Tag: Detroit Red Wings

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Detroit Red Wings: Blashill

Embed from Getty Images Last week when the Detroit Red Wings announces general manager Ken Holland, would return media and fans turned attention to head coach Jeff Blashill.

Ken Holland, recently said that Blashill, would indeed return to his post on the Detroit bench. This was met with a mix of emotions from the Detroit Red Wings, fan base.
While it is absolutely true Blashill, makes some head scratching moves at times. He has transformed the Red Wings, into a two way team and the Wings young players took big steps forward.
What needs to happen is a couple of things. The team must get stronger on the forecheck. They also must form an identity. That is squarely on Jeff Blashill’s shoulders.
I’m not disappointed or surprised Blashill was brought back given the improvement in Detroit’s younger players. Fans should stop complaining and wait to see how this plays out.
With off season conditioning and the NHL draft. Ken Holland doing what he does best scouting. The Red Wings rebuild is worth keeping track of. I know that most fans do not want to hear that. But it is going to be ok. The Detroit Red Wings are close to being good again.
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Detroit Red Wings: shocker

Embed from Getty Images What seemed like a slam dunk sure fire ending turned into a surprise when the Detroit Red Wings brought general manager Ken Holland back on a two year extension.

 

In a move that both shocked and angered Red Wings fans Chris Ilitch has picked Holland to finish the rebuild he started. It actually may not be a bad idea. Here’s why.

For starters young players stepped up. Dylan Larkin showed he is ready for a job anchoring the first line. Young Winger Anthony Mantha grew as well as left wing Tyler Bertuzzi. Other young players showed they are ready to help out as well.

This speaks volumes for Holland and the player development  Detroit has in place. Now the hard part comes. It would seem like having a bunch of draft picks would be a great place for the Wings to be in. Holland and his scouting department must be spot on in this years draft in order to speed the rebuild up.

As for owner Chris Ilitch he seems to be signaling he wants a veteran to spear head a difficult rebuild.  In his time before he was a general manager Holland, was a top amateur scout. He is getting back to his roots as he plans to go and personally scout players. In my opinion that is a very good move.

After all is said and done Ken Holland was only given a two year deal. Perhaps, they want to keep him on a short leash. There is still a lot of work to be done. The Detroit Red wings lack an impact player and goalie Jimmy Howard will be 34 years old entering next year and on the last year of his contract. With no goalie help in sight.

Only the Red Wings front office brass knows if head coach Jeff Blashill will be back. Based on player growth I’d say he will.

 

 

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Detroit Red Wings remembering the Russian Five

Embed from Getty Images Five Russian hockey players who would go to form life long friendships and one of the most deadly lines in the NHL. They were a sight to behold. No team could slow them down. No team could stop them.

Igor Larionov centered the line he was anchored by Slava Fetisov on the left and one of the greatest players I have ever seen play Sergei Fedorov on his right. No team to date has a line that scores goals as quick as this line did.
They got the puck down low and before opposing teams knew what happened they were skating off the ice with another goal on the board.
Vladimir Konstantinov and Slava Kozlov were the defenders who dominated and punished offensive players. And left many bruised and battered.
Konstantinov was severely injured in a limousine accident after the 1997 Stanley Cup championship. He is in a wheel chair and is accompanied by Sergei Fedorov whenever he is seen in public. Once a teammate always a teammate.
There are no words for what these guys did during there time in Detroit. But the city and Red Wings fans still talk about them today. Many including myself think the team needs to retire Sergei Fedorov’s number.
Today’s NHL play of getting the puck down low and playing smothering defense is a direct tip of the cap to five guys who changed hockey.
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Detroit Red Wings Anthony Mantha finds consistency

Embed from Getty Images He drove his coach crazy. He drove fans crazy. It probably safe to say he drove his general manager (Ken Holland) crazy. Anthony Mantha lacked consistency and I dare say confidence last season.

Scoring 17 goals, yet missing so many opportunities for more goals. He also had big lapses in his defensive game and was benched at least two different times during the season.
This season has seen Mantha, more focused and more mature. Standing with 24 goals is nice. But, there is more. Anthony has greatly improved his passing and his defense has been stellar.
I do not believe it is a coincidence that young center Dylan Larkin has found his game and taken to playing center and suddenly Anthony Mantha has found his game.
Mantha and Larkin. Larkin and Mantha. They form a really good duo on Detroit’s second line. They will be on the first line down the road.
They have great chemistry together and give the Detroit Red Wings a bright future as two staples in the Wings rebuild. It will be a lot of fun watching these two grow and continue to get better and better.
This years NHL draft is one of the best in recent years will help Detroit speed up the rebuild.
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Detroit Red Wings: prospect Dennis Cholowski

Embed from Getty Images The 2016 NHL draft saw the Detroit Red Wings draft defensemen Dennis Cholowski, and Wings fans were upset. But look at him now.

Defense in the NHL is the toughest position to learn in sports. Point blank. In fact it can be downright brutal on prospects. Dennis has risen to transform his game into first line defenseman.
Heading in to the 2017-18 training camp Dennis Cholowski, nearly made the team. He was seen as a second line defenseman when he was drafted. But, he has worked hard, grown 2” (he was 6’ 0” when he was drafted) and put on muscle.
He’s fast. He will more that likely quarterback the Red Wings first line power play. He is my favorite Detroit Red Wings prospect now that fellow defenseman Joe Hicketts is in Motown. Detroit, has the making of good solid young defense headed it’s way.
With his skill set and hard work Cholowski will be a part of the Wings defensive unit for a long time. He is a high end player.
I expect Dennis to arrive in Detroit next season. He is sure to become a fan favorite in a hurry. His hustle and big hitting is sure to go over well with Red Wing faithful.
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Detroit Red Wings April fools

Embed from Getty Images Red Wings fans would really like this to be some sort early April fools joke. But, the reality is it is not. Ken Holland, will apparently get his shot to rebuild the Winged Wheels.

For better or worse. There is at this time no word on a contract extension for Holland. That could be intentional. Ownership could possibly see how this years draft goes.
In a very unrealistic thought perhaps ownership wants Ken, the coaches and players for focus on finishing the season before any sort of announcement is made. Fans hope the announcment is that Holland is leaving his general managers position.
Former Detroit Red Wings legend, captain and NHL Hall of Fame member as well as current Tampa Bay Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman recently said “Ken Holland deserves patience.”  Unless he’s talking about tanking Wings fans won’t care about that statment even from a beloved sports figure.
Maybe, Yzerman is right. Ken Holland has architected some very good hockey teams. He has also over spent and has maxed out the salary cap. The real question is can Holland recapture his old magic? The odds are long at best.
I for one was and still am in favor of a fresh start. Detroit’s owner feels this is the best rout to take. We shall see how it plays out. But for now it has left a bad taste in the fan base’s mouth.
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Detroit Red Wings prospect Vili Saarijarvi

Embed from Getty Images Right in line with Detroit Red Wings defensive prospects. Vili Saarijarvi stands 5’ 10”. Don’t let that fool you. He’s a playmaker.

In the same vein as Red Wings defensive prospect Joe Hicketts, Saarijarvi is a puck mover and above average goal scorer. He is also a defenseman who can quarterback the power play. He’s a very solid smoot player.
Like fellow defense prospect Hicketts, Vili is on the shorter side. But, does that matter? Should it matter? I really don’t think it’s a factor as more NHL teams are trending towards smaller puck moving defenseman. and those smaller defensmen are have success.
Vili Saarijarvi brings a quickness to his game that would help the quick challenged Detroit Red Wings. He’s fast and much like Joe Hicketts has no issue with people players in the boards. He’ll also, bury the puck in the back of the net.
His defensive attack does contain a flaw. He is at times too impulsive which leads to compromise for himself and his line mates. He has worked hard to brush that up. It still flares up from time to time.
He is viewed as a top four defenseman. Which makes him one of my favorite Red Wings prospects. That and he plays defense.
When he gets called up Detroit fans will enjoy this fleet footed player. As his stick work may be the best in the Detroit Red Wings lower levels.
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Detroit Red Wings prospect Joe Hicketts

Embed from Getty Images He stands 5’ 8” for a defenseman he’s not very big. But, he is very solidly-built. He can hit with the best of them and is a good player puck mover. The Detroit Red Wings were wise in calling him up.

Hicketts, is a playmaker. No matter his size. He can flat out create plays and he is an above average goal scorer. He is one of the Red Wings prospects I’ve been waiting on. And  now he gets an audition in Motown.
Even given his short stature he has all the tools to be a solid second line defenseman. In my opinion Joe Hicketts should be part of the Red Wings next group of core players moving forward.
Joe, plays with a lot of energy. Make that high energy. Hicketts credits Detroit Red Wings defensemen Niklas Kronwall as being the player he wanted to model his game after.
The difference is Kronwall is playing on two damaged knees and at 37 years old is closer to the end of his career. Joe Hicketts is 21 years old with two good knees and can be a difference maker for the Wings.
So perhaps it’s best to view this as a passing of the torch. From a good defenseman to one who aspires to be just like him.
Joe Hicketts, is worth watching. His progress should be quick. The Red Wings need to add more to the defensive crop. But Hicketts is a good place to start.
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Detroit Red Wings they aren’t going to tank?

Embed from Getty Images Teams do it all the time. Ease off the gas and coast to the end. Move up in the draft order. The Detroit Red Wings are saying they will not. But, I’m not buying it.

Either the Red Wings are worse than I thought or they are tanking. But would a team come right out and admit that’s what they are doing? Probably not. That’s a good way to have even less fanny’s in the seats at Little Caesar’s Arena.
With the play of younger guys the Red Wings are not as bad as they appear. In a season that has seen Dylan Larkin grow into a first line caliber center and Anthony Mantha score with more consistency I simply do not  think they are all that bad.
The emergence of Tyler Bertuzzi and Evgeny Svechnikov have also breathed more life into the team. These four guys will make up the core of the Red Wings next great team.
Tanking is as I have said before the quickest way to get out of a rebuild. In my opinion the Red Wings are already in good position in the 2018 NHL draft. The tank (yes I’m going to say what they won’t) will further aid the speed up and winning will return faster to Motown.
In reality it is not cheating the fans or even the current team. That team had it’s day. Instead it is about the future. A future that can be closer by mounting losses.
That said it is not entirely pleasant. The process of losing more than winning. But it is needed. And I for one am fine with it. So tank away Red Wings.
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Detroit Red Wings in a bad season youth is being served

Embed from Getty Images Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha, Evgeny Svechnikov. Detroit Red Wings fans need to commit these names to memory. They are 3 of the building blocks to the next Red Wings next great team.
In the middle of a rebuild that has netted more and more losses 35 to be exact. Hasn’t left a lot for fans to cheer about. But let’s focus on the future. It’s looking a little less cloudy.
A future that fans can see young center Dylan Larkin wearing the captain’s “C.” His growth as the man in the middle has been eye opening. Along with Anthony Mantha gives the Red Wings the making of have a nasty young line.
And young Evgeny Svechnikov. The Red Wings have handled this pure goal scorer with kid gloves. Recently they have removed them and let him go. I look forward to seeing him grow more as a player.
The Red Wings have 2 first round draft picks in the 2018 NHL draft. They also have 2 second round picks and have amassed 5 that’s right 5 third round draft picks.
This is a great year to have a plethora of draft picks as this is widely considered to be the best group of prospects is the last 15 years. That will help the franchise moving forward.
The Red Wings need to focus on two positions. Left wing and first line defensemen. Names to watch are Brady Tkachuk LW Boston University. His game is being compared to the great Brett Hull.
And defenseman Quinton Hughes from the University of Michigan. He is sure to take his place in a long list of Michigan Wolverine defensemen like Jack Johnson, Zach Werenski, and Jacob Trouba.
The Red Wings will be able to speed up they’re rebuild in this years draft. I for one will be keeping close tabes on Larkin, Mantha & Svechnikov the rest of this season.