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HSJ’s mailbag: on Holland’s future

The Free Press’s Helene St. James posted a mailbag feature this afternoon, and among her answers to reader questions is this estimation of Ken Holland’s future plans:

’ve talked to a lot of people around the hockey world, and no one has heard anything one way or the other. Owner Chris Ilitch parried the question when he spoke to reporters at Detroit Tigers training camp, saying he was there to talk baseball. He did give Holland a vote of confidence after last season, saying coach Jeff Blashill’s future was in Holland’s hands.

Holland wants to continue to work, in Detroit or elsewhere. He has been working on rebuilding the team, keeping first-round draft picks since 2013 and last year and this year, stockpiling picks. Does he continue as GM? Does he slide into an advisory role like Jimmy Devellano did? Do the Wings part ways with Holland? We should find out soon after the season ends.

St. James continues…

Three things: Morning Z, a disagreement on direction and coming attractions

Of Red Wings-related note this morning:

1. Fox Sports Detroit posted a belated clip of Henrik Zetterberg discussing the Wings’ 3-2 loss to Columbus on Friday:


2. You’ll have to excuse me for calling this a logical fallacy. I respect Keith Gave to no end, but the former Free Press scribe and The Russian Five author took an easy way out with this Twitter comment:

Larkin. Mantha. Athanasiou. Rasmussen and Cholowski on the way. A bunch of goalie prospects down the line, and so many “sleeper picks” that at least one or two of them has to develop into a good player.

The rebuild probably will take a couple of years, but the right free agent signings, restricted free agent re-signings and  solid hits in the draft will accelerate the rebuild. I just don’t believe that the Red Wings are in for an Edmonton or Toronto-like decade of pain.

That’s just, like, my opinion, man, but I believe that the prospects will eventually take over, and I believe in their potential.

3. And in the coming attractions department, one Red Wings team is holding a “Zombie Night” tonight…

And the Grand Rapids Griffins are on the road this evening:

The Wings’ alums are in Brighton today, too:

Toledo Walleye clinch ECHL playoff berth

From the Toledo Walleye on Twitter…

And via the interweb:

WALLEYE CLINCH KELLY CUP PLAYOFF BERTH

TOLEDO, OH– For the fourth consecutive season and sixth time in their nine-year history, the Toledo Walleye are the first team in the Western Conference to secure a spot in the ECHL Kelly Cup Playoffs. The Walleye clinched postseason play on Friday night with an 8-0 shutout against the Mallards.

T-Town Hockey fans are supporting the Walleye at the Huntington Center in record fashion this season, with 22 of their home games being sold out so far, which is a new single season record for the franchise.

ECHL 2018 KELLY CUP PLAYOFF SERIES DATES

(Specific game dates are not finalized)

  • Division Semi-Final Series: Best-of-Seven series from April 11 through April 25
  • Division Final Series: Best-of-Seven series from April 27 through May 9
  • Conference Final Series: Best-of-Seven series from May 11 through May 23
  • Kelly Cup Finals: Best-of-Seven series from May 25 through June 6

Playoff tickets are on sale at the Huntington Center box office, by calling 419-725-9255 or ordering online at www.toledowalleye.com/playoffs.

USA Today’s Allen doesn’t believe the Wings have a ‘coaching problem’

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.

 

Prospect round-up: Walleye rout Quad City; Rasmussen 2A, NCAA playoffs underway

In the ECHL, the Toledo Walleye enjoyed a romp over the Quad City Mallards, winning 8-0. Mike Borkowski and Austen Brassard scored 2 goals apiece, and a boatload of players contributed to Pat Nagle’s 17-save shutout.

The Walleye’s website posted a recap:

Continue reading Prospect round-up: Walleye rout Quad City; Rasmussen 2A, NCAA playoffs underway

Red Wings-Blue Jackets wrap-up: Six losses in a row, fun times

The Detroit Red Wings rallied from a 3-1 deficit to at least make things interesting during the final minutes of their 3-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, but the Wings, who’ve lost 6 straight games, are at best “competitive” and at worst are getting dominated by their opponents post-trade deadline.

The Wings will fly home tonight and spend Saturday and part of Sunday at home before embarking on a 4-game road trip to San Jose, Los Angeles, Anaheim and Colorado, and they will have to summon much more discipline, effort and structure as the Wings hope to leave their woes behind them in the Eastern Time Zone.

The Blue Jackets, who are desperately trying to climb the Wild Card standings, were absolutely delighted by their victory, as they told the Associated Press:

Continue reading Red Wings-Blue Jackets wrap-up: Six losses in a row, fun times

Red Wings-Blue Jackets quick take: Wings rally late, but dug too deep a hole

The Detroit Red Wings attempted to snap a 5-game losing streak while facing the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday evening.

Detroit managed to display some spirited, high-intensity, plain old exciting and inspiring hockey…for about 4 minutes of the 3rd period, down 3-1 and then 3-2. Ultimately, the Red Wings lost 3-2 to Columbus despite a very good effort from Jared Coreau, and there was still a lot of “poke and hope” in the games of not only the Wings’ youngsters, but also the veterans.

Wings fans will also question why Evgeny Svechnikov played 5:25 with 1 hit and a lost faceoff—less than Luke Witkowski’s 9:16 played by a fair bit…but in all honestly, Svechnikov hasn’t been all that great thus far. He is learning at least…

And again, the Red Wings will go away feeling better about themselves for making it 3-2, but they shouldn’t have made the defensive mistakes surrendering 1, 2 and 3 goals against to begin with. Mike Green ended up at -3, Larkin and Mantha at -2, and Detroit was just not sturdy as they were dominated in the 2nd period and for part of the 3rd.

Long story short, the bus is still broken.

Continue reading Red Wings-Blue Jackets quick take: Wings rally late, but dug too deep a hole

Givani Smith avoids suspension for pushing linesman

Red Wings prospect and Kitchener Rangers forward Givani Smith was facing a suspension for shoving a linesman in an altercation last Friday, and Kitchener is back in action this evening, so:

I checked the Ontario Hockey League’s website, the Rangers’ website, and the Kitchener-Waterloo Record for news regarding Smith’s suspension. According to the Record’s Josh Brown, Givani got very lucky:

– As of Thursday night, the OHL had not announced a suspension for Rangers F Givani Smith after his brush with an official in Tuesday’s game against Sarnia. UPDATE: After reviewing the play, the OHL had decided not to issue a suspension to Smith.

HSJ: Mantha, Athanasiou discuss need for improvement

The Free Press’s Helene St. James spoke with Anthony Mantha and Andreas Athanasiou ahead of tonight’s game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, addressing their captain and coach’s criticism from last night’s  post-game media availability:

Friday morning saw Anthony Mantha admit just how bad he’d been the night before, when, after a 4-0 loss to Vegas, captain Henrik Zetterberg said there was too much poke-and-hope in some teammates, that they need to learn to play the right way. Zetterberg didn’t name names but the criticism fit Mantha and Andreas Athanasiou in particular, and Mantha owned it immediately.

“Oh for sure,” he said after an optional skate at Nationwide Arena Friday. “It wasn’t a good game for me. I made two big mistakes and it’s in the back of our net. I need to be sharper.”

Mantha has shouldered public criticism before, including last November when coach Jeff Blashill said that he “has got to be way better. Way better. It’s not OK to just be a passenger when you are given the opportunity to be an impact player.”

The latest was earned after he lost the puck to Vegas’ William Karlsson leading to a shorthanded goal, and then let Cody Eakins free-wheel in Detroit’s zone leading to a 3-0 deficit.

Athanasiou, who was on for the first and fourth goals, acknowledged a need to heed Zetterberg’s criticism.

“He’s talking to us as a group,” Athanasiou said. “Any time you have someone like that speaking out, it’s a little bit of a message to make sure you’re ready for the next one. If there’s one play where you can bear down a little more, it’s going to make a huge difference.”

St. James continues, and she posted a video of Mantha, Athanasiou and coach Blashill’s remarks:

 

Update: The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan spoke with Mantha as well:

Anthony Mantha and Andreas Athanasiou, two young players who have felt the wrath of coach Jeff Blashill before – and after Thursday’s game, too – admitted Friday the Zetterberg was correct in his criticism.

“It wasn’t a good game for me,” Mantha said. “I made two big mistakes and it’s in the back of our net. I need to be sharper.”

…

“I need to keep learning,’ Mantha said. “No one is perfect. As a young guy there is so much to learn. You have to bring your ‘A’ game every night.”

Mantha said he and Athanasiou and Dylan Larkin have talked about their desire to “be better.”

“We want to be good,” Mantha said.

…

Athanasiou, who lost the puck on Vegas’ fourth and final goal, acknowledged Zetterberg’s message struck home.

“Any time you have someone like that speaking out, it’s a bit of a message to make sure you’re ready for the next one,” Athanasiou said. “If there’s one play where you can bear down a bit more, it’s going to make a huge difference.”