Chris Illitch

[Steve Yzerlland]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807830390704631863

https://x.com/i/web/status/1807945465318486305

If he had his father's mind we would have never fallen this hard.

Steve has been very loyal to Mike! I feel like the rebuild is over I don't know why.

Click to read more...

 

[Run the Jewels]

Like I said in the other thread, I don't follow the Tigers but the fanbase seems to despise Avila. I don't know anything about Scott Harris so I can't comment on the trajectory of the Tigers other than they look like they need to go through another rebuild.

Say what you want about Yzerman, but he's got one of the best pool of prospects in the NHL and I suspect most of the key ones will be in Detroit by 2025-26. The team has gone from 39 points to 91 and from 17 wins to 41, while improving every single season.

 

[The Zermanator]

I don't know anything about the Tigers, but as far as the Wings go we have to remember that correlation is not causation. He took control of the Wings in 2017, right as the team was rapidly approaching the rock bottom that inevitably followed decades of success.

Not saying he's good, mind you. I have my own opinions of the integrity of people at that level of wealth generally, and it's entirely possible he will run the team as a soulless accountant rather than a labour of love like his father, but the timeline has nothing to do with it.

 

[better Red than Dead]

I don’t have a lot of time for Chris Ilitch, but he is not cheap when it comes to the Red Wings, he gives Yzerman all he needs and besides, there is a cap which he is allowed to manage. Tigers are a different story

 

[Holden Caufield]

There is a salary cap in hockey.

1) I’m sure Yzerman has full permission to spend the full salary cap

2) I’m sure Chris does not meddle at all in hockey decisions.

3) We have an outstanding hockey facility at LCA.

What else can an owner do really ?

I guess he is the one who decides if the plug gets pulled on Yzerman. Unless you are specifically calling for that, There isn’t much else he can do to help…

 

[Euro Twins]

There is a salary cap in hockey.

1) I’m sure Yzerman has full permission to spend the full salary cap

2) I’m sure Chris does not meddle at all in hockey decisions.

3) We have an outstanding hockey facility at LCA.

What else can an owner do really ?

I guess he is the one who decides if the plug gets pulled on Yzerman. Unless you are specifically calling for that, There isn’t much else he can do to help…

He could bring the players more pizza. According to my company that always works for morale and productivity.

 

[Oddbob]

He could bring the players more pizza. According to my company that always works for morale and productivity.

What if it is Pizza by Alfredo?

 

[Snuggs]

Goober, at some point, how much money is enough, you're printing cash out of both organizations...born a billionaire baby, it's like this guy was mad his whole life that his dad paid attention to these team's vs him personally or something and now he's taking it out on the fans. lol.

One of the richest owners in Hockey, and baseball. Tons of money.

Remember a few years ago when he said Tigers rebuild is over! lol, stupid. Straight goober.

Personally, I wouldn't trust the air breathed out of his nose.

 

[SoupNazi]

Goober, at some point, how much money is enough, you're printing cash out of both organizations...born a billionaire baby, it's like this guy was mad his whole life that his dad paid attention to these team's vs him personally or something and now he's taking it out on the fans. lol.

Remember a few years ago when he said Tigers rebuild is over! lol, stupid. Straight goober.

Personally, I wouldn't trust the air breathed out of his nose.

If we're at the cap every year, how much more do you expect him to spend on the Wings?

 

[Snuggs]

If we're at the cap every year, how much more do you expect him to spend on the Wings?

Wait what? Wings had alot of cap space this year, last year, and the year before.

Go look at it before you tell me differently.

 

[Hobnobs]

I don’t have a lot of time for Chris Ilitch, but he is not cheap when it comes to the Red Wings, he gives Yzerman all he needs and besides, there is a cap which he is allowed to manage. Tigers are a different story

His dad dumped too much money into the Tigers to make them a champion as well. Didn't pay off and fans are mad at Chris for it now. It's weird.

 

[Snuggs]

His dad dumped too much money into the Tigers to make them a champion as well. Didn't pay off and fans are mad at Chris for it now. It's weird.

Delusional.

Just because they didn't win it all doesn't mean Fans weren't highly entertained for multi seasons with a triple crown winner, two world series appearances, with multiple playoffs runs. Ticket sales/rating will prove the point, you may search those numbers yourself.

An whats too much money? It's not even yours and there's no cap?

Idk why people give Chirs a pass for literally not trying, at all. Right down to the district. Whinning about Yzerman is one thing, he can turn it around, in one move, Chris has a pattern/history. He's lucky he's hired Yzerman.

 

[izlez]

Not sure what more an owner can do than bring in what is widely regarded as the best GM in the sport

Coincidentally, I did not think he was that great of a GM, but it is still ridiculous to criticize him for it

 

[Snuggs]

Not sure what more an owner can do than bring in what is widely regarded as the best GM in the sport

Coincidentally, I did not think he was that great of a GM, but it is still ridiculous to criticize him for it

Yzerman wanted to come home and everyone knew it a year prior. Worst kept secret in hockey. Literally google articles...

It's not like he went out and stole him from another organization or outmatched Tampa Bay in some way outside of Family living in our area(DET). Yzerman literally wanted to come home, and Red Wings happened to be in a position to hire him. Chris is so lucky he's hired Yzerman. Imagine if this GM's name was anything different, especially someone we've never heard of.

 

[Axel Sandy Pelikan]

What if it is Pizza by Alfredo?

It’s bad. It’s real bad. It’s like a hot circle of garbage

 

[izlez]

Yzerman wanted to come home and everyone knew it a year prior. Worst kept secret in hockey. Literally google articles...

It's not like he went out and stole him from another organization or outmatched Tampa Bay in some way outside of Family living in our area(DET). Yzerman literally wanted to come home, and Red Wings happened to be in a position to hire him. Chris is so lucky he's hired Yzerman. Imagine if this GM's name was anything different, especially someone we've never heard of.

I mean, ok?

He doesn't deserve praise for 'stealing' Yzerman away. I don't care. What more is an owner supposed to do than hire the "best GM in the game" , regardless of how easy it was or what his name is?

 

[Axel Sandy Pelikan]

What if it is Pizza by Alfredo?

It’s bad. It’s real bad. It’s like a hot circle of

Delusional.

Just because they didn't win it all doesn't mean Fans weren't highly entertained for multi seasons with a triple crown winner, two world series appearances, with multiple playoffs runs. Ticket sales/rating will prove the point, you may search those numbers yourself.

An whats too much money? It's not even yours and there's no cap?

Idk why people give Chirs a pass for literally not trying, at all. Right down to the district. Whinning about Yzerman is one thing, he can turn it around, in one move, Chris has a pattern/history. He's lucky he's hired Yzerman.

It’s not that Mr. I dumped too much money into the Tigers. It’s that he dumped an unsustainable amount of money on terrible contracts that they ended up having to buy out because the players were so bad while simultaneously offering peanuts to superstars

6/144 offer to Scherzer was the death knell. That wasn’t even f***in in the neighborhood for him and Mr. I was apoplectic when he turned it down

 

[JohanFranzenstein]

A lot of the older generation in my family blames him for the woes of the Tigers and Red Wings, and a lot of the younger generation from my area blames him for the abandoned buildings downtown.

I think the best thing Chris has done since Mr. I passed is hiring Steve. I don't really pay much attention to the Tigers, but the Wings have gotten consistently better since Steve took the reigns.

What if it is Pizza by Alfredo?

You didn't have to say it like that.

 

[Run the Jewels]

Wait what? Wings had alot of cap space this year, last year, and the year before.

Go look at it before you tell me differently.

No, he hasn't been at the cap since he undid Ken Holland's extreme cap sh*thousery. However he does have enough money to sign homegrown players like Mo Seider and Lucas Raymond. Was he supposed to get capped out and then struggle to sign both players?

 

[better Red than Dead]

It’s bad. It’s real bad. It’s like a hot circle of


It’s not that Mr. I dumped too much money into the Tigers. It’s that he dumped an unsustainable amount of money on terrible contracts that they ended up having to buy out because the players were so bad while simultaneously offering peanuts to superstars

6/144 offer to Scherzer was the death knell. That wasn’t even f***in in the neighborhood for him and Mr. I was apoplectic when he turned it down

Not the way it happened with Scherzer, Mr I asked his agent and Scherzer what it would take to stay, they used Verlander contract as a gauge, Scherzer and his agent came back with a number and Mr I agreed to it. Scherzer than pulled out and said he could get $200m in the market as a free agent and that’s when Mr I went ballistic

 

[Axel Sandy Pelikan]

Not the way it happened with Scherzer, Mr I asked his agent and Scherzer what it would take to stay, they used Verlander contract as a gauge, Scherzer and his agent came back with a number and Mr I agreed to it. Scherzer than pulled out and said he could get $200m in the market as a free agent and that’s when Mr I went ballistic

News to me. I recalled the Fedorov talk. How Mr. I handled that one is in line with how I saw the Scherzer one

Feds was up for a new contract after 02. Ilitch and co drew up 5x10 for him. Fedorov was going through a lot of personal shit at the time and said “I will get back to you, I need to think about it”. Personal stuff like divorcing Kournikova and getting his money stolen.

Ilitch got pissed because Fedorov shouldn’t have had to blink twice at such a number, in his eyes.

When Fedorov came back a day later, the deal was down to 4/40 or even less than that. That’s why Sergei left for Anaheim

It definitely tracked that Ilitch would give a contract he thought was generous and then write the guy off entirely if he didn’t ageee

 

[Shaman464]

There is a salary cap in hockey.

1) I’m sure Yzerman has full permission to spend the full salary cap

2) I’m sure Chris does not meddle at all in hockey decisions.

3) We have an outstanding hockey facility at LCA.

What else can an owner do really ?

I guess he is the one who decides if the plug gets pulled on Yzerman. Unless you are specifically calling for that, There isn’t much else he can do to help…

There are rumors that part of the reason Yzerman spent so much on shit UFAs was Illitch was tired of the rebuild and wanted to get more asses in seats for Wings games, so he directed Yzerman to start spending more.

 

[GreytWun]

There are rumors that part of the reason Yzerman spent so much on shit UFAs was Illitch was tired of the rebuild and wanted to get more asses in seats for Wings games, so he directed Yzerman to start spending more.

There is a rumour that Yzerman gave a bad review for little ceasers because his pizza was late.

 

[GarlicbreadTB]

There are rumors that part of the reason Yzerman spent so much on shit UFAs was Illitch was tired of the rebuild and wanted to get more asses in seats for Wings games, so he directed Yzerman to start spending more.

Getting more asses in seats are definitely true. Especially after covid and prices going up on everything. Hard to get people buying tickets if you keep losing with no notable players outside of like Larkin.

But outside of all of that I think Yzerman wanted to inject some good pros and role models to these young players so that loser culture doesn't start to get ingrained in the walls.

 

[Ricelund]

There are rumors that part of the reason Yzerman spent so much on shit UFAs was Illitch was tired of the rebuild and wanted to get more asses in seats for Wings games, so he directed Yzerman to start spending more.

I don't buy this. First of all, the guys he signed weren't all shit UFAs. They're reliable NHLers and by all accounts good leaders. A rebuilding team needs guys like this. Holl was a shit UFA, sure, but I doubt Chris Ilitch pressured Yzerman into signing Justin Holl to get asses in seats.