What Will Happen with Ken Holland?

[Run the Jewels]

Ken Holland's current contract ends after next season. I'm interested in seeing what people think will happen. Here are the four options I think are worth putting into a poll:

Holland signs an extension and stays on as GM.
Holland "retires" and gets bumped to another role in the organization.
Holland "retires" and is no longer involved with the organization in an official capacity.
Holland is fired, either at some point this season or next season.

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[Frk It]

There is a 0% chance of option 3 or 4 happening.

 

[Run the Jewels]

There is a 0% chance of option 3 or 4 happening.

Agred, I think the second is the most likely followed by the first.

 

[LarKing]

Sadly I think the first is most likely as long as he wants to return.

 

[Ezekial]

Agred, I think the second is the most likely followed by the first.

Yup, this is how I feel. I don't think he'll return without the streak in tact. 3,4 not options

 

[njx9]

He'll be re-signed. It seems clear that ownership either doesn't care, or doesn't disagree with him, and I see no reason why he'd now accept a 'promotion' he'd previously refused.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

Signs a new deal. I guess I'm a pessimist.

 

[Frk It]

He'll be re-signed. It seems clear that ownership either doesn't care, or doesn't disagree with him, and I see no reason why he'd now accept a 'promotion' he'd previously refused.

His legacy.

If he rides off into the sunset and let's someone else handle the re-build (which is what I think he should do), then he goes out with a 26 or 27 year playoff streak and potentially only one down year.

If he re-ups his contract, he could likely have to manage a team through a transitional period that misses the playoffs multiple times and somewhat tarnishes his legacy.

I'd love to make this decision for him, but I doubt the Red Wings will. I see a fair amount of incentive for him to bow out gracefully. A re-build seems too messy for his liking, and he's literally never had to do one before and has no experience in that area.

 

[Run the Jewels]

His legacy.

If he rides off into the sunset and let's someone else handle the re-build (which is what I think he should do), then he goes out with a 26 or 27 year playoff streak and potentially only one down year.

If he re-ups his contract, he could likely have to manage a team through a transitional period that misses the playoffs multiple times and somewhat tarnishes his legacy.

I'd love to make this decision for him, but I doubt the Red Wings will. I see a fair amount of incentive for him to bow out gracefully. A re-build seems too messy for his liking, and he's literally never had to do one before and has no experience in that area.

He'll also be entering his mid 60s and that doesn't seem like a great time for a guy with nearly 20 years of experience to start a major rebuild project that could take anywhere from 5-10 years. I think he gets to bask in the limelight of the new arena opening to rave reviews and then retires. If the streak is still intact well that's a home run for him. If the streak ends he still has a damn fine legacy.

If the streak is over and it's clear the team needs a major renovation - and that's where things are trending at the moment - that makes it that much more unlikely IMO that he's ready to put his head on the chopping block. Far too risky and I would agree with him if that was his assessment.

 

[njx9]

His legacy.

If he rides off into the sunset and let's someone else handle the re-build (which is what I think he should do), then he goes out with a 26 or 27 year playoff streak and potentially only one down year.

If he re-ups his contract, he could likely have to manage a team through a transitional period that misses the playoffs multiple times and somewhat tarnishes his legacy.

I'd love to make this decision for him, but I doubt the Red Wings will. I see a fair amount of incentive for him to bow out gracefully. A re-build seems too messy for his liking, and he's literally never had to do one before and has no experience in that area.

I sort of get that, but I dunno. If he actually lets the team go through a transitional period, and navigates it with even the barest degree of success, I think that looks really good for him (in general, not necessarily with fans). That said, I don't think he'd bother with a transitional period, whatever happens to the streak. The team will continue to sign guys like Nielsen, to try to cling to that 8th-ish place in the East, and I don't think the East as a whole is really good enough to put that far enough out of reach that it's not generally achievable. It may not be the continuation of the streak, but I'm pretty sure the same management style could keep this team perfectly mediocre for quite a while.

All that said, in retrospect, I'm probably just assuming the worst case scenario, more than trying to present a realistic argument. I assume the guy will be running things for the foreseeable future and we'll just continue to get incrementally worse.

 

[haulinbass]

A lot could happen if we miss the playoffs. The mindset in Detroit that feels permanent now could change in a hurry.

Not sure what is going to happen.

 

[Retire91]

he has a blank check for how long he wants to be a member of this country club. He will still be here to re-sign all of Miller, Glendenning, Helm, and Abby

 

[Suavecito]

Signs a new deal. I guess I'm a pessimist.

Same here...If only we could be so lucky to have some 'fresh' blood running the team.

 

[ap3x]

I don't see him stepping down either, tbh.

 

[Pavels Dog]

I think he stays on as GM. Why endure the last few years if he doesn't want to actually get the team competitive again? If he steps down another GM will take over as our young guys are hitting their stride and Hronek/Cholo/Saarijarvi start transforming our D.

 

[TheMule93]

Illitch loves him. He'll keep extending his contract until he dies.

 

[Ezekial]

he has a blank check for how long he wants to be a member of this country club. He will still be here to re-sign all of Miller, Glendenning, Helm, and Abby

Well, Miller's contract expires before Holland's current one, so that's a given.

 

[HIFE]

He'll also be entering his mid 60s and that doesn't seem like a great time for a guy with nearly 20 years of experience to start a major rebuild project that could take anywhere from 5-10 years...

As is said nowadays 60 is the new 50. I know many people in their 60's dating, involved in activities, etc. with a definite jump to their step. Scotty Bowman is probably advising Chicago less and less but dude is 83 years old. Holland could conceivably remain a significant influence to the Wings for decades to come.

 

[Frk It]

Why endure the last few years if he doesn't want to actually get the team competitive again?

The next few years stand to be much tougher than the last few years have been.

If he steps down another GM will take over as our young guys are hitting their stride and Hronek/Cholo/Saarijarvi start transforming our D.

What those players become is a total crap-shoot at this point. They're all likely at least 3 years away. I'd guess Hronek and Cholowski are 4-5 years away.

Also the next GM gets the lovely contracts of Ericsson, Dekeyser, Helm, Abdelkader, etc....

 

[InGusWeTrust]

It's time for some new blood anyway.

"You either die a hero, or live long enough to see yourself become the villain"

Time to move on Kenny. It's been nice.

 

[Datsyukian Deke]

I just want him to go away, don't care where he goes, just go do something else other than pollute the franchise any longer by his ineptitude & incompetence...go take up fishing...get lost somewhere, enjoy old age.

 

[WingedWheel1987]

He needs to go. Don't care how.

Unfortunately I haven't heard anything in regards to a transition plan being in place. So it feels like he is going to get a new contract.

 

[HockeyinHD]

I would vote only for a fifth, unlisted, option: Out of sheer gratitude for the hundreds of millions of dollars he has helped the owners make the entire Illtch family melts down every last family heirloom to craft a 10 foot tall golden effigy that they will place at the entrance to the new arena in such a manner as to require everyone who enters the building bestow a fond kiss upon its brow before entry.

To refuse is to be cast out.

That is nearly quite as much as the organization loves and owes him. I may be understating it.

 

[Shaman464]

The biggest problem is the longer Holland lets this team tread water, the worse the rebuild will be. Holland seems incapable of admitting this team isn't competitive, and as such just refuses to make any necessary move.

Hopefully someone in the I family will ask Holland to bow out gracefully, but, I don't see that happening.

 

[Squirrel in the Hole]

Holland is still very respected as a "hockey guy", not only with the Wings, but within the league as a whole. That said, I think a mutual decision happens where Holland moves up, maybe to Devellano's job (with him retiring). There's been now enough "proof" (with survival being possible without Babcock) within ownership that they could survive with another GM.

I think there is less of a sense of loyalty within the younger Ilitch brain trust, more of a viewing the Wings as a business and not a hobby.

I think Ryan Miller gets the GM chair, with maybe Drapes as assistant GM. Gives you a nice balance between a numbers guy and a hockey guy.

It's all going to be nice, but there will be a change.