Jeff Blashill = Dave Lewis 2.0 / Coaching Change

[The Secret 304]

I know... I know.. It is way too early to tell if the Jeff Blashill experience will be celebrated or despised. However, Blashill being given the keys to an upgraded, healthy and improved Red Wing team that can suddenly not win, or score or even manage to get a damn shot on net does get one thinking (...not worrying yet!)

In 1993 gruff old Scotty Bowman came in and forged the team into a winner. He was not a fun man, nor a nice man but he was a very well respected man and is still the winningest NHL coach by a large margin... not a "players coach". When Scotty retired, the keys to practically the same quality team was given to his assistant of many years, Dave Lewis, who was known to be a" players coach" and he drove that team to 2 very successful regular season and 2 heartbreaking crash and burns in the playoffs before being let go.

In comes the demanding, controlling and always scowling Mike Babcock, not a "players coach". 1 Stanley Cups, another trip to game 7 of the finals, the winningest Red Wings coach, IMHO he guided 2 years worth of either dead weight filled and injured or inexperienced and injured teams into the playoffs (I think the play off streak ended if it weren't for coach Babcock). Not a "players coach" but knew how to get the absolute most out of what he had. Now we have Blashill, a real "players coach".... they love him, but can he get this team on track and winning?

I haven't been this excited about a Red Wing team in years but I can help to think back to the Bowman transition to Lewis failure. It's way to early to know but this is a great topic for discussion.

What do you think?

Edited October 23, 2015 by The Secret

[rick zombo 3,739]

I know... I know.. It is way too early to tell if the Jeff Blashill experience will be celebrated or despised.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Too early to compare him with Hitler.

Besides, I don't agree that he has an upgraded, healthy team. His best player hasn't played a game this season.

If Babcock leading this team into mediocrity was great coaching and maximizing the talent, then you know what that means? It means we weren't that talented and needed to improve. That's the main thing that needs addressing. Making the playoffs and losing in the first round every year kind of sucks anyway.

[Red Crazy 201]

I think it`s a little early to judge at this point. I think this team looks lost between two systems Babcocks and Blashills. They need to quit thinking so much and just play!

[frankgrimes 1,836]

Too early to compare him with Hitler.

Besides, I don't agree that he has an upgraded, healthy team. His best player hasn't played a game this season.

If Babcock leading this team into mediocrity was great coaching and maximizing the talent, then you know what that means? It means we weren't that talented and needed to improve. That's the main thing that needs addressing. Making the playoffs and losing in the first round every year kind of sucks anyway.

Exactly that it always astonishes me when people are talking about an improved roster, given that the stars are 1 year older and the best player (who is 38) hasn't even played yet. Richards was supposed to fix the 3 line center role right now he is simply playing over his current abilities at this point in his career. That being said it is way to early to judge Jeff Blashill but maybe just maybe even the Anti-Babcock crowd can now understand how great his coaching has been because getting an average (by Wings standards) roster to the playoffs is a huge accomplishment. Blashill will need some time to implement his system and to figure out how to coach against other NHL coaches, even John Cooper needed some time to do that. To be honest I also don't care if Babcock was or is a players coach the fact is he is the best coach in hockey and deserved a lot more respect than he received after signing with Toronto.

I don't think Blashill will turn into another Dave Lewis because he looked and acted pretty pissed after the last loss against the Oilers, so if some players believe the honeymoon period will last forever they are hopefully in for a huge awakening filled with backskating soon. Blashill also can only work with he has and what he has is a team in transistion that hasn't figured out how to fix the defense and how to add more muscle to the lineup which is needed to win puck-battles. Guys like Abdelkader and Glendening may not be the most skilled guys but they are working as hard or maybe even harder than other players and are able to win some puck battles. Another fact is players on other teams are able to put on a huge amount of muscle in the off-season why aren't the Wings players? Given all the access these guys should have to the top of the top medical stuff it shouldn't be too much to ask to expect a ~ 180 lbs guy to add around 20 lbs in the off-season and come to training camp in top shape and being much bigger. McDavid went to the Gary Roberts school and is now almost at 200 pounds why aren't Nyquist and Tatar doing the same thing? I'm not saying every player needs to be big but wheter or not Holland believes in big teams at some point you need more than 2 guys that can win you puck-battles agains other huge guys and that's something Jeff Blashill can not fix because he is the coach and not the GM.

I've said it before and I'll say it again even if the Wings are missing the playoffs I would not blame Blashill one bit for it this is his first season as an NHL coach, so some learning curve has to be expected no matter what. I'd rather miss the playoffs and get a slightly better chance at Auston Mathews than looking at another first round exit but that's just me.

In another thread people were wondering about Blashill getting outcoached by the koala ya well McLellan has tons of experience and the NHL coaching level and is a very good coach so others will get outcoached by him too.

Edited October 23, 2015 by frankgrimes

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

It's also hard to compare him to Dave Lewis, who inherited a great team with loads of Hall of Famers. I could have coached those teams to the division title. As for the playoffs, I'm not sure if Bowman would have solved Giguere and Kiprusoff. It just wasn't happening in those two playoffs for us.

[luvmnger 125]

in his coaching debut...blash won his first 9 games then lost 3.

consider the tear in preseason...it may not count on the big scoreboard...but he is capable.

6-0 in preseason with crazy mix of players...first 3 pro games had jumbled lines caused by injuries...second 3 have healthy players back(mostly) and its a new curve to overcome. the instability since opening preseason has been crazy.

also...dats has the ability to slow down thinking when he is on the ice...that is sorely missing.

its way too soon.

errorson & smith need to go....ever single fxxkup has had them right in frame.

package them with jurco to winnipeg for buff & a 2nd.

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

in his coaching debut...blash won his first 9 games then lost 3.

consider the tear in preseason...it may not count on the big scoreboard...but he is capable.

6-0 in preseason with crazy mix of players...first 3 pro games had jumbled lines caused by injuries...second 3 have healthy players back(mostly) and its a new curve to overcome. the instability since opening preseason has been crazy.

also...dats has the ability to slow down thinking when he is on the ice...that is sorely missing.

its way too soon.

errorson & smith need to go....ever single fxxkup has had them right in frame.

package them with jurco to winnipeg for buff & a 2nd.

I don't disagree with the latter half of your post, but preseason success is indicative of nothing.

[barabbas16 499]

Datsyuk doesn't turn 38 until next July. No need to make him any older than he is.

[Wheelchairsuperhero 1,453]

in his coaching debut...blash won his first 9 games then lost 3.

consider the tear in preseason...it may not count on the big scoreboard...but he is capable.

6-0 in preseason with crazy mix of players...first 3 pro games had jumbled lines caused by injuries...second 3 have healthy players back(mostly) and its a new curve to overcome. the instability since opening preseason has been crazy.

also...dats has the ability to slow down thinking when he is on the ice...that is sorely missing.

its way too soon.

errorson & smith need to go....ever single fxxkup has had them right in frame.

package them with jurco to winnipeg for buff & a 2nd.

Completely agree that the team is missing Dats' ability to slow the game down. I was thinking this while watching the last game.

[RusDRW 155]

we are missing our best player. With him in the lineup we are most likely 4W/2L at worst and this thread does not exist.

give him at least 20 more games then we'll see.

[gcom007 1,465]

Too soon.

[Buppy 1,720]

Bowman went 1-5 in his first 6 games here. Lewis was 4-2.

Edited October 23, 2015 by Buppy

[kickazz 5,459]

Remember when the Red Wing's won the President's Trophy under Dave Lewis.

Too bad we sucked in the playoffs

[Euro_Twins 4,475]

Bowman went 1-5 in his first 6 games here. Lewis was 4-2.

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN!?!??!?!?

[jimmyemeryhunter 2,747]

It means things are about to get all cronenberged.

Edited October 23, 2015 by jimmyemeryhunter

[dropkickshanahans 463]

It's also hard to compare him to Dave Lewis, who inherited a great team with loads of Hall of Famers. I could have coached those teams to the division title. As for the playoffs, I'm not sure if Bowman would have solved Giguere and Kiprusoff. It just wasn't happening in those two playoffs for us.

I don't remember much of the series against Calgary, but against Anaheim I agree with you. I don't think the Wings could've played any better that series. Giguere stopped like 35+ shots against them, stealing every game. Hell, that first game where they went into triple overtime he stopped something like ~65 SOG and only allowed 1. Very unfortunate for the Wings.

[kickazz 5,459]

The only thing you can compare Blashill to is Babcock. And even that won't be till the end of the season.

Blashill inherited Babcocks team with the addition of larkin, richards and green.

[Buppy 1,720]

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN!?!??!?!?

Obviously it means we'll finish as top seed in our conference, then lose in the first round against a team no one thought had a chance, who will then go on to lose in game 7 of the finals (or lose to Toronto in the 2nd round).

[Wheelchairsuperhero 1,453]

No.

[jimmyemeryhunter 2,747]

Cronenberg.

[KATIEBARTHEDOOR24 426]

WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN!?!??!?!?

THEY ARE ALL LAZY!!! THEY ALL SUCK!!!

[Dr Dubya 32]

Every loss this season was when Cleary wasn't in the lineup.

[pondrocket 35]

The topic heading is perfect!

[The Secret 304]

In another thread people were wondering about Blashill getting outcoached by the koala

The Koala..... Hilarious. I'm still rolling and yes I did have to look up some pics. Well done