ChristopherReevesLegs

What's the only thing worse than Journey?

Since this is the new Holland thread.... From Friedman's 30 Thoughts 11. Ken Holland is 61. He’s got one more year left on his contract. Is there any chance Detroit's executive vice president and GM would step down, hand someone else the keys to the car? “You know what, I’ve been pretty lucky in my career,” he said last week. “Since I retired and became a scout, I’ve only had to live in two places (Medicine Hat and Detroit). I got to be the general manager of a team that was already a Stanley Cup champion and then was able to win more. But I don’t want to step down. I was here during the good times and I want to get us back there.” 12. Holland has made it very clear in many interviews he does not see this being a major teardown. Evgeny Svechnikov played Monday and scored the shootout winner against Ottawa. Tyler Bertuzzi’s seen seven NHL games, 2016 second-rounders Filip Hronek and Givani Smith made AHL debuts last week. Holland wouldn’t commit to them being full-time NHLers next season, but did admit they are closing in. So he likes what he has coming. Holland is going with a seven-forward, three-defenceman, one-goalie protection model for the expansion draft. However, the most important topic for the Red Wings will be what happened to Riley Sheahan? To Danny DeKeyser? To Gustav Nyqvist and Petr Mrazek. “We’re going to sit down after the season and we’re going to go through it. Because these players are better than they’ve shown. We just have to figure why it happened.” 13. Any theories? “The Datsyuk factor is one,” Holland said. “This was our first season without him, and even though he was getting older, he is still a great player. He shielded a lot of his teammates, because he received top assignments and the best opponents. Without him, some of our players had to step into more difficult roles, maybe before they were ready. We hope what they learned improves them for the future.” Holland also pointed to a power play that did not score on the road from Oct. 19 to Jan. 12, although it rebounded strongly in the last two months of the season. Interestingly, he quoted a few analytics in our conversation, mentioning the team had a .686 winning percentage in one-goal games in 2015–16, “which is unsustainable.” They are below average this year. 14. Holland backed his coach, Jeff Blashill. “He went to the USHL and won a championship. He went to an NCAA program (Western Michigan) and revived it. He won the Calder Cup in the AHL, and other teams were starting to take notice. His resume indicates he will be successful.” Expect Blashill to return. 15. Holland also used the resumé example with Dylan Larkin. “Everywhere he’s gone, he’s been an important player. He came to the NHL and was successful right away. What happens is that a good player arrives and the league adjusts to you. He’s got great speed, and other teams have figured out how to close the gap on him. Now, he’s got to adjust back. We’ve moved him around, but we see him as a centre. And we see him trying some different things. In the last couple of games, he’s pulled up as he crosses the blueline, not simply driving wide and around the net. That’s good. That’s him making adjustments, making it harder for other teams to defend him. Again, his resumé shows he’s going to be successful.” 16. Finally, I asked about Niklas Kronwall. Kronwall has two years left on his contract, but the actual cash drops and he’s got a partial no-trade. Limited to 54 games, he’s been a model Red Wing, given the organization everything he has, and his body is breaking down. Will he be back? “He has earned the right to sit in my office and discuss what he wants to do. Even if he is injured, we see a lot of value in his attitude and what he brings.”

Why in the world would an insurance company take on that kind of risk? Ovechkin still has $40 million in salary that has to be paid out. I don't know a ton about the insurance industry, but that seems like an astronomical amount of risk to cover one player for 2 months who could suffer a career ending injury on the ice.

After yesterday, we are 26th in the league. This gives us a 23.5% chance to win a top 3 pick in the lottery, 7.6% to win #1. Worst case scenario is we pick at #9. Since New Jersey has 6 points less than us at the moment, 26th overall is the lowest spot we can get. We just have to defend this spot with 2 more losses.

Doubt it

Whoa

Pooh thinks tigger should stop embarassing him in front of all their friends

Ur just butthurt

I see the cute dog posts have started early today. What about our feline friends?

no That's because you have the mind of a mom. Pure and true... Nerve's brain has been polluted by dank memes and tank gifs

I tend to agree with you. Holtby: "it's a personal decision for each guy but I would not leave the Caps and go to South Korea if there's no deal" So far Ovi is the only one explicitly saying he will actually break the rules and go. The rest has just been grumbling from players. Will be interesting to see how the KHL leverages this to their advantage.

Who told you this? I don't think that's true at all. Pretty sure Leonsis said he's willing to personally eat the NHL's sanctions to allow Ovi and Kutsnutsoff to go. The NHL is not powerless here. Anyone know mores?

I'd like to see a bottom pairing of McKee-Mcilrath next year

Sure seems like the kids are being pushed through faster than normal this year. Of course injuries have helped. Svechnikov, Smith, Hronek, Renouf, Holmstrom And of course Jensen, Callahan, Bertuzzi, Sproul, and Russo getting called up

Markov just made a bunch of statements about how he wants to retire a Hab or something like that, but he's old, maybe he pulls a Datsyuk. Radulov just made a name for himself in the NHL again, is he really just going to go back again right away? Seems unlikely, but you never know with him. The rest of those guys, save kutsnutsov, I could see leaving possibly.

Bears rule, kickazz drools

Ooooo drama. This is fun. Assuming NHLPA capitulates and 99% of NHL players abid by the rules and dont go, who does Canada send? US? It would be very interesting to see how countries stack up without their NHL talent. I almost like this more. Can the US send a rag tag squad of college misfits to take on the superior Russian Kontintel Leage? Or perhaps an underdog youth squad from the twin cities battling team iceland?

Adding to what Dab said, Ive read he takes some dumb penalties and defense is an issue, but its something theyre working with him on and his game is improving. Doubt he gets lit up, but also doubt he makes a huge splash. Should be a nice taste for him so he can be more ready for training camp next year.

Probably picked guys he thought would just keep the streak alive.

Nah, it was cause his NTC

Lol you asked what Holland has done to go for a championship, and I gave you an answer. Are you dissatified with his draft choices as well?

You can project your "butt hurts" on the rest of us all you want, I'm looking at this pretty emotionlessly. Feds is one of my favorite players of all time. First Jersey I ever bought. He just doesnt hit all the criteria to be retired. Sorry that makes you upset. 96 doesnt hit all the criteria either, in the opposite way of Fedorov. With Holmstrom he was loyal to the brand, but the talent level just isnt high enough. He did not win any personal awards in the NHL and probably wont be in the HOF. Both are two of my favorite players, but they do not deserve to be regarded in the same light as Yzerman, Lidstrom, and Howe.

Yes Im sure none of those players were signed or traded for with the goal of winning a championship... You conviently left out drafted players Dick. Did he draft players soley to keep the streak alive as well?