Jeremy Laura: Would Yzerman hire Claude Julien?

I’d prefer a fresh coach. I think the only carousel guy I would want is BBQ Bruce.

I wouldn't be surprised if Blashill is extended another year. Until he's gone I'm not going to get my hopes up. Been there and done that. I like Julien but I'm not sure he'd want to come here. Lane Lambert seems like a good choice for the Red Wings. 👍

I wouldn't be surprised if Blashill is extended another year. Until he's gone I'm not going to get my hopes up. Been there and done that. I like Julien but I'm not sure he'd want to come here. Lane Lambert seems like a good choice for the Red Wings. 👍
- gergeswillems

Lambert would be a top choice. Anyone working under Trotz for that long would be worth a shot.

Coach Julien is not the fit for the Wings right now, I agree they need someone fresh and innovative. Our current coach lacks innovation and pride.

I wouldn't be surprised if Blashill is extended another year. Until he's gone I'm not going to get my hopes up. Been there and done that. I like Julien but I'm not sure he'd want to come here. Lane Lambert seems like a good choice for the Red Wings. 👍
- gergeswillems

I was sure L2 would get an interview. Part of this whole mess is waiting out some contracts. The only parallel i can think of is Billy Joel. He wrote the “Piano Man” album while he was waiting out his really bad contract. (Signed for rent and groceries when he recorded “Cold Spring Harbor”). Him waiting it out helped to create his signature hit and launched him. The core kids have to keep working. At some point, though, this can’t keep happening. 20 straight games without a power play goal should be enough to make something happen

Maybe a guest appearance by the U of Mich coaching squad at the Wing practice?

Work the PP

I was sure L2 would get an interview. Part of this whole mess is waiting out some contracts. The only parallel i can think of is Billy Joel. He wrote the “Piano Man” album while he was waiting out his really bad contract. (Signed for rent and groceries when he recorded “Cold Spring Harbor”). Him waiting it out helped to create his signature hit and launched him. The core kids have to keep working. At some point, though, this can’t keep happening. 20 straight games without a power play goal should be enough to make something happen
- Jeremy Laura

I understand Yzerman wanting to wait so he can shed bad contracts. But the foundation needs to start being built with a new head coach. I'm all for stockpiling picks, drafting and developing. But Yzerman has to give the Red Wings players something to look forward to. Because what we're doing now isn't working. We literally can't score any goals. Zadina has scored 1 (one!) goal.

Those stats which Redmond read during the game last night wasn't a coincidence. I'll put my tinfoil hat on. How we're a much better team since being ravaged by Covid. We're competing. That's great. But we're still losing. Were these stats planted by Yzerman to grease the skids for Blashill getting a contract extension?

It sounded to me like Yzerman is saying our bad record isn't Blashill's fault. Call it The Covid Crutch if you will. It just sounded like a total sales job. They said it before the game and then again during the game. Am I reading too much into this?

Maybe a guest appearance by the U of Mich coaching squad at the Wing practice?

Work the PP
- Tee56

Seriously this isn't a bad idea.

Not even considering the many good options available last summer leads me to guess yzerman has his eye on another Jon cooper somewhere rather than another retread

Seriously this isn't a bad idea.
- gergeswillems

I agree, fresh eyes can help sometimes.

Hiring a new PP guy is certainly needed. Does Bylsma handle this?

I would hire Boudreau in a heartbeat. IMO the Wings should have dumped Blash in the offseason and scooped him up. I can't believe he doesn't have a job yet and I would imagine he's very high on the shortlist for Seattle.

I don't know that there are any other ex-NHL coaches that would particularly interest me. Gallant maybe, but I think he's pretty overrated. And I really don't know enough about any up-and-coming minor league / college / junior coaches to have a well-informed opinion.

So...Lambert, former Wing; knows the legacy, knows the Dead Things, knows the culture that resulted in embarrassment (Al Ackerman - "The Dead Things" was his favorite line... ).

We've been talking about coaching on this blog since I joined. Jeremy's hit it as well. Nothing will change until there is drastic, impactful change in leadership philosophy. Until that happens, we'll continuously pound our heads against the wall....

I would hire Boudreau in a heartbeat. IMO the Wings should have dumped Blash in the offseason and scooped him up. I can't believe he doesn't have a job yet and I would imagine he's very high on the shortlist for Seattle.

I don't know that there are any other ex-NHL coaches that would particularly interest me. Gallant maybe, but I think he's pretty overrated. And I really don't know enough about any up-and-coming minor league / college / junior coaches to have a well-informed opinion.
- Sven22

At this point, I'd volunteer to have ALL of us on this blog coach through the end of the season: G gets the PP, Jeremey is Bench boss, the rest of tag-team on PK, G, and D.....and we all handle head-coaching duties!!!

Because I am a huge red wing fan I find it hard not to watch the terrible product on the ice. I am from Canada and grew up watching wkbd with Bruce Martin and Sid Abel and they had some bad teams back then but at least there was some fights and got body checks to keep the games interesting. Back to today trading Mantha is ridiculous when he and about only 4 other guys on whole team right now have any offence upside. Hirose of what I have seen of him this year was a player with speed and some ideas of offensive instincts. I thought his play looked much better compared to fippulia and a half dozen other players. As far as coaching goes I wonder what Blashill has over Yzerman because his job security is uncanny this guy is one of longest serving coaches in nhl with no resume to justify this. I would never pay to go see this train wreck right now. I use to come down from Sault Ste. Marie Ontario pre Covid a couple of times a year with my family to JLA now little Caesar’s Arena. Yzerman must know that we as fans are sick and tired of all the retread excuses used over and over. Gerard Gallant would be a huge upgrade right now on Feb 24 2021 this coaching change would immediately change the culture in dressing room similar to what Jacques Demares did in Detroit. Yzerman should know this better than anyone.

Because I am a huge red wing fan I find it hard not to watch the terrible product on the ice. I am from Canada and grew up watching wkbd with Bruce Martin and Sid Abel and they had some bad teams back then but at least there was some fights and got body checks to keep the games interesting. Back to today trading Mantha is ridiculous when he and about only 4 other guys on whole team right now have any offence upside. Hirose of what I have seen of him this year was a player with speed and some ideas of offensive instincts. I thought his play looked much better compared to fippulia and a half dozen other players. As far as coaching goes I wonder what Blashill has over Yzerman because his job security is uncanny this guy is one of longest serving coaches in nhl with no resume to justify this. I would never pay to go see this train wreck right now. I use to come down from Sault Ste. Marie Ontario pre Covid a couple of times a year with my family to JLA now little Caesar’s Arena. Yzerman must know that we as fans are sick and tired of all the retread excuses used over and over. Gerard Gallant would be a huge upgrade right now on Feb 24 2021 this coaching change would immediately change the culture in dressing room similar to what Jacques Demares did in Detroit. Yzerman should know this better than anyone.
- saintdog44

The Wings have just got to get something going!

At this point, I'd volunteer to have ALL of us on this blog coach through the end of the season: G gets the PP, Jeremey is Bench boss, the rest of tag-team on PK, G, and D.....and we all handle head-coaching duties!!!
- mcmastermike1968

Can I take a time machine back to 2008 and bring Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Lidstrom and Rafalski back with me?

Can I take a time machine back to 2008 and bring Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Lidstrom and Rafalski back with me?
- gergeswillems

By all means!! Make it so, #1!!

I seriously think we have some talent on this team. They have the ability to carry the mail; NOT SC Play-off caliber, but there's no earthly reason or us to be tanking it like we are. Royally stinking up the joint because of so many parallel issues. But the major issue isn't lack of talent, I think it's continuity. And that comes from the top - the guy behind the bench. PP sucks 5 miles of ass. PK is embarrassing. D is getting better, believe that's Houda's gig (probably wrong, but at this point, what does it matter???). WE are going to be bad, we knew that. But we should be better than the crap playing every day.

In fact, we stink so much, I've tuned in to EVERY game I could, converted by Center Ice to NHLTV, and fire up my laptop for every game.

Here's the thing: The FANS still care. We still watch. We still puke every game. We still throw things out of frustration. We'll not give up. But the TEAM and the FANS deserve better than the ship that's being put on the ice in the form of a "game plan".

Let's. Go. Red. Wings!

Because I am a huge red wing fan I find it hard not to watch the terrible product on the ice. I am from Canada and grew up watching wkbd with Bruce Martin and Sid Abel and they had some bad teams back then but at least there was some fights and got body checks to keep the games interesting. Back to today trading Mantha is ridiculous when he and about only 4 other guys on whole team right now have any offence upside. Hirose of what I have seen of him this year was a player with speed and some ideas of offensive instincts. I thought his play looked much better compared to fippulia and a half dozen other players. As far as coaching goes I wonder what Blashill has over Yzerman because his job security is uncanny this guy is one of longest serving coaches in nhl with no resume to justify this. I would never pay to go see this train wreck right now. I use to come down from Sault Ste. Marie Ontario pre Covid a couple of times a year with my family to JLA now little Caesar’s Arena. Yzerman must know that we as fans are sick and tired of all the retread excuses used over and over. Gerard Gallant would be a huge upgrade right now on Feb 24 2021 this coaching change would immediately change the culture in dressing room similar to what Jacques Demares did in Detroit. Yzerman should know this better than anyone.
- saintdog44

"Bruce Martin along with Sid Abel..." LOVED watching them call a game. Used to go upstairs into my grandparents bedroom and watch the games on a little B&W TV, tune to Ch 50, and eat popcorn. Snowing like a beast in Port Huron, cold....Lord the cold....and I miss those days. Great days of my youth.....We stunk up the joint, but man....the physical play. Guys would throw bodies around like tackling dummies during a 2-a-day at U of M. We're missing that physical play now, Jeremy had a VERY concise analysis of what's going on with the lack of physical play. Smith brought the heat ONCE. But if we're going to take bi-nightly ass-whoppins, someone at least create some new coloured Chicklets!!!

Can I take a time machine back to 2008 and bring Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Lidstrom and Rafalski back with me?
- gergeswillems

No Holmstrom?

No Holmstrom?
- Sven22

Homer was getting old by then but what the hell. He could still provide screens for Lidstrom bombs. I'll bring him too.

At this point, I'd volunteer to have ALL of us on this blog coach through the end of the season: G gets the PP, Jeremey is Bench boss, the rest of tag-team on PK, G, and D.....and we all handle head-coaching duties!!!
- mcmastermike1968

I ran a pretty damn good PP back when I coached some dbag high school kids.

I have no idea what's happening in Canada, but the CDC and Fauci have moved the goalposts for a year and they just set it much higher. Flatten the curve became "we need a cure" which became "everyone needs the cure" which has most recently become guaranteed immunity. Fauci was saying things may open this spring, then he said summer, then fall, and now he's talking 2022 or 2023. The funding mechanisms for schools in the most recent Covid bill don't kick in until 2022, so it doesn't sound like they plan on kids returning to school for another 18 months. This doesn't bode well for any organization that relies on foot traffic. It'll be interesting to see if teams in states that have opened start demanding fans in the seats as other sports are starting to do. The largest market cities really have to plans to start opening things back up, so it'll be the smaller market teams like FL & TB.

I have no idea what's happening in Canada, but the CDC and Fauci have moved the goalposts for a year and they just set it much higher. Flatten the curve became "we need a cure" which became "everyone needs the cure" which has most recently become guaranteed immunity. Fauci was saying things may open this spring, then he said summer, then fall, and now he's talking 2022 or 2023. The funding mechanisms for schools in the most recent Covid bill don't kick in until 2022, so it doesn't sound like they plan on kids returning to school for another 18 months. This doesn't bode well for any organization that relies on foot traffic. It'll be interesting to see if teams in states that have opened start demanding fans in the seats as other sports are starting to do. The largest market cities really have to plans to start opening things back up, so it'll be the smaller market teams like FL & TB.
- bluelineenforcer

Covid is scary and we need to double maybe even triple mask until everyone is vaccinated. And then we can evaluate the new strains and work on another vaccine for those.