Ken Holland played a significant role during the process of bringing Steve Yzerman back to the Detroit Red Wings organization. Where does he go from here?
It is still strange typing former GM Ken Holland. This isn’t going to be the type of Ken Holland bashing many fans want to read. Yes, we’ve been critical of Holland and a lot of the decisions he’s made in recent memory, but we’ve also tried to give him credit when credit is due. He played a crucial role in helping the Detroit Red Wings organization land their new General Manager Steve Yzerman.
Can you imagine being in Ken Holland’s shoes for a moment; Chris Ilitch walks up to you and says “Hey Kenny, we have a chance to hire Steve Yzerman back into our organization.” Ken probably smirked and said, “Great, let’s go get him; what will his title be, the president?” That’s when Chris needed to tell his longtime GM that Yzerman would indeed be replacing him! Not only would he be replacing Holland, but the Detroit Red Wings also needed Ken to help land their former legend.
It seems Ken either saw the writing on the wall and decided to give Steve his blessing while signing an extension as he transitions into his new role as Senior Vice President & Senior Advisor of Hockey Operations. Chris Ilitch called the move a “promotion” but I find that hard to believe; to me, it’s more of a thank-you to Holland for all the work he’s done over the years and allowing him to stay employed in a new role as long as he wants or allowing him to seek employment elsewhere.
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That isn’t something that comes easy, and I know it is all a part of business and Holland won’t be going hungry or anything, but it is still an awkward thing to do primarily with a guy who has worked his way up through the organization. At one time he was a goalie prospect for the Wings, and he climbed the ranks within the organization finally topping out as a three-time Stanley Cup winning GM.
Many people recognize being the quarterback of the Detroit Lions or goaltender of the Detroit Red Wings as the toughest, most criticized position to play in this town. I would throw GM of the Lions or Detroit Red Wings right up there on that level.
I know Holland made many mistakes along the way; he was loyal to a fault. He always seemed to overvalue his own players by rewarding them with outrageously long contracts, in some cases lifetime type deals. The fact of the matter is, I can’t sit here and blame him for everything. He’s made a few good deals in his day too, and the first one that comes to mind was landing Chris Chelios for Anders Eriksson.
I wonder now if Ken Holland will decide to stay with the Detroit Red Wings or will he be eager to start a new gig somewhere else? Edmonton would be an excellent spot for a veteran GM like Holland although he apparently has declined their offer for an interview. They have similar issues as Detroit with not many shiny new pieces on the backend and mediocre goaltending.
There had been lots of rumors over the last year that Seattle would be a destination for Holland. He was originally from that area, and he would get a fresh start picking his new team through the expansion draft and have an abundance of rookie selections.
If I were Holland I would reconsider, unless he’s just playing a bit of hardball. He would have Connor McDavid who is arguably the best player in the league right now and Leon Draisaitl to build around. Both players eclipsed the 100 point mark last season while the team still missed the playoffs. If he really doesn’t have any interest in Edmonton maybe he does want to slow down and cruise into more of a stress-free role; I wouldn’t blame him one bit for backing into the shadows of Steve Yzerman.