St. James engages in a Q and A with Jeff Blashill

The Free Press’s Helene St. James engaged in a Q and A with Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill this morning:

HSJ: Is there a minimum number of prospects that you need to integrate on the team for the sake of rebuilding? 

JB: I don’t know that there is a number. I think one of the big keys is that when you are a playoff team on an annual basis, the right move is that when a young player and a veteran player are tied, the tie goes to the veteran. When you are a team that hasn’t made the playoffs for two years and a young player and a veteran player are tied, I think now the tie should go to the young player. And I say that because we need different results, and part of having different results is improving internally, and that can come with new guys being in spots. So I don’t know that there is a number per se — I think it has way more to do with when guys are ready and show that type of promise, that they get the opportunities to deliver on that promise. I don’t think it’s blind hope, though. One of the things that can happen in the sports world is just because there are unknowns, people think everybody should be given opportunity. Our jobs as evaluators are to decide which guys are going to make us better and which aren’t. It’s not just blind hope. 

Continued

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George Malik

My name is George Malik, and I'm the Malik Report's editor/blogger/poster. I have been blogging about the Red Wings since 2006, and have worked with MLive and Kukla's Korner. Thank you for reading!

10 thoughts on “St. James engages in a Q and A with Jeff Blashill”

  1. Saying all the right things… Hopefully his and Holland’s actions will back this up.

  2. Well, he says he’s going to give everyone from prospects to veterans the chance to win or lose jobs based on their performance in camp and through the pre-season. Let’s hope that isn’t just lip service. If this team is truly rebuilding, they have to bring prospects onto the roster along with veterans. I’m looking forward to seeing how training camp and pre-season look this year and then learning what the opening night roster actually will be.

  3. Not sure how you can give a prospect a spot over a Vet that can’t be moved. Not a fan of Blash beating around the bush and usually the wrong bush.

    It appears Ras is on the Team and Zadina and probably the rest get sent down. I am sure this is only me but Ras ure doesn’t seem like he has any inner drive. If he was 6’1″ 200lbs he would be in GR

    1. Just because a vet had a NTC doesn’t mean you can’t just waive em. That’s always an additional option, now whether that option is used? Is another story. Point is…there are always options. We aren’t stick with em, we’re just stuck with a GM that probably wouldn’t take advantage of all his options

      1. If he ONLY has an NTC. If the player has a NMC, they cannot be waived from my knowledge.

    2. Sorry to put you on the spot, but on what do you base ‘Ras ure doesn’t seem like he has any inner drive’?

  6. Tie goes to the Prospect!

    I like what I am hearing from Blash. I know talk is cheap and we will see the truth in October, but maybe he is becoming his own man/coach and dropping the Babcocian Isms and Ideology (or is it Idolatry?).

    This would be a good thing for this team if it is true. A glimmer of Hope in the Redwings Universe shines like a sunny day!

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