Oh you, flattery won't get me to agree with you any more than I already do...
I honestly haven't been a huge fan of Blashill since he got here, but it's not like I'm going to stop watching if he's still the coach next year.
Do you think we would have "elite" players with a different coach developing them?
I do not think we have any elite players.
The closest one is Mantha. Both the stats and the eye test support it.
After him we have Larkin, Hronek, Bertuzzi, *Green and Bernier.
Bernier has been an average (backup) goalie at best his whole career until this season when since December he has been a top 5/10, and even that could be argued.
Green was a great offensive defenceman many years ago, but now he is on his way out of this league and it is questionable if he can survive another season (in addition we have traded him away).
I think it is impossible to evaluate the coach at this point.
The only thing which is important is that Yzerman has said that he supports Blashill and I think Yzerman has done all the right moves so far as a GM.
Yzerman has said that we are far from getting the core in place. So maybe we have to be prepared for another painful season like this.
I think we need another top 5 draft pick (in addition to the one coming this summer), and maybe one more.