Of Red Wings-related note this morning:
- The Detroit News’s Bob Wojnowski penned an article discussing the Red Wings’ decision to retain Ken Holland’s services, with Wojnowski suggesting that Christopher Ilitch made a safe, steady pick with the hopes that the Wings’ GM can turn over a new leaf:
In some ways, Ilitch is doing what Holland has done for many years — practicing loyalty. He’s also acknowledging a long, painful process has just begun, and he wants an experienced leader in charge. It’s not necessarily Holland’s 21 seasons as GM that protected him, but his 12 years before that, as a respected scout and director of amateur scouting.
Holland, 62, is returning to his roots, scouring the amateur ranks for prospects rather than focusing on win-now moves. Those days are over, and will be for several years, and in the interim, Ilitch is going with what he knows.
Is it the easy, safe move? Probably.
Is it a defensible move? It is, based on Holland’s record and reputation around the league.
Wojnowski continues at extended length…
2. The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan posted a set of Red Wings final grades via-a-photo-gallery, prefaced with the following:
Zetterberg, and general manager Ken Holland — who Saturday signed a two-year contract extension — and coach Jeff Blashill (who is expected to return next season) see firm opening steps to a rebuild.
Young players such as Dylan Larkin (team-leading 63 points) and Anthony Mantha (team-leading 24 goals), along with Andreas Athanasiou and Tyler Bertuzzi, and several prospects on the way, offer promising days ahead.
And for June’s Entry Draft, no team has as many the Red Wings’ 11 draft picks (and 10 in 2019) through aggressive dealing at the trade deadline.
The work this season was impressive from certain corners, and not as much from others.
Kulfan continues, and as usual, my question to you is, “Would my grades be worth your time–or mine–given that all the beat writers weigh in?”
3. On Fox 2’s Sportsworks program, Wojnowski, the Free Press’s Jamie Samuelssen (also Wojnowski’s co-radio host) and Woody Woodriffe eventually discuss the Red Wings, weighing in on Holland’s extension at the 8:10 mark, questioning whether the Wings have the talent to emerge from their rebuild sooner than later:
The second-round playoff series between the teams is now tied at 1 game apiece.
Just want to address a couple of things. (1) I would lower Kulfan’s grades across the board by 1 grade. With the exception of XO all players and management graded out C or higher, with many being B. If you take into account expectations “maybe” but in reality in terms of performance “no way”. (2) Growing up on the hardscrabble East Side and playing hockey for 25 years led to many verbal and physical slights in my life. I usually reacted by lashing back at someone. At one time in my life I started to become like them. I didn’t much like myself when I was like that. I have learned in life that slights can be responded to in kind, ignored or with kindness.
With that note I am choosing to do the later with someone who said my theory was naïve about Holland. Naïve pretty much means childlike and is a slight to someone. I and many of us have been called worse in our lives. If you don’t agree with someone about something and want them to listen to you, a civil response is “I disagree with you” or in the case of someone throwing out a theory you say “I don’t think your theory is plausible because of…. By saying things that way, you are respecting people even though you disagree with them. It is know as having a civil discourse with them. I hope all of us on this site can remember this in our lives namely, try to practice more kindness than people deserve. You and your family will be much happier and contented.
I’ll thumbs this up.
Agreed.
Gotta agree here too. Most grades need to slide downward. Larkin is about right and I wouldn’t punish him for an under performing team. Mantha also progressed in point totals but not in average per game while having an increase in time on ice. AA is very generous. He lead the team in minus play while missing a small chunk of the season. Frk is the one person I would actually move up a grade. He did better then I expected considering he played a lot of the season with Glenny.
On D, all grades must go down. The bright spot for me was the 9 goals from Daley but only 7 assists? That’s pretty useless. I also can’t be too disappointed with Kroners 23 assists. I expected he wouldn’t even play much of the season. Jensen……oh man, I can’t get the image of him being pushed over Jimmy last season. Dude, zero goals? Will he be back with GR next season?
my question to you is, “Would my grades be worth your time–or mine–given that all the beat writers weigh in?”
George, I would love to read see your grades and a note on each player’s performance. I appreciate the lengths you go to harvest and post all things Red Wings from various outlets. That said, my favorite posts are the ones were you give your thoughts on the team, players and staff.
I don’t know about all of them being too high. Most of the grades are way too high, especially all the defensemen for sure. However Larkin, Zetterberg, and Bertuzzi seem right.