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HockeytownRules19

Ownership shows Support for Kenny Holland

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EDIT-after thinking about it, can one of the mods put this in the offseason thread? Sorry about that

Chris ilitch says GM Ken Holland "absolutely" still has the support of Red Wings ownership. Full support.

Chris Ilitch was asked today whether Red Wings GM Ken Holland still has the Ilitch family's support. "Absolutely," he said. "Undoubtedly."

Plus Z with some interesting quotes

Henrik Zetterberg: "There is going to be change."

Zetterberg said the Red Wings need to be aggressive this offseason. "If you want to get someone, you need to be aggressive."

Edited by HockeytownRules19

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As frustrating as things have been for a while now with the franchise going overboard on playing it too safe, this summer can make it all worth it. Hank is exactly right. It's time to be aggressive. The kids will get better, the vets need to step back into reduced roles, and a couple impact players in or just entering their prime need to be acquired and this team can contend again. And continue to do so for years.

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They've gotten knocked out in the first round 3 years in a row and 4 of the last 5 years. In 3 of the 4 first round exits, we were eliminated in 5 games. So yeah, there has to be change. Without change, I think our playoff streak comes to an end next year. I understand we're "rebuilding", but at the same time, rebuilding isn't sitting on your hands and just waiting for the young players to evolve into stars. There are some glaring holes on the team that won't be fixed with our prospects. Those need to be addressed.

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Public support is often the death nail for coaches and GM's. That being said IF Holland wants to be aggressive, be careful what you wish for. I want moves yes, but these have to be the right moves. I fully understand that there are no sure things, but there are moves that increase the risks of failure. We have to avoid those at all costs.

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As frustrating as things have been for a while now with the franchise going overboard on playing it too safe, this summer can make it all worth it. Hank is exactly right. It's time to be aggressive. The kids will get better, the vets need to step back into reduced roles, and a couple impact players in or just entering their prime need to be acquired and this team can contend again. And continue to do so for years.

Ya just hope hank doesn't mean be more aggressive and trade all our top prospects and top picks for more vets to help us win next 2-3 yrs (which wouldn't happen anyways)

I'd be happy if we could somehow trade Tatar/nyquist/howard/Ericsson and add some defense and maybe a Chris kreider type forward we desperately need and give increased ice time to AA and mantha

Don't think we desperately need to sign a mega star but just a few good moves and trust in the kids for once

I'd also be up for tradinng with the ducks/flyers type teams with a lot of defensive prospects and getting say a Gabriel carlsson type dman in our prospect pool

After sproul/ouellet/Jensen who will be lost or stick around all we have left really is Robbie Russo ... Time to call up some teams with overload in defense prospects and see what we can add to our team

If we can trade a frk and a 3rd let's say for Gabriel carlsson I'd do it ... Anyways like I said , just add some decent defensive prospects to our organization

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If Zetterberg is our top line center next season, we're in trouble. He has no room to talk or be angry. His body can't do what it once did. Nothing can change that.

As for Holland, he'll never be fired. The Ilitch family has given him immunity long ago.

Dombrowski though the same thing.

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Public support is often the death nail for coaches and GM's. That being said IF Holland wants to be aggressive, be careful what you wish for. I want moves yes, but these have to be the right moves. I fully understand that there are no sure things, but there are moves that increase the risks of failure. We have to avoid those at all costs.

No guts, no glory

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Dombrowski though the same thing.

Dombrowski finished last in the division with one of the leagues highest payrolls. Hardly comparable to a guy who made the playoffs while transitioning his team to a new generation for the second time.

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With some of his comments today, I don't know how he still has support from anyone, let alone ownership

The fact that the media is even questioning Holland is the start of the pressure he's going to start feeling to be successful

I'd say this is a good thing. A part of me was hoping theyd miss the playoffs so this would happen, but winning 1 game seems to have done it as well.

The whole team seems to understand that we were the worst team in the playoffs. Not really something to brag about; to be the worst of the best

Edited by WingsallTheway

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Dombrowski finished last in the division with one of the leagues highest payrolls. Hardly comparable to a guy who made the playoffs while transitioning his team to a new generation for the second time.

thats not why he got fired. He was in charge of the tigers nearly as long as Holland has ran the wings.

The fact that the media is even questioning Holland is the start of the pressure he's going to start feeling to be successful

I'd say this is a good thing. A part of me was hoping theyd miss the playoffs so this would happen, but winning 1 game seems to have done it as well.

The whole team seems to understand that we were the worst team in the playoffs. Not really something to brag about; to be the worst of the best

I think it was on WIIMT that had a piece about some of the backroom stuff. The story mentioned that Holland does maintain full control over who is on the roster. An example was last year Babcock wanted to keep Oullett on the team after training camp and Holland forced him to GR. It also covered that both Babcock and Blashill allow the vets to assist in making lineup and PT decisions.

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If Zetterberg is our top line center next season, we're in trouble. He has no room to talk or be angry. His body can't do what it once did. Nothing can change that.

As for Holland, he'll never be fired. The Ilitch family has given him immunity long ago.

I think he does have room to talk seeing as though he's put into a position of decline simply because management hasn't found suitable replacements. I'd be sick of being drained and overused in 82 games too. I think at one point in the interview he even said that a transition needs to happen to the kids playing more but having to earn it as well (as in they need good players that can take the responsibility off, not just any tom dick or harry.. Darren Helm isn't the answer). So when he makes statements like "you need to be aggressive to get players" or "there needs to be changes" - I couldn't agree more.

Holland mentioned in his press conference that the kids will get more responsibilities next year.

Good.

Edited by kickazz

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Yeah, I was happy to hear most of what they were saying in the exit interviews, particularly Holland. Obviously though, there's a huge difference between "saying" and "doing", the question is will he act on his words?... Some points that Holland touched on that I hope he holds true are, that they will be "aggressively going to the draft and exploring trades", they "need to change the mix a little bit" and "will look to get bigger", and most importantly, they "need to give more responsibility to the younger players"...

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Holland said he'll be more aggressive at the Entry Draft regarding trades....

I read this while half asleep last night and it caused me to have a dream in which Holland traded Green, Tatar, a 1st round pick and Anthony Mantha to Vancouver for the Sedin twins. While I doubt a move for the Sedin twins could be made (too old, too expensive), I do think that group of players we would be trading is a possibility, especially Mantha. The front office didn't sound like they were too high on him last year and he didn't get much of a look while with the big club this year despite all the struggles we were having scoring goals.

It kind of bothers me that Holland doesn't think this is a very good UFA class, especially when there's a franchise altering center about to hit the market. Not to mention there are a ton of defensemen, many around or under 30 too. We're lacking on the back end and after Datsyuk retires, we're going to be hurting for a top line center. This year's UFA class has players to fill those gaps, but he doesn't want to go that route. I mean, maybe he can swing a trade or something that will have a big impact, but he really hasn't done anything or anything close to that in the last 10 years.

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Unless a team is looking for depth (we aren't) free agency is not the way to go. We need a legit top pairing defenseman, and there's just not any available in this years UFA class. Yandle is the closest thing to a top pair defenseman available, but I think even he's a solid second pair. Trading is the right way to go, and we have the assets to acquire a legit top pair defenseman. Whether or not Holland is willing to give up these assets, we'll soon find out...

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