Who would you want to replace Blashill?

[Run the Jewels]

The team is looking like it's fully given up on Blashill. If there is a change, which coach would you prefer to replace him?

1. John Torchetti
2. Todd Nelson
3. Gerard Gallant
4. Another coach

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[Number1RedWingsFan52]

I would be for giving Gerard Gallant a try.

 

[ap3x]

Nelson would deserve a shot. He's done pretty good work down there. Blash did too, though... Always risky when expecting them to make the next step.
He doesn't come by as being as stubborn as Blash though. That being said: I doubt that any coaching change would have that much of an impact at this time.
An impact for sure, but not as much as most would hope for, I'd guess. Maybe if that coach would have gotten more time to work with the guys.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

I am pretty indifferent to a coaching change because I don't expect it to move the needle with this group and I think good coaches are largely a product of superior talent at the highest professional levels.

I really like Nelson as a coach, but promoting from within feels like a repeat of past sins. I somewhat feel as though Blash may be hurt by the fact that he had a prior relationship with half of the team. Just a gut feeling. I think Torch is the one most likely to actually get the call from Holland of the names listed. Sadly, he is responsible for our current power play. I don't know why people keep bringing up Gallant. Why replace a failing player's coach with another player's coach? I understand that line of thinking may be a bit cliché.

Anyways, my vote is for someone else. It probably doesn't matter who to be honest. I don't know who is currently out of coaching at any level right now and might want the job apart from Gallant, Hartley (who sucks) and Nolan (who is dysfunctional).

 

[Run the Jewels]

Nelson would deserve a shot. He's done pretty good work down there. Blash did too, though... Always risky when expecting them to make the next step.
He doesn't come by as being as stubborn as Blash though. That being said: I doubt that any coaching change would have that much of an impact at this time.
An impact for sure, but not as much as most would hope for, I'd guess. Maybe if that coach would have gotten more time to work with the guys.

Nelson also had a nice stint in Edmonton so at least he has previous NHL head coaching experience. It sounds like the players actually liked him too. So he'd be my preference if a change was made.

I really like Nelson as a coach, but promoting from within feels like a repeat of past sins. I somewhat feel as though Blash may be hurt by the fact that he had a prior relationship with half of the team. Just a gut feeling. I think Torch is the one most likely to actually get the call from Holland of the names listed. Sadly, he is responsible for our current power play. I don't know why people keep bringing up Gallant. Why replace a failing player's coach with another player's coach? I understand that line of thinking may be a bit cliché.

Anyways, my vote is for someone else. It probably doesn't matter who to be honest. I don't know who is currently out of coaching at any level right now and might want the job apart from Gallant, Hartley (who sucks) and Nolan (who is dysfunctional).

All reasonable takes. With Nelson at least he doesn't have long-term ties to the organization and he's been in this role before. He was responsible for our D actually performing in GR when it was awful under Blashill. So he'd potentially be able to address our biggest issue by far: awful play on defense.

 

[Mount Suribachi]

"What difference, at this point, does it make?"

 

[Dotter]

There's no coach available I would fire Blashill over. If one does hit the market, then I say fire him and get the elite coach. But don't fire for the sake of firing; that's just playing musical chairs and won't "fix" the team.

Just wait it out.

 

[TheMule93]

There's no coach available I would fire Blashill over. If one does hit the market, then I say fire him and get the elite coach. But don't fire for the sake of firing; that's just playing musical chairs and won't "fix" the team.

Just wait it out.

Would firing Blash for being bad be reason enough?

In regards to the question presented by the OP, Id be OK with Nelsen or Gallant. Nobody else really interests me. TBH any change is probably good though, preferable a hard ass because that's what this team needs right now - nobody looks motivated. Blash is the opposite of that, which is kinda what we wanted after moving on from the hard ass that was Babcock, but it turns out it didn't work. Time to try something else.

 

[Dotter]

Would firing Blash for being bad be reason enough?

You're mistaken. Blashill isn't making a bad team worse, he's just not making a bad team better. Hence "firing him won't fix anything", it's just playing musical chairs until a top echelon coach becomes available.

 

[Hammettf2b]

You're mistaken. Blashill isn't making a bad team worse, he's just not making a bad team better. Hence "firing him won't fix anything", it's just playing musical chairs until a top echelon coach becomes available.

We had one of those and the team wasn't that much better because of it.

 

[jkutswings]

Keep Blashing to keep crashing. I want no part of a second half correction that has them barely squeak into the playoffs, get trucked in the first round, and think that the world is still their oyster. In all likelihood, this mess needs to get sorted out over 3-5 years.

No worthwhile name is likely to be available prior to the spring, anyway.

 

[Winger98]

There's no coach available I would fire Blashill over. If one does hit the market, then I say fire him and get the elite coach. But don't fire for the sake of firing; that's just playing musical chairs and won't "fix" the team.

Just wait it out.

Yeah, there's really no one on the market right now who I would want to go after to take Blashill's spot. If we fired him and I absolutely had to choose, I'd go with Nelson or Torchetti. I don't think it really matters. I'd only fire Blashill if we think he's lost the room. If the players aren't listening regardless, then it's time to move on and just get a different voice.

Over the summer, I'd look at Paul MacLean. I think he got railroaded in Ottawa, and I'd be fine giving him a second shot. Really like Dave Tippett, too. If Arizona fired him midseason, I'd probably be okay firing Blashill and signing him.

 

[Obe2kenobe]

Keep Blashing to keep crashing. I want no part of a second half correction that has them barely squeak into the playoffs, get trucked in the first round, and think that the world is still their oyster. In all likelihood, this mess needs to get sorted out over 3-5 years.

No worthwhile name is likely to be available prior to the spring, anyway.

I think a coach like Gallant would be a improvement. He was a hard nosed player that knows what it takes to score goals in this league. Would it fix all of our problems? Of course not. But it sends a message that the management expects much more from this team. Even if they don't improve much this year, it could be something to build on.
Of course this is coming from someone who thought Blashill would be a improvement over Babcock. So what the heck do I know?

 

[Amadeus]

He's not a bad coach. He has a flawed team with an aging core.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

I think a coach like Gallant would be a improvement. He was a hard nosed player that knows what it takes to score goals in this league. Would it fix all of our problems? Of course not. But it sends a message that the management expects much more from this team. Even if they don't improve much this year, it could be something to build on.
Of course this is coming from someone who thought Blashill would be a improvement over Babcock. So what the heck do I know?

But Gallant is just another players' coach. We tried that with Blash and the team clearly didn't respond. I get that he is available and is a former Wings player, but that doesn't make him the right fit.

I think Blash does get fired, but only because Holland wants to keep up the appearances of trying to win and be dedicated to making the playoffs.

 

[InGusWeTrust]

Keep Blash.
Move Holland for someone else.
Make moves. If the team does not improve with more talent. THEN fire Blash.

But we all know the coach is the first one to go...so Gallant wouldn't be bad option IMO.

 

[Dotter]

We had one of those and the team wasn't that much better because of it.

Maybe that tells us that Blashill isn't a bottom 15 coach in the league?

Yeah, there's really no one on the market right now who I would want to go after to take Blashill's spot. If we fired him and I absolutely had to choose, I'd go with Nelson or Torchetti. I don't think it really matters. I'd only fire Blashill if we think he's lost the room. If the players aren't listening regardless, then it's time to move on and just get a different voice.

Over the summer, I'd look at Paul MacLean. I think he got railroaded in Ottawa, and I'd be fine giving him a second shot. Really like Dave Tippett, too. If Arizona fired him midseason, I'd probably be okay firing Blashill and signing him.

I like Dave Tippett too. He is a top 5 coach in the league, imo. But man his style is boring to watch.

 

[Frk It]

I'd take Houda way before Torchetti. I'd imagine he looks like the better candidate to the front office, even if Torchetti has been an interim before. Our PK is the one good thing on this bad team.

Do not want Gallant. Do not want Torchetti. Nelson would be ok. I don't see anyone coming in here and moving the needle a lot. Those guys are available in the summer, not the middle of the season.

If keeping Blashill gets us Liljegren/Hischier then just ride this thing out and fire him in the summer.

 

[ap3x]

He's not a bad coach. He has a flawed team with an aging core.

It is beyond me that there are still ppl arguing about Blash being a bad coach.

 

[obey86]

It is beyond me that there are still ppl arguing about Blash being a bad coach.

Are you saying he is or isn't a bad coach?

 

[ap3x]

At NHL level, he absolutely is. Opinions on shares of responsibility may differ a lot. But denying his lack of skills for that job is beyond me.

 

[InGusWeTrust]

Anyway we can get Krueger to come here? Doubtful but that would be nice I think.

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

At NHL level, he absolutely is. Opinions on shares of responsibility may differ a lot. But denying his lack of skills for that job is beyond me.

Systematically, what would you do differently?

 

[ap3x]

To keep it simple, changing what doesn't work. PP sucks for ages, try something else. Luke &/or Sheahan in the top 6 didn't pay off, get back to lines that worked. Dump & Chase not working at all, try something else.

This guy is just the definition of being clueless to me. Not saying "put me there instead". I'm not the NHL coach here. He's paid to do is job.
And it surprises me that there may still be ppl out there that don't consider him being bad at his job despite sucking.

Just explaining it by "it's the coach's fault" is too easy. Doing so merely by referring to the roster is as well.

 

[Retire91]

If the team had some pieces to work with like a D core and some forwards I would be for a new coach if they were still doing this bad or close. Replacing the coach is not going to fix anything. Changing the tires a car that doesn't run will not get you anywhere.