Former Detroit Red Wings general manager Ken Holland makes the Hall of Fame

Embed from Getty Images  Jimmy Devellano, three years into his job as general manager of the Detroit Red Wings, called Ken Holland and offered him a job as scout. Holland would become the Red Wings GM and build a 3 time Stanley Cup Championship team. Yesterday, the former Red Wings and current Edmonton Oilers general manager got the call. Ken Holland is going into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Ken Holland oversaw the Detroit Red Wings longest run of success. He was Detroit Red Wings GM from 1997-2019. Holland’s Red Wings teams won 3 Stanley Cups and reached the playoffs 19 seasons in a row, which extended Detroit’s playoff run to 25 year.

Last year Ken Holland left the Red Wings organization when owner Christopher Ilitch brought Steve Yzerman in to be general manager. Holland has many reasons for being in the Hall of Fame.

Ken Holland saw his Red Wings teams win four President’s Trophies (2002, 2004, 2006, 2008) the Wings won more regular season and playoff games with a combined 1,044 more than any other NHL team.

In a statement released Ken Holland said: “I am incredibly humbled by this honor, I am in this game because I loved it as a young man and I am happy to have been able to stay in the game.”

Ken Holland caught flak from Red Wings fans as he did hand out bad contracts and sign some iffy free agents. That should not be. Ken Holland’s work speaks for it’s self. Very few general manager have the resume Holland has.

I for one am happy for Ken Holland and all he accomplished while in Detroit. His Hall of Fame nod is the icing on the cake for a job well done. As Detroit Red Wings fans wait while current GM Steve Yzerman rebuilds the team (which he will do) it is nice that the man before him gets the recognition he deserves.

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