Blashill ‘on the hot seat?’

The Hockey News’s Adam Proteau posted a list of 5 coaches who Proteau believes are “on the hot seat,” and five coaches who are “ready for work,” and I’m not sure whether I agree with him regarding the Red Wings’ bench boss:

Jeff Blashill, Detroit Red Wings: Detroit GM Steve Yzerman has earned his stripes as one of the NHL’s most savvy team architects, and guess how many years he just signed Blashill to on a contract extension? That’s right – two years, just like Colliton and Green. Blashill has been the Wings’ head coach for more than six years, and that’s a near-eternity in NHL coaching circles. Many believe Detroit will not be notably better in 2021-22 and likely miss the playoffs again – and if there’s a hockey man out there Yzerman feels will be a better fit for this rebuilding team, everyone should expect he hands Blashill his walking papers and moves on without him.

Continued; I believe that much depends upon whether we see improvement from the Red Wings this upcoming season, but I would not be all that surprised if Blashill survives. He’s made it this far.

Also: it’s nice to see Proteau back on the Hockey News beat.

Published by

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, when MLive hired me to work their SlapShots blog, and I joined Kukla's Korner in 2011 as The Malik Report. I'm starting The Malik Report as a stand-alone site, hoping that having my readers fund the website is indeed the way to go to build a better community and create better content.

8 thoughts on “Blashill ‘on the hot seat?’”

  1. I was rooting for Spud (Gallant) not so long ago but he is on a bigger stage in New York so……..

    Blash has sort of earned a chance to coach a winner. If there are good signs this year, and maybe next too, then when 23-24 comes along he will get the chance to coach in the playoffs.

    DEEP into the playoffs I hope.

    Good coaches know that talent and effort wins games. If Blash gets the talent and can motivate the effort while putting the players in a position to succeed extend him. If not, Vaya con Dios.

    1. We were all looking for “Spuddy” to come here, but I think that he wanted to coach a winning team.

      We’ll see what Blash can do with a tolerable roster…If he can do anything with a tolerable roster.

      1. He can’t do anything, as the real coach is above. But if Blash doesn’t perform with the added “Coach” he may be gone before his current contract. Money (coaches salary is peanuts to Wings) can and will always be a black shadow behind Blash, even with his shiny bald head.

        Adding to is infamous interviews, Dead Duck walking. Lucky there is not anything better and won’t be until the Wings show they are a Real Playoff contender.

      2. Key Word “WAS” . Nothing BIG is going to happen before his contract expires with the new roster he will have for the next 2 years. Really the extensive part of the part of the rebuild will start this year. DEADWOOD is gone,mostly. The team might plateau this year, at best. Blash probably will not make it past this contract, IMO. Blash will not get the most out of a very young roster.

    2. Only stripes Blash earned were Prison Stripes. Someone had to have the job of Coach as StevieY was behind ALL the changes.

      Six years makes my head want to explode (smoke, weather, virus variants start Round 4, ex vaxxers pissing me off, etc) as Blash is better than the Top 5 coming back into the NHL and that is all the credit Blash gets. Dead Wood available but StevieY why really is the Coach making sure Blash can’t screw up, again.

Comments are closed.