The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan makes quite the set of statements in his latest “Octopulse” podcast…
Per the Detroit News:
Ted Kulfan takes a look at the improving Red Wings (12-9-4), who have won four games in a row heading into Saturday’s game against the New York Islanders at Little Caesars Arena and ex-Red Wing Nick Libett is the interview guest on this week’s podcast.
In episode 63 of OctoPulse, Kulfan says Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill is “one of the leading contenders” for the Jack Adams Trophy as NHL coach of the year.
“He’s done a wonderful job,” Kulfan said on the podcast. “He’s guided the team perfectly. He’s been through the bad times just like some of the nucleus on the team.
“They’ve gained a lot of experience the last couple of years. You can tell they’re a much more mature team and he has a really good pulse on this team.”
…
Kulfan said Blashill’s odds of winning the award may be clearer after a difficult schedule in December, which includes road games against the St. Louis Blues (12-8-3), Colorado Avalanche (12-7-1), Carolina Hurricanes (15-6-1), Minnesota Wild (16-6-1) and New York Rangers (14-4-3) and home games against the Nashville Predators (12-10-1), Avalanche and the Washington Capitals (14-4-6) on New Year’s Eve.
“There are not many if any cupcakes at all on the schedule,” Kulfan said. “There’s a lot of tough teams, one after another. We’re going to know more about this team after they play Washington on New Year’s Eve. By that time, they’ll have gone through the gauntlet of a lot of playoff-tested teams here this month. If they’re still sitting where they are now more or less, I’ll take my cap off to them. That will be more of a surprise than even where they are now in the standings.”
Continued; I’m not willing to hand Blashill the Adams Trophy yet…