Steve Yzerman to step down as GM for TBL. Will serve in "Advisory Role".

[kylee 727]

24 minutes ago, HadThomasVokounOnFortSt said:

I mean they aren't going to come out and bash him but sorry, I know he's your favorite. kewllll

There's not many coaches out there with such a creative mind as to put a 4th line checking forward out in an offensive zone faceoff in OT

[HadThomasVokounOnFortSt 878]

15 minutes ago, The 91 of Ryans said:

Someone asked a question. I answered it. You jumped in and asked your question. I answered it. 

Fair enough!

10 minutes ago, kylee said:

There's not many coaches out there with such a creative mind as to put a 4th line checking forward out in an offensive zone faceoff in OT

True about that!

[kipwinger 8,520]

25 minutes ago, kylee said:

There's not many coaches out there with such a creative mind as to put a 4th line checking forward out in an offensive zone faceoff in OT

Mike Babcock does that constantly and yall can't get enough of that guy.  Toronto fans were freaking out about this last week as a matter of fact. 

Speaking of which, I can't wait until Toronto gets bounced from the playoffs this year so I can point out how it's the third time that Mike Babcock has be unable to win the Stanley Cup with an absolutely LOADED roster. 

Edited February 13, 2019 by kipwinger

[mackel 679]

1 hour ago, The 91 of Ryans said:

 

https://theathletic.com/780292/2019/01/22/where-things-stand-with-jeff-blashill-and-the-red-wings/

It's a paywall sight but here's a quote:

 

One measure of Blashill’s performance is whether or not he’d immediately get another job opportunity if Detroit cut him loose. One team executive outside of Detroit felt like it would be a lock.

“I guarantee he does,” said the executive of Blashill landing another job. “He’s a pretty respected guy. He’s prepared. He’s open-minded, very competitive. He’s a quick thinker who is a confident, strong leader who is also able to check his ego.”

From someone who gets paid to do hockey stuff. Anyway, think whatever the f*** you want. But at least be mindful that there are people out there that feel he's a good coach. kewlllll

Good maybe... I'm not convinced... will their be better options available I'd thisk so. 

A great coach can make a huge difference look at Trotz in Long Island.  He's made chocolate pudding out of dog crap... nothing short of a miracle.  Where do we sit this minute 2 points ahead of Ottawa (the dumpster fire of the NHL).

[kipwinger 8,520]

I'm confused by this Blashill debate.  Is the argument that some coaches are better than Blashill, because that's pretty obviously true.  Or is the argument that basically ALL coaches are better than Blashill, because that's a stretch. 

6 minutes ago, mackel said:

Good maybe... I'm not convinced... will their be better options available I'd thisk so. 

A great coach can make a huge difference look at Trotz in Long Island.  He's made chocolate pudding out of dog crap... nothing short of a miracle.  Where do we sit this minute 2 points ahead of Ottawa (the dumpster fire of the NHL).

This is sorta revisionist.  While plenty of people considered Trotz a top NHL coach prior to last year, plenty of other people thought he was massively overrated given his abysmal playoff record up to that Cup win.  Far from any consensus that he was a top coach until now. 

[Neomaxizoomdweebie 3,083]

We'd be a playoff team with Yzerman and Babcock running things.

[mackel 679]

4 minutes ago, kipwinger said:

I'm confused by this Blashill debate.  Is the argument that some coaches are better than Blashill, because that's pretty obviously true.  Or is the argument that basically ALL coaches are better than Blashill, because that's a stretch. 

This is sorta revisionist.  While plenty of people considered Trotz a top NHL coach prior to last year, plenty of other people thought he was massively overrated given his abysmal playoff record up to that Cup win.  Far from any consensus that he was a top coach until now. 

Kip that's ridiculous.   He was thought very highly of over his long tenure in Nashville... they didn't fare well in the playoffs once they built a decent team... that had far less to do with Trotz than it did with the Wings and Hawks and other really strong teams they came up against.

 

The CAP playoff curse was on Ovechkin not Trotz...  

2 minutes ago, Neomaxizoomdweebie said:

We'd be a playoff team with Yzerman and Babcock running things.

Maybe or maybe not... its doubtful we'd be any worse.

[kipwinger 8,520]

5 minutes ago, mackel said:

Kip that's ridiculous.   He was thought very highly of over his long tenure in Nashville... they didn't fare well in the playoffs once they built a decent team... that had far less to do with Trotz than it did with the Wings and Hawks and other really strong teams they came up against.

 

The CAP playoff curse was on Ovechkin not Trotz...  

Maybe or maybe not... its doubtful we'd be any worse.

I'm not making any judgements at all about Trotz.  I'm just saying that quite a lot of people were not convinced that Trotz' system was conducive to playoff success prior to the Caps win.  He was regularly talked about as being too "old school" and defensive to win in the modern game.  Clearly people were wrong about that, but that's kinda my point.  Nobody ever thinks these guys are any good until they win, then suddenly it's like "I always knew this guy was great".  People literally did the same thing with Ovechkin actually.  I remember like 3 years ago when people were saying he was washed up and needed to be traded. 

Edited February 13, 2019 by kipwinger

[mackel 679]

When Trotz became available I was convinced he'd be the wings new coach...  that was a missed opportunity.  I was also rooting for Mark Hunter as GM. But I got neither wish :-(

[The 91 of Ryans 3,014]

12 minutes ago, mackel said:

When Trotz became available I was convinced he'd be the wings new coach...  that was a missed opportunity.  I was also rooting for Mark Hunter as GM. But I got neither wish :-(

 Negative note: Wings fans. So unlucky.

Positive note: better luck coming (according to the general cyclical laws of hard-cap draft-centric pro leagues). 

[kipwinger 8,520]

We don't need luck, we've got the best GM in the biz leading us down the winning path.  Everybody talks s*** now because we're fans and we're all super fickle.  But in two years when Cholo and Hronek are scoring like maniacs and Lindstrom and McIsaac are smashing dudes in the open ice a-la-Kronwall everybody will be singing a different tune. 

[The 91 of Ryans 3,014]

8 minutes ago, kipwinger said:

We don't need luck, we've got the best GM in the biz leading us down the winning path.  Everybody talks s*** now because we're fans and we're all super fickle.  But in two years when Cholo and Hronek are scoring like maniacs and Lindstrom and McIsaac are smashing dudes in the open ice a-la-Kronwall everybody will be singing a different tune. 

Positive note: ^

[kipwinger 8,520]

4 minutes ago, The 91 of Ryans said:

Positive note: ^

Seriously though, I'm genuinely excited about where this team is heading.  We're loaded with good prospects, we're about to have another huge draft, and we have TONS of cap space for UFAs going forward.  Long as we don't do anything stupid like fire the GM who's navigating this ship we're going to be a top team in the east in like 2 or 3 seasons. 

Edited February 13, 2019 by kipwinger

[kickazz 5,459]

17 hours ago, kipwinger said:

Seriously though, I'm genuinely excited about where this team is heading.  We're loaded with good prospects, we're about to have another huge draft, and we have TONS of cap space for UFAs going forward.  Long as we don't do anything stupid like fire the GM who's navigating this ship we're going to be a top team in the east in like 2 or 3 seasons. 

What's your thoughts on Blashill long term though? 

His contract is up soon, wouldn't mind giving Darryl Sutter a call to get him out of coaching retirement. 

Edited February 13, 2019 by kickazz

[HadThomasVokounOnFortSt 878]

Look at the end of the day, Wings fans have been spoiled. A lot aren't use to a team like this, hell until we just missed the playoffs every year they made it that I've been alive. No denying the future looks great, just don't see Blashill running it though. 

[kipwinger 8,520]

8 hours ago, kickazz said:

What's your thoughts on Blashill long term though? 

His contract is up soon, wouldn't mind giving Darryl Sutter a call to get him out of coaching retirement. 

I'd give him a two year contract. I think we went from losing and looking really bad a year ago to playing a lot of close games this year with a bad roster.  I like that we play with speed, our defensemen are active, and we're a little meaner.  Plus, ALL of our young guys have developed into legit NHL players, and in some cases difference makers, under Blashill.  I think he's earned the right to see what he can do with a real roster...something he's never had as an NHL coach.  If he flops in two years, find someone else. 

Edited February 14, 2019 by kipwinger

[ChristopherReevesLegs 7,022]

Blashill is getting stale

[kylee 727]

Come home Stevie!

[F.Michael 4,590]

On 2/13/2019 at 3:25 PM, kickazz said:

What's your thoughts on Blashill long term though? 

His contract is up soon, wouldn't mind giving Darryl Sutter a call to get him out of coaching retirement. 

As much as I would like an old 'harda$$' behind the bench - the kids on our roster seem to respond well enough under Blashill.

Me thinks it'll be Yzerman's call as to what will happen with Blash, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him for a few more seasons in Detroit.

[Z and D for the C 712]

On 2/14/2019 at 1:14 AM, kipwinger said:

I'd give him a two year contract. I think we went from losing and looking really bad a year ago to playing a lot of close games this year with a bad roster.  I like that we play with speed, our defensemen are active, and we're a little meaner.  Plus, ALL of our young guys have developed into legit NHL players, and in some cases difference makers, under Blashill.  I think he's earned the right to see what he can do with a real roster...something he's never had as an NHL coach.  If he flops in two years, find someone else. 

Blashill's "60 minutes of hell" is more like "60 minutes of give the puck to the other team and dump it into the neutral zone or offensive zone at every opportunity." Blashill has some good qualities for sure, as you mentioned, but the way he plays this team is terrible. We used to be a puck possession team, now we're the opposite of that. We've seen that this team has the ability to win games right now and Blashill isn't bringing that out of them. Now, I'm not complaining that much for right now because it's getting us picks, bit I hope to the flying spaghetti monster that he is done at the end of this year.

[krsmith17 7,191]

15 minutes ago, Z and D for the C said:

Blashill's "60 minutes of hell" is more like "60 minutes of give the puck to the other team and dump it into the neutral zone or offensive zone at every opportunity." Blashill has some good qualities for sure, as you mentioned, but the way he plays this team is terrible. We used to be a puck possession team, now we're the opposite of that. We've seen that this team has the ability to win games right now and Blashill isn't bringing that out of them. Now, I'm not complaining that much for right now because it's getting us picks, bit I hope to the flying spaghetti monster that he is done at the end of this year.

This team has gone from a puck possession team to a dump and chase team because of the players not the coach. I think dump and chase hockey is losing hockey, but Blashill doesn't really have much of a choice but to play that sort of grinding game when his roster is half grinders. On a good night, we have two 4th lines, a 3rd line and a borderline 1st line. We seen last night that when Larkin, Mantha and Bertuzzi are on a line, they can play a puck possession game. But what do you expect with Abdelkader, Helm, Glendening, Ehn, de la Rose, etc. out there? Get rid of some of the slow vets and insert some hungry kids, and this team gets much faster, better and more fun to watch.

[Z and D for the C 712]

^ I don't buy that we play dump and chase or our #1 defensive strategy is "clear the zone with passes to the other team" because we just "can't do anything else". If our players aren't good enough to play a more puck possession style game then okay-, what is the worst case scenario - we lose a lot of games and are near the bottom in the standings? I'd rather have our players learn to play puck possession and fail versus playing dump the puck at all opportunities and still fail.

I just don't think Blashill's strategies are translating to the NHL.

[F.Michael 4,590]

19 hours ago, Z and D for the C said:

^ I don't buy that we play dump and chase or our #1 defensive strategy is "clear the zone with passes to the other team" because we just "can't do anything else". If our players aren't good enough to play a more puck possession style game then okay-, what is the worst case scenario - we lose a lot of games and are near the bottom in the standings? I'd rather have our players learn to play puck possession and fail versus playing dump the puck at all opportunities and still fail.

I just don't think Blashill's strategies are translating to the NHL.

While I don't mean to defend Blash here, but this teams lacks both the skill for the puck possession game, and the size (and the willingness to play physically) for the dump & chase.

 

[Neomaxizoomdweebie 3,083]

1 hour ago, F.Michael said:

While I don't mean to defend Blash here, but this teams lacks both the skill for the puck possession game, and the size (and the willingness to play physically) for the dump & chase.

 

Correct. You cant coach a team to play a way they lack the skill to play.

[krsmith17 7,191]

21 hours ago, Z and D for the C said:

^ I don't buy that we play dump and chase or our #1 defensive strategy is "clear the zone with passes to the other team" because we just "can't do anything else". If our players aren't good enough to play a more puck possession style game then okay-, what is the worst case scenario - we lose a lot of games and are near the bottom in the standings? I'd rather have our players learn to play puck possession and fail versus playing dump the puck at all opportunities and still fail.

I just don't think Blashill's strategies are translating to the NHL.

So you think clearing the zone with "passes to the other team" is Blashill's coaching strategy? Not a lack of talent / skill in the lineup? That's absurd... If our players aren't good enough to play a puck possession game (most of them aren't), it would be terrible coaching to force that on them (round peg, square hole). A good coach will change his systems / strategies based on the players in his lineup. Blashill has done this. I'd be interested to see what Blash could do with some skill throughout the lineup, beyond 2 or 3 players.

1 hour ago, F.Michael said:

While I don't mean to defend Blash here, but this teams lacks both the skill for the puck possession game, and the size (and the willingness to play physically) for the dump & chase.

This.