priority for a team looking for a coach? For a team that is projected to be a playoff contender, I get the Quenneville attraction. But beyond that, who? I have browsed a few articles/blogs that have mentioned Dan Bylsma as a top 5 option. Todd McLellan? Todd Nelson? Michel Therrien? Alain Vigneault? I have to imagine Blashill's resume is enough to place him higher than any of those coaches. The respect he has garnered from winning at every level through the AHL, that he has been selected as the HC of Team USA, he's gotta be near the top. Keeping Blashill is absolutely the safest bet, when you consider the most likely alternative is probably promoting Bylsma to HC.