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What It Means: Blashill Inducted into Ferris State Athletics HOF

By John Manzo

UNIONDALE, NEW YORK - JANUARY 14: Jeff Blashill, head coach of the Detroit Red Wings speaks to his team during a first period timeout during the game against the New York Islanders at NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum on January 14, 2020 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
UNIONDALE, NEW YORK - JANUARY 14: Jeff Blashill, head coach of the Detroit Red Wings speaks to his team during a first period timeout during the game against the New York Islanders at NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum on January 14, 2020 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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Detroit Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill was inducted into the Ferris State Hall of Fame Monday. Here’s what it means for the Red Wings.

Late yesterday, Detroit Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill was named to the Ferris State Bulldogs Athletics Hall of Fame in their Class of 2020.

But what does that mean for the Detroit Red Wings?

You got it; not much.

Blashill is in his fifth season with the Red Wings, posting a 104-105-37 record, only making the playoffs once, where the team lost in the first round.

The public relations spin here is that he posted the sixth-best winning percentage (0.567) of any first-year Red Wings coach in history. It’s a laughable stat that screams desperation.

A winning percentage of 0.567 isn’t great, the sixth-best winning percentage means there were five better than his, and it came during his first season when he was playing with someone else’s players, despite the fact that he coached some of them during his time with the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Yes, Ken Holland built these rosters and there were obvious repercussions from making the playoffs a record 25-straight seasons, but it still has been the only time his teams have touched 40-plus wins in a season.

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That said, Blashill deserves all the credit for being inducted into the Ferris State Athletics Hall of Fame. I’m not here to poo poo on the parade.

According to a recent MLive.com article, he spent four seasons as the Bulldogs’ goaltender, earning several awards on and off the ice, which includes my favorite: A three-time winner of the Ferris State University President’s Award for having the team’s highest-grade point average.

He was also a decorated coach for the university.

Blashill accomplished a lot in Big Rapids, Mich., as a player and coach, and it translated to Grand Rapids where he went 134-71-12-11 and led the Griffins to the 2013 Calder Cup championship.

Again though, what does that do for the Red Wings?

You got it; not much…and time might be out.

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