Red Wings fans have been clamoring for Jeff Blashill and Ken Holland’s heads for a while now, but USA Today’s Kevin Allen doesn’t believe that the Red Wings’ coach is “on the hot seat” because he’s bad at his job:
Jeff Blashill, Detroit Red Wings: The Red Wings have a personnel problem, not a coaching problem. The Red Wings have a new arena and selling tickets isn’t as easy as it once was. Firing a coach is viewed as a team embracing a new direction. No one is sure what is going to happen with general manager Ken Holland, whose contract expires at the end of the season.
If Blashill is fired, it will be under the banner that the team’s younger players need to listen to a different voice.
Allen’s list continues, and this is just me talking, but I believe that a perfect storm of mediocre personnel, bad management and mediocre coaching are why the Red Wings are where they are…and I don’t expect things to change for another year or two.
The Wings do have a personnel problem ……… Blashill is using the wrong personnel in key situations game in and game out.
The personnel are not great but better than the results Blashill is getting out of them. Obviously, Allen does not view that many games, if he doesn’t think Blashill is a big part of the problem.
If you like helter skelter hockey, watch the Red Wings and try to figure out their game plan, Mr. Allen. It simply is not there and the coach is more to blame than any player.