Who would you want to replace Blashill?

[Henkka]

I have no problem against Blashill. He has put this team to overachieve two seasons in-a-row. When he had two elite players (Datsyuk still there), he went to playoffs.

Again, we are gonna have the 2nd worst player material (only Ottawa is worse) like at last summer and we'll see how much higher we will end up on the standings.

Like, at 2018 trade deadline, we were something like 9th worst. Far from the playoff line, but many teams were worse and we were projected to be 5th worst before the season. Blashill put than team overachieve, but when the playoff line was too far, Holland sold Tatar and guys and then we entered on a losing streak with even worse material.

Bigger picture was that our coaching staff was making better job than analysts expected.

I expect same happening at next season.

Lalonde could be our next guy after 2 seasons. Or later. After Blashill's contract. If Blashill can't get this team forward when he gets elite talent again, then we can start discussin firing him.

Also, at some point, if Tampa is gonna fire Cooper and promote Lalonde, then Yzerman is gonna get Cooper. It many times in hockey history has gone like this.

 

[Claypool]

He's run prospects out of the organization in favor of playing old guys like Vanek and Brad Richards and Howard.

What prospects have been run out of town?

 

[FMichael]

Considering their history together, and if the Leafs get knocked outta the 1st round again (or if Babcock/Dubas have issues throughout the reg season) - I wouldn't be surprised to see Babcock return to Detroit...Unless Cooper, or someone else with a pedigree is available next June - like I said it wouldn't surprise me with Babs behind the bench.

 

[Winger98]

If/when Blashill gets replaced, I'm not a big fan of bringing in someone without a pedigree of winning in the NHL. I don't want to see a good team handed over to a rookie coach and hoping they aren't over their head.

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

The Team USA stuff doesn't matter.
Programs like NHL coaches. How many American coaches were out of the playoffs? How many of those coaches were interested?

Blashill runs lousy lines. He runs a lousy game.

He's run prospects out of the organization in favor of playing old guys like Vanek and Brad Richards and Howard.

I'd just rather have a guy who's focused on teaching. A guy willing to trust kids enough to fail sometimes. A guy who doesn't rip kids in the media while letting veterans make egregious mistake after mistake without accountability.

Blashill emerged from that infamous Ken Holland hubris. Holland seemed to think that all his moves worked.
Blashill sucked in Detroit, so he was sent to Grand Rapids. He got some hype in Grand Rapids, and Holland signed him to a big deal
Holland sensed Babcock might leave, but didn't have the cajones to force the issue. Instead, he just sat back and let Babcock call the shots, comfortable with the idea that his plan B would save the day.

Well, it didn't.

Nothing was going to save the day by this point.

Blashill has become the first coach in Red Wings history to miss the playoffs for three straight years. That's pretty remarkable, to me.

It's telling to me that this team is most exciting when Blash just gets the hell out of the way and lets the kids play. We saw this two years ago when the Wings whomped Calgary. We saw this at the end of the most recent year, when the top line went nuts while AA was going PPG from Line 2.

I just hope Blash stays out of the way next year. Let the Larkin line do its thing. Give AA the role he needs to take it to the next level. Let Hronek develop. Keep Abby, Glendening and Helm out of the top six.

*He quite literally wasn't. Alex Delvechhio in the Dead Wings era. Ned Harkness was basically like a Bowman level type that did it too. Coach turned GM. And the Wings were a complete moribund franchise for about two decades, which is why they flipped coaches so many times. Like year by year they had a new coach.

*Blashill isn't any better or worse with lines than Babcock was. Babcock is hailed as a great coach. Blashill apparently runs a lousy game.

*The prospects he "ran out of town" were either dime a dozen, replaceable guys drafted by Holland OR they were straight up garbage that the fanbase couldn't wait to see leave.

*Willing to trust his kis enough to fail.... Like putting Larkin out there as a center through a terrible sophomore season? Like sticking by AA and benching him when his lack of effort became apparent to anyone with eyes? What kids is he ripping? A guy like Mantha? Mantha has pretty clearly shown that THAT is how you motivate him. You challenge him to be better next time. Holland and Jimmy D calling him spare parts motivated him, not demoralized. Put Cholo out until it was apparent that he was overmatched?

* Blashill sucked in one year as an assistant coach? You're that in tune with the performance of assistant coaches around the league? Sweet story.

Finally, nothing was going to save the day because the Wings were losing several elite talents and did not acquire any suitable replacements that were at a development stage to carry on as a playoff team. In 12-13, the whole world knew that once Z and Datsyuk retired, the Wings were going to be awful. Guess what, Z and Datsyuk retired and the Wings became awful. I mean, things held to course. If the Wings HADN'T dropped off to where they're at now, Blashill would be in the running for greatest coach in the history of the league. But as it stands, he's an alright coach who could be better or worse than that... but has been saddled with the worst talent in Detroit since the 1970s.

 

[Claypool]

If/when Blashill gets replaced, I'm not a big fan of bringing in someone without a pedigree of winning in the NHL. I don't want to see a good team handed over to a rookie coach and hoping they aren't over their head.

So you’d be happy if Dan Bylsma got promoted to head coach?

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

So you’d be happy if Dan Bylsma got promoted to head coach?

Seeing as the coach makes one hell of a lot less difference than the players on the roster, I would be.

Coaches are really just kinda pass/fail. You can easily lose a team, but a coach can't really will a bad team to be good.

 

[SoupNazi]

He's run prospects out of the organization in favor of playing old guys like Vanek and Brad Richards and Howard.

That's certainly a Newsyworthy event. Which prospects were those?

 

[ShelbyZ]

That's certainly a Newsyworthy event. Which prospects were those?

Joakim Andersson and Jared Coreau

 

[SoupNazi]

Joakim Andersson and Jared Coreau

Ah, yes. Man, those were two superstars we could've had.

 

[MBH]

If/when Blashill gets replaced, I'm not a big fan of bringing in someone without a pedigree of winning in the NHL. I don't want to see a good team handed over to a rookie coach and hoping they aren't over their head.

I was kind of surprised Holland handed over this team to Blashill in the first place.
While I was firmly in the "Fire Babcock" camp, Holland took a strange stance.
"We want Babcock, the best coach in the world, but if he leaves we'll take Blashill. Zero NHL wins."

 

[Claypool]

I was kind of surprised Holland handed over this team to Blashill in the first place.
While I was firmly in the "Fire Babcock" camp, Holland took a strange stance.
"We want Babcock, the best coach in the world, but if he leaves we'll take Blashill. Zero NHL wins."

Blashill had success at every level prior to the NHL, winning the AHL Calder Cup and Coach of the Year. He was going to get a head coaching job in the NHL, whether with Detroit or another organization.

 

[FMichael]

Blashill had success at every level prior to the NHL, winning the AHL Calder Cup and Coach of the Year. He was going to get a head coaching job in the NHL, whether with Detroit or another organization.

Only made sense to give him a shot at the NHL.

Unless there’s some unusual circumstances - I don’t see Yzerman replacing Blashill any time soon.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Seeing as the coach makes one hell of a lot less difference than the players on the roster, I would be.

Coaches are really just kinda pass/fail. You can easily lose a team, but a coach can't really will a bad team to be good.

Blashill has total buy-in from the guy that is about to be captain of the team and has improved each year as far as I am concerned. Right now isn't the time for change in my opinion.

I do not want Bylsma in a development role, so not a fan of him taking over currently.

 

[MBH]

This is Blashill's last year.
Yzerman will replace him. Maybe Holland will hire him.
Or, more likely, he works for USA Hockey or some Michigan college.

 

[Hen Kolland]

This is Blashill's last year.
Yzerman will replace him. Maybe Holland will hire him.
Or, more likely, he works for USA Hockey or some Michigan college.

This is what we like to call conjecture.

 

[MBH]

This is what we like to call conjecture.

On an internet sports forum?

 

[Henkka]

This is Blashill's last year.
Yzerman will replace him. Maybe Holland will hire him.
Or, more likely, he works for USA Hockey or some Michigan college.

I hope Yzerman stays as GM.

 

[SirloinUB]

I don't normally do this but your reply is so out there Im going to dissect it line by line.

The Team USA stuff doesn't matter.
Programs like NHL coaches. How many American coaches were out of the playoffs? How many of those coaches were interested?

Are you suggesting that they only used Blashill because they had no other options? and not only did they do that once but multiple times? If so please provide evidence cause otherwise this is heresy and I don't buy it for a second. Blashill has coached american teams at international tournaments 5 times. That only happens if USA Hockey actively likes what he has done as a coach.

Blashill runs lousy lines. He runs a lousy game.

I've said it before but no matter who is coaching what team there is always fans who complain about lines. Either way he used Bert - Larkin - Mantha for a consistent stretch, gave Hirose, Zadina, Rassmusen, Choloswki and Hronek ample ice time so I disagree with your complaints about lines.

He's run prospects out of the organization in favor of playing old guys like Vanek and Brad Richards and Howard.

Which prospects were ran out of the organization? Is it his fault Vanek or Richards were signed or is that on the GM? As for Howard he has been the most consistent and reliable red wings goalie for a decade and deserves every opportunity he has received.

I'd just rather have a guy who's focused on teaching. A guy willing to trust kids enough to fail sometimes. A guy who doesn't rip kids in the media while letting veterans make egregious mistake after mistake without accountability.

He played AA at centre a bunch. He also put rookies like Rasmussen, Hronek, Cholowski in positions to succeed.

Blashill emerged from that infamous Ken Holland hubris. Holland seemed to think that all his moves worked.

This one is just wrong. 5 minutes of reading would tell you blashill was a highly accomplished coach before joining the organization and even won a championship with the griffins. You are entitled to dislike him if you want (i disagree) but is track record unequivocally stands on its own and has nothing to do with holland.

Blashill sucked in Detroit, so he was sent to Grand Rapids. He got some hype in Grand Rapids, and Holland signed him to a big deal

I believe there was a deliberate plan to give him NHL experience as an assistant and learn from babcock and then send him to the AHL to be the head coach again

Holland sensed Babcock might leave, but didn't have the cajones to force the issue. Instead, he just sat back and let Babcock call the shots, comfortable with the idea that his plan B would save the day.

I'm not sure what cajones has to do with anything or blashill for that matter but you can't force someone to stay if they don't want to

Well, it didn't.

Nothing was going to save the day by this point.

The natural cycle of the NHL. Compete until your talent ages/becomes overpriced and then slide to a rebuild. Standard stuff here.

Blashill has become the first coach in Red Wings history to miss the playoffs for three straight years. That's pretty remarkable, to me.

Not sure where to start here. Most of the red wing coaches were in the 6 team era. we've only had 4 since the mid 90s. Moreover, you just said, "Nothing was going to save the day by this point." If nothing was going to save the day, what is remarkable about missing the playoffs 3 years in a row? You are literally contradicting yourself at this point.

It's telling to me that this team is most exciting when Blash just gets the hell out of the way and lets the kids play. We saw this two years ago when the Wings whomped Calgary. We saw this at the end of the most recent year, when the top line went nuts while AA was going PPG from Line 2.

So he runs good lines then? I can't keep up with your own contradictions

I just hope Blash stays out of the way next year. Let the Larkin line do its thing. Give AA the role he needs to take it to the next level. Let Hronek develop. Keep Abby, Glendening and Helm out of the top six.

I just hope he keeps doing what he has done because in my opinion he has been a solid coach for a rebuilding team. They players listen to him and play hard most nights. I think many people (both employeed in the NHL and fans alike) respect how hard the wings play and blashill is a big part of that identity.

 

[Henkka]

“When things go bad, you have two choices,” Blashill said. “You can decide to feel sorry for yourself, you can place blame, you can do all those things, or you can dig in and fight like hell.

“We are going to dig in and fight like hell."

This is still a greatest comment from him. Let's keep fighting like hell.

 

[Hen Kolland]

On an internet sports forum?

Just a reason to not take someone seriously.

 

[Retire91]

I am okay running with Blash. If the core gets established in a few years but still struggles then it might be time for a change but I don't see any reason right now. Unless Yzerman just wants his own guy. I still don't see any reason to let him finish his contract. The team is going to be in the basement either way.

 

[MBH]

Just a reason to not take someone seriously.

When I want to take someone seriously, I don't go to a hockey board, where anonymous people debate unserious things.

I wonder if you might be able to tell me how many coaches have lasted 4 straight years out of the playoffs and come back to coach a fifth year?

Probably Barry Trotz.
Anyone else in recently memory?

Is there something extra special about Blashill that makes him better than all the other coaches fired from bad teams?

 

[SirloinUB]

“When things go bad, you have two choices,” Blashill said. “You can decide to feel sorry for yourself, you can place blame, you can do all those things, or you can dig in and fight like hell.

“We are going to dig in and fight like hell."

This is still a greatest comment from him. Let's keep fighting like hell.

I like this video from the 2014 prospect camp. A ton of great quotes

 

[Hen Kolland]

When I want to take someone seriously, I don't go to a hockey board, where anonymous people debate unserious things.

I wonder if you might be able to tell me how many coaches have lasted 4 straight years out of the playoffs and come back to coach a fifth year?

Probably Barry Trotz.
Anyone else in recently memory?

Is there something extra special about Blashill that makes him better than all the other coaches fired from bad teams?

Special about Blashill? Can't really say one way or another. His boss likes what he's done as a developmental coach (and I know you disagree with that thought), but what he is being measured against isn't the same as a team with playoff aspirations at this stage. Until this team has declared that they have playoff expectations and that winning means something, it's hard to hold him to a standard of playoff appearances.

Team likes his work, the new GM employed and advocated for a coach who runs virtually the same program, and the team has made it clear they are rebuilding and riding out contracts and cultivating young talent. He very well could (and I could argue should) be back after next year. But obviously it will depend on how the season runs its course.