GDT: Kings @ Wings | 7:30PM | FSD

[Redder Winger]

Firing Blashill won't fix the problem. That's like firing a car salesman because a car has a recall.

Firing Blash for some other knucklehead who overplays Jimmy Howard and who sits Athanasiou and sometimes Mantha would be stupid.

Firing Blash for someone who plays the kids in a rebuild-style fashion would be a step forward.

1) We've basically got 4 months of NHL hockey left to decide on the future of Petr Mrazek. Playing him twice a month isn't going to tell you anything.
2) It's time to stop playing the booths of the world and call up Tyler Bertuzzi and just go with the kids. Lose? Yeah probably. But hand this team over.

If this team is sitting in 8th place or just a few points out at the trade deadline, Mike Green won't be traded.
The Wings can get assets for Green.
Maybe they can eat salary and get assets for Howard.
Maybe if they let Mrazek play they trade him if they don't want him.
Maybe Nyquist has more value with a year left on his deal than he does now.

You can't make these calls unless your comfortable with the notion that this team isn't going to win.

Last year, when the wheels fell off, did Blashill go with the kids? Nope. He stayed with Howard. He cut Athanasiou's ice time. He kept playing Z too much.

He's not the kind of guy you want for a team that needs to start over.

 

[Run the Jewels]

I agree...with the caveat that the intentions of ownership need to be clarified.

I'm 100% on board with shipping Holland out, but if "the new Ilitch approach" is then to continue coasting in safe waters, with a new token GM as a yes man to more of the same, then nothing really gets fixed.

I don't expect the kids to ever throw caution to the wind quite like Mike sometimes did, but a LITTLE more aggressiveness than we've seen the last few years would be much appreciated.

Fair point, however Holland has been the one indicating he has no interest in rebuilding. He's been given a pretty much hands off approach which definitely made sense in the past. My concern is that rather than trading Green he will sign him to an awful deal since he's our only dman capable of putting up points. It's clear this team can't do more than sort of tread water for a portion of the season before the bottom falls out. With Holland you have a guy who has already indicated he's comfortable with the current state of the franchise. His opinion is the only one that matters.

 

[The Flying Octopus]

I feel this team needs a change

Send Nyquist to Buffalo for Kane

I don't care if it doesn't make sense, I'm just sick of this lineup

 

[ShelbyZ]

IMO, I don't think a GM and/or coaching switch will change anything. If it does happen, they likely take the same course they did with Tigers:

-Promote a GM from within and try to carry on the same course until it's completely broken.... So who is the Red Wings Al Avila?
-Don't fire, but let the contract to your youngish coach that's gotten nowhere trying to lead an aging but once competitive core being band-aided with veteran additions expire. But awkwardly announce it before the season is done. Then replace him with one that is older and more established and has success in the league but is maybe a little too "old school" for todays game. Who is the NHL's Ron Gardenhire right now? Darryl Sutter? Bob Hartley? Maybe Trotz/Boudreau/Carlyle if they don't have jobs this summer?

 

[ShelbyZ]

Anyone else think Booth looks like that Randy guy that ruined that 70s show?

LOL. To me he looks like a cross between that guy and Dave England from Jackass...

 

[Ezekial]

LOL. To me he looks like a cross between that guy and Dave England from Jackass...

That's a perfect comparison, the lovechild between them.

 

[Reddwit]

IMO, I don't think a GM and/or coaching switch will change anything. If it does happen, they likely take the same course they did with Tigers:

-Promote a GM from within and try to carry on the same course until it's completely broken.... So who is the Red Wings Al Avila?
-Don't fire, but let the contract to your youngish coach that's gotten nowhere trying to lead an aging but once competitive core being band-aided with veteran additions expire. But awkwardly announce it before the season is done. Then replace him with one that is older and more established and has success in the league but is maybe a little too "old school" for todays game. Who is the NHL's Ron Gardenhire right now? Darryl Sutter? Bob Hartley? Maybe Trotz/Boudreau/Carlyle if they don't have jobs this summer?

A GM switch in-season doesn't alleviate any pressure from the organization and it would disgrace Holland to terminate him early when he would have the opportunity to voluntarily re-sign soon enough. A coaching change, however, only disgraces Blashill and the organization can do its own damage control on Blashill if they want to - they can control what kind of PR he gets post-facto. They also have Nelson that they can promote. Nelson has a great reputation, has already been in the exact same position (interm NHL coaching role up from the AHL coaching NHLers he coached in the AHL), and allows the Wings some time to breathe as an organization without making any further major moves.

Another thing about the Wings GMing position: Holland doesn't need to be fired for him to be replaced. He can be a lame-duck voice in the room while the collective Wings brass and ad hoc consultants make the trade deadline and/or rebuilding decisions.

 

[Oddbob]

Growing tired of AA's attempts to constantly go in by himself and lose the puck or get muscled off of it, without even looking for teammates who can help get the puck in the zone or do something with it. He tries it over and over again and is like 1 attempt for every 10 that he does anything of significance. Also, he looks slow (for a player with his speed) most games for the most part, where is that breakaway speed he is supposed to bring, and did with more regularity last year. He is becoming so predictable, probably why he is hardly putting up points or doing much of importance.

 

[Beltv]

Growing tired of AA's attempts to constantly go in by himself and lose the puck or get muscled off of it, without even looking for teammates who can help get the puck in the zone or do something with it. He tries it over and over again and is like 1 attempt for every 10 that he does anything of significance. Also, he looks slow (for a player with his speed) most games for the most part, where is that breakaway speed he is supposed to bring, and did with more regularity last year. He is becoming so predictable, probably why he is hardly putting up points or doing much of importance.

I thought that his effort level last game was bad. If Wings need to call someone out it should be him over Mantha, IMO.

IMO, I don't think a GM and/or coaching switch will change anything. If it does happen, they likely take the same course they did with Tigers:

-Promote a GM from within and try to carry on the same course until it's completely broken.... So who is the Red Wings Al Avila?
-Don't fire, but let the contract to your youngish coach that's gotten nowhere trying to lead an aging but once competitive core being band-aided with veteran additions expire. But awkwardly announce it before the season is done. Then replace him with one that is older and more established and has success in the league but is maybe a little too "old school" for todays game. Who is the NHL's Ron Gardenhire right now? Darryl Sutter? Bob Hartley? Maybe Trotz/Boudreau/Carlyle if they don't have jobs this summer?

-Kris Draper
-Marc Crawford

 

[Redder Winger]

Growing tired of AA's attempts to constantly go in by himself and lose the puck or get muscled off of it, without even looking for teammates who can help get the puck in the zone or do something with it. He tries it over and over again and is like 1 attempt for every 10 that he does anything of significance. Also, he looks slow (for a player with his speed) most games for the most part, where is that breakaway speed he is supposed to bring, and did with more regularity last year. He is becoming so predictable, probably why he is hardly putting up points or doing much of importance.

Athanasiou was one of the Wings' best forwards last game.
Used his speed to draw a penalty. Used his speed and hands to get into the slot and wire a shot off the post.

Guys who skate like him need to learn when to fly and when to slow it down.
You can see he struggles with the "slow it down" part of the game. And it often does nothing. He'll pass over to Z. Skate up the Wing. And then then Z or Gus get their shot blocked, or they dump it behind the net, and you're back on defense.
I've got not problem with trying to make plays. If when you're stopped, you're backing their D off. You're giving them something to worry about.
And when A2 starts up the middle, the place to be is behind him. Because if he's stopped, the puck will probably end up behind him.
If he gets through and the goalie stops, you want to be there cleaning up his mess.