Great Q&A Article Concerning the Ilitch Era

[GoCryWolfe 0]

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic.../710020414/1004

It's rather long, but insanely interesting!

[toby91_ca 620]

Pretty good read. Couple comments made me laugh a little:

Now, the bad news was that the team was really in the Detroit River. I mean, really in the Detroit River. In a 21-team league (where 16 teams made the playoffs), this team had missed the playoffs in 14 of the previous 16 years. Now I don't know how you do that. But somehow they did.

I remember when Sergei (Fedorov) was going to defect (in 1990) in Vancouver, I had a pilot for my plane and it was his first day on the job. And I said, 'I've got a player who's going to defect from Russia and you've gotta go pick him up.' His eyes got like saucers and he said, 'I've got to go to Russia?!?!' And I said, 'No, no, no. Just Vancouver.' He was petrified -- probably ready to quit right away.

[irishtemper14+25 11]

that was a really good article, it didnt seem so long to me because it was really interesting and funny

[betterREDthandead 58]

You have to love the skullduggery these guys pulled in order to get guys like Fedorov, Klima, and Vladdy over here to play. That's right up there with drafting Stevie and hiring Scotty as influences on this great run of success.

This is the other thing that stands out to me:

News: Do you have any assurances from the league, if there's expansion, which they're talking about again, about getting back to the Eastern Conference?

Ilitch: Well, (NHL commissioner Gary) Bettman has told Jimmy and I on two or three occasions that we're next.

Devellano: I'd just like to add one more thing about expansion. There's little doubt that Vegas is coming in (as an expansion franchise) -- it's about four years from now. And I truly believe Gary Bettman will move us East at that time.

[johnnyoski 0]

This was one of the most interesting reads about the Wings in a long time. Think their not ansy to get back to the Eastern Conference?

It was also good to see Illitch acknowledge the problem with selling seats during last year's playoffs. Now the question is 'Will he act on it?'

[DraperFan MN 0]

You have to love the skullduggery these guys pulled in order to get guys like Fedorov, Klima, and Vladdy over here to play. That's right up there with drafting Stevie and hiring Scotty as influences on this great run of success.

This is the other thing that stands out to me:

Yes, that caught my attention more than anything else! They were adamant about that a couple of times in the article.

The leadership really does not like the fact they are kept in this division so the other stadiums will fill up. Detroit's greatest rivalry should be with Toronto, (it is the NYY/BOS of hockey), and it doesn't exist.

Those pre-season games just left me wanting more.

[datsyukismyfriend 4]

great and interesting read. as long as it was i wish it was longer. such a great insight. we're lucky to have ownership and a management team like we have. they're so committed to excellence. that's why the wings have been the team they've been for so long.

You have to love the skullduggery these guys pulled in order to get guys like Fedorov, Klima, and Vladdy over here to play. That's right up there with drafting Stevie and hiring Scotty as influences on this great run of success.

yeah, and i'm sure there's a lot more they can't say regarding how they got those guys over here.

[Curban915 0]

This was a long read but as the last poster said it could have been longer. Its great to see how the wings have changed seeing that i was not even born when they sucked.

[evilmrt 636]

A couple of things really caught my eye in this great interview:

Devellano: What Mr. Ilitch and I have tried to do is kind of pick our priorities. And we feel our priorities, first of all, is to get our schedule changed. We want more Eastern Conference teams in this building, that's No. 1. Mr. Ilitch has worked through Gary Bettman. It's gonna happen.

News: It's definitely going to happen?

Devellano (sternly): It's going to happen.

The second thing, more quietly, behind the scenes, Mr. Ilitch, myself, Kenny, we've worked Gary one-on-one, and at some point, we've got to get in the East. And he has kind of said, 'Look, the league is going to change structure, meaning expansion, just leave it with me.'

Devellano: I'd just like to add one more thing about expansion. There's little doubt that Vegas is coming in (as an expansion franchise) -- it's about four years from now. And I truly believe Gary Bettman will move us East at that time.

I think the last one says it all. Thoughts?

[betterREDthandead 58]

A couple of things really caught my eye in this great interview:

I think the last one says it all. Thoughts?

I really like that the NHL is eyeing Vegas. I hope they do it before the NBA does. The NHL needs some bold strokes, something that other leagues don't do, and putting a team in Las Vegas would fit that bill perfectly. The city seems antsy to join the ranks of major league sports and doesn't seem to care what sport - they just want somebody. If the NHL is first to put a team in Las Vegas, it will be a nice publicity coup and a boon for the sport.

Plus, I think for symmetry's sake, 32 teams is a perfect number, so Las Vegas plus somewhere else (Houston? KC? Seattle?) would be ideal in my own mind.

[vangvace 12]

Some of the things I found interesting or funny:

Yeah, the first year I was here, our payroll was $2.8 million for the whole team.

Inflation is a b**.

I got tough a few times, and I tried to pull rank once. I mentioned Bush, and the guy (at the embassy) says, 'Look, I've been here 26 years on this job and I expect to retire here. (President Bush) has been here for four years and he'll probably be out. You've got your signals all crossed up.'

::rotflmao::

Mike Keenan had been kind of hovering around, wanting to get in here. And I'll make it brief: I just didn't feel he was the right person here for the organization.

burn!

Ilitch: But look at baseball. I can't talk this way in front of certain people. They were doing $1 billion, $1.25 billion (in revenue) and they go to interleague play and the wild card and they do over $5 billion. I mean, it's just a couple moves to create excitement, you know? And here we are locked into that (schedule) that we've been locked into, and it's like, we really hurt the sport.

And then the guys that don't have guts, that use their sticks and everything? Well, it used to be the league ruled itself. You're a dirty player, you're gonna get it. Probert's gonna go out there and kick your (expletive). Or the No. 1 fighter against the No. 1 fighter on each team, you know? But they've taken that away now.

Edited October 2, 2007 by vangvace

[Henkka 0]

This was the best article ever done. Hands down.

[Turkey 0]

I can't even express how delighted I'd be if we moved to the east. Omg, so delighted.

[This Is Bida 0]

I really like that the NHL is eyeing Vegas. I hope they do it before the NBA does. The NHL needs some bold strokes, something that other leagues don't do, and putting a team in Las Vegas would fit that bill perfectly. The city seems antsy to join the ranks of major league sports and doesn't seem to care what sport - they just want somebody. If the NHL is first to put a team in Las Vegas, it will be a nice publicity coup and a boon for the sport.

Plus, I think for symmetry's sake, 32 teams is a perfect number, so Las Vegas plus somewhere else (Houston? KC? Seattle?) would be ideal in my own mind.

you dont gotta worry about the NBA going to Vegas. Thats not happening anytime soon.

not to get off subject here, but i dont know if any of you have known this, since it was not in the media AT ALL...

but, my brother takes many frequent trips to Vegas, one of which was just days after the NBA's All-Star game.

he goes to the bar to get a drink and instead of giving him the bottle they put it in a plastic cup (dont know if you've been to Vegas but they just give you the bottle, you can carry it around where-ever) so my brother asks why he cant have the bottle?

the bartender proceeds to tell them (brother and his wife) that after the All-Star game a bunch of... shall i say... african americans start mini-rioting around The Strip. Many people ended up in the hospital because of it, fires were started, cars vandalized, etc. A number of professional basketball players were even seen getting in on the action!

Funny enough the media, ESPN in particular, did not cover ONE SECOND of it. For some reason I would think if it were the NHL this happened with ESPN would be all over it saying hockeys physical play and fighting led to it.

anyways, point being...

Las Vegas (both mayor and hotel/casino owners) have said that they want nothing more to do with the NBA, will do nothing to get a team in the city nor will host anything remotely NBA related.

How do I feel about the NHL expanding to Sin City? A part of me thinks it'll be a great idea, everyone loves Vegas and to have a hockey team there, the sport might gain popularity and respect just for that fact. However do I think it could be a total flop only to make the NHL look worse? maybe, but I dont think it could get much worse than it already is.

I just wish it the sport could catch on in the U.S. as it has here in Michigan!

[auxlepli 17]

Awww man that was freaking the best! Just read the article and will soon read the whole transcript. The only way it would have been better is if I was there. That or if they had videotaped it. Great work by the News.

[BlakChamber 8]

Ilitch: Another subject, let me ask you guys a question: You see this new sport that's just come in where they kick each other -- what do they call it?

News: Mixed martial arts?

Ilitch: That thing is really drawing. I mean, the guy that started that can sell it now for a billion dollars. The ratings are sky-high. So people like rough stuff. And Don Cherry and people like that over the years have been talking about, 'Let's take advantage of what we have.' We're the only sport that fights. That gets to be something where it's real controversial between the league and the teams -- a lot of opinions on it. But you get too conservative and too laid-back and you can see what happens.

Right on!

That was an absolutely great article, especially given that Ilitch doesn't really talk to the media much. And to get all those guys in a room at the same time, just great. I only wish the article was longer.

[auxlepli 17]

News: Last year in the playoffs, when it was hard to sell tickets, was that a red flag for you?

Ilitch: It meant to us, wake up. Wake up. In other words, the price is too high and they're sick and tired of playing Nashville and Columbus and all those teams. And the exhibition games, getting charged for the exhibition games.

There's such a thing as being over-focused on winning and maybe being a little out of touch with the fans.

Happy to read that!

News: Do you think style of play, the way the NHL is now, factors into that?

Holland: I'd like to see more physical play. My personal feeling is from the top of the circle down, I'd like to see more of the old game. People want to see battles in the corner, battles in front of the net.

We've expressed that at the GM meetings.

I love good hits, and good battles in the corners or up front, BUT so many times those battles can become clutch and grab hockey and that makes me cringe.

Oh and I loved when Illitch mentioned the playoffs and started talking as a fan about the Ducks games last year. Then Bowman chimes in two-ref system. LOL. I don't think Scotty likes it, and I don't either.

[Cruiser008 37]

I'm not exaggerating when I say that every Wings fan on LGW should read this! What an awesome article.

[auxlepli 17]

It offers great insight in the everyday machinations of being an NHL owner and general manager. Not only should every LGW member read it, but also all Wings fans and all NHL fans.

[Kutcher 0]

WOW! That was a spectacular article. Shows how much they truly love hockey.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

Anybody that really wants to know what goes on behind the scenes and truly cares about the Wings should read this article. I haven't read an article this revealing and important regarding the Red Wings or the NHL as a whole since I can remember.

Thank you for posting it!

Sidenote: It's so nice to hear all the behind the scenes work the Red Wings management is doing to find the best players for this team. When the Wings were forced to cut their payroll in half due to the cap, we all heard how Ilitch was going to spend that leftover payroll money on scouts, and this article did a great job of dicsussing that.

Sidenote 2: Here's hoping Bettman comes through on all his "Wings will be moving East once expansion hits 4 years from now" comments he's given to the Wings management.

[Shy Ranger 0]

I remember reading that article earlier today (hey, it's late cut me some slack) - now I remember how I found it. Thanks for linking that! Fantastic read.

It really is nice to see the continuity and commitment those guys share. I for one am not too disappointed: 3 Cups in 10 years after the laughingstock of a couple decades ago I've only heard about in dreadful tales...

[theman19 47]

this was in the other thread but locked up, so incase you didnt' see this part,..i find this especially intresting

If the Red Wings brass thinks the refs are biased....we're all in deep trouble.

News: It's a challenge and a pressure. People were crushed last year when you lost to Anaheim. What about the pressure going into this year. You like this team's chances?

Ilitch: Oh, I do. I'll speak up. I think we've got a good team, we got a good shot at the Cup. Last year we should've won the Cup. We were 2-2 -- and I'm gonna talk like a typical fan now -- it was 2-2, and a minute and a half to go, and they called the cheapest penalty I've ever seen.

Devellano: Yeah, (expletive).

Bowman: Two-man system.

Ilitch: Now, and here's the big tears coming out, but prior to that, Kenny brought it to the league's attention, there was a flagrant penalty on Anaheim, right in front of the referee, and they didn't call it. Then they turned around and called that (interference) penalty (on Pavel Datsyuk). We had that game won, and we'd have been up 3-2 in the series.

That same referee in 1994, when we were down 3-2 going into Toronto, we score four power-play goals, we come back to Detroit 3-3, and the referee did not call one penalty -- not one -- during the game or overtime. So you figure that one out. We lost, and that's the same guy that made that call in this arena with a minute and a half to go.

News: So I'm guessing the Anaheim loss hung with you guys for a while?

Ilitch: It's humbling. I can't get out of it.

[schulzte 18]

I thought it was a good article too, other than the fact that the word Caesar was misspelled the whole time!

A few thoughts

1) Playoff tickets will be cheaper this year, which is good. I think regular season tickets might come down once that second flush is available for 2008 games.

2) Expansion to Las Vegas is a BAD idea. I had family in Vegas, and the minor sports teams that are there are either moving or struggling from lack of support. The AAA baseball team has lower attendance than the Lansing Lugnuts. Their Arena football team just moved to Cleveland. I think there are way too many entertainment options in Vegas, and that the NHL would have a tough road, just like Nashville.

3) Where to expand if not Vegas? SEATTLE!!! Seattle had a team back in the day; the Seattle Metropolitans, who were the FIRST American team to win the Stanley Cup in 1917. The NBA is ready to turn its back on Seattle, the Sonics will move to Oklahoma City next year. The NHL needs to go in to Seattle and turn it from an NBA town into a hockey town. The fans would be primed, they will be pissed at the stupid NBA next year and the NHL needs to swoop in and take advantage of it!!