On Ice Success
This is where it gets dicey. Yzerman already says it has nothing to do with wins and losses because since the 2017-18 season, this organization finally acknowledged they were headed for a long, painful rebuild. Yzerman begged for patience when he took over in 2019, and in as much, warned it would be a long process. This was after Ken Holland finally admitted it was time and started managing that way.
So how do you judge a coach during a rebuild where the talent levels off after the second line? Let’s face it: Nielsen, Filppula, Helm, Erne, Gagner, and Glendening aren’t going to produce at a level you need to win games. (Glendening has been awesome in the faceoff circle so out of those names, he’s the one playing to his contract cost). So while Blashill insists on that defensive hockey to cover up the warts, The Athletic’s Max Bultman writes that the team has embraced this as its only way to stay competitive. Bultman writes:
"But as Blashill talked about struggling to score, he also cautioned against losing defensive focus in pursuit of more goals. “Next thing you know you’re bad defensively and you’re still not scoring,” he said. “And that’s a recipe for disaster.”"
Fair enough. But what about special teams?
The power play has been an atrocity, and this truly is what puts Blashill (and Dan Bylsma, who’s in charge of the mad advantage) in the crosshairs. It’s inexcusable that Detroit has a 7.5% power play. Even without having the talent level of elite teams, they can look at rivals like Chicago who are in a rebuild as well–and yet scoring almost 35% of the time on the power play.
That’s on coaching.
Blashill has gotten the players to buy in defensively and they haven’t given up on him. But until then, you have to maximize what you do have and offensively, they’ve fallen way short.
Final Thoughts
Going back to his original quote, if guys are going to make the team better, it has to be on both sides of the ice. All too often during this rebuild, younger players have been spurned in favor of the reliable veteran, who is beyond their best-by date.
Blashill hasn’t been as awful as he’s often portrayed, but he also hasn’t exactly moved the needle when it comes to special teams or enacting lineup decisions. He’s doing what he can with what he’s been given.
Red Wings fans will certainly have their opinion of what should be done, but ultimately Yzerman will do what he deems necessary. He thanked Guy Boucher and sent him on his way, two years removed from being just a win away from the Stanley Cup Final.
Detroit is itching to take that next step. Will that include Blashill behind the bench?
Only Yzerman knows.