Jeff Blashill - Half Season Impression

[Frk It]

You do not know this. He's clearly too good for GR, he'd be here regardless of the coach

We know that only because we have got to watch him for 40 games. We buried a guy in GR who went on to score more goals than anyone else in the NHL over 3-4 months, before.

 

[Actual Thought*]

Like Nyquist was. Like Tatar started the year as a healthy scratch. In favor of "heavy players". Jurco plays heavy. Larkin really doesn't, and I don't see Babcock playing a 19 year old that is as light on his skates as Larkin. "Tie goes to the veteran", remember? Since I know you like quotes.

Kind of like how Nylander is in the A right now.

Whatever you need to tell yourself. I am pretty sure Larkin isn't tied with any veterans outside of Pav and Z. That's more nonsense like the "Fresh Voice" phenomena that never came to fruition.

 

[Actual Thought*]

People want to debate it because you've been running around here for months screaming that it proves he's pretentious, as though it's a fact. Meanwhile, you just dismiss away the decline of our three best players as though it's not happening, while using the quote to tell us that Blashill is "dim" (your words). If you want to argue that Blashill is a bad coach, fine, do that, but at least be open-minded enough to look at the fact that our best players are all in their upper 30s and on the downside of their careers and don't dismiss it away because it "isn't a convincing argument."

Pretty much every cup team has 30+ vets. Hossa at 37 put up 17 pts in a 23 game run last year. Richards put up 14 in 23 at 35. There are countless examples. Z has played every game and looks better this year though he is pacing for 6 points less.

 

[SoupNazi]

Pretty much every cup team has 30+ vets. Hossa at 37 put up 17 pts in a 23 game run last year. Richards put up 14 in 23 at 35. There are countless examples. Z has played every game and looks better this year though he is pacing for 6 points less.

Which again does nothing to refute what I said.

For that matter, you think Hossa and Richards are better than Toews and Kane?

 

[DanZ]

Pretty much every cup team has 30+ vets. Hossa at 37 put up 17 pts in a 23 game run last year. Richards put up 14 in 23 at 35. There are countless examples. Z has played every game and looks better this year though he is pacing for 6 points less.

Not as their best players they don't. Toews and Kane are in their 20s. Kopitar and Doughty are in their 20s. Pretty much every recent Cup winner has had their best players in their prime. Before you cite the 2002 Wings, pre-salary cap was a different era. The Wings don't have 10 Hall of Famers on their team any more. Nobody does, so their best players need to be at their best. Ours are not close to their best anymore, as sad as that is to say.

 

[Obe2kenobe]

Whatever you need to tell yourself. I am pretty sure Larkin isn't tied with any veterans outside of Pav and Z. That's more nonsense like the "Fresh Voice" phenomena that never came to fruition.

Just my opinion, but can't see Babcock being adamant that Larkin starts the year in the NHL, the way Blashill did. It is a daily choice for you to bash Blash. His "fresh voice" hasn't worked wonders as of yet.
Blashill if anything has been a step sideways, but being it is his first year, I think he and his team will improve. They need to start with the special teams. That is one spot where they have regressed.

 

[DanZ]

Whatever you need to tell yourself. I am pretty sure Larkin isn't tied with any veterans outside of Pav and Z. That's more nonsense like the "Fresh Voice" phenomena that never came to fruition.

Easy for you to say in hindsight. I don't think Nyquist was tied with Dan Cleary in 2012 either.

 

[Actual Thought*]

We know that only because we have got to watch him for 40 games. We buried a guy in GR who went on to score more goals than anyone else in the NHL over 3-4 months, before.

Actually he scored those goals in the NHL because he was brought up after he was developed enough to do so. You could argue those 14 games but that would be splitting hairs with the benefit of hindsight. Of course you also have to acknowledge that Nyquist is nowhere near the player Larkin is and that he hasn't equaled his fluke run since. He is smaller, weaker on the puck, softer, and defensively inferior.

 

[Frk It]

Actually he scored those goals in the NHL because he was brought up after he was developed enough to do so. You could argue those 14 games but that would be splitting hairs with the benefit of hindsight. Of course you also have to acknowledge that Nyquist is nowhere near the player Larkin is and that he hasn't equaled his fluke run since. He is smaller, weaker on the puck, softer, and defensively inferior.

Or... It was proof he was ready and should have been on the team to begin with.

Good young players have gotten buried before under Babcock. All I'm saying. He liked veterans, he said so many times.

 

[Actual Thought*]

Easy for you to say in hindsight. I don't think Nyquist was tied with Dan Cleary in 2012 either.

Nyquist wasn't competing to sit in the press box. That is an absolutely tired and ridiculous argument. The kind of argument that displays a total lack of understanding of how a roster is constructed.

Tell me about how Blashill has been better than Babcock. I mean in reality. Specifically about how the narrative from last year has come true in any way.

 

[Actual Thought*]

Or... It was proof he was ready and should have been on the team to begin with.

Good young players have gotten buried before under Babcock. All I'm saying. He liked veterans, he said so many times.

Smart coaches like veterans. Scotty Bowman liked veterans too. HOF GMs like veterans too. Are there not any good young players buried in the system now?

 

[SpookyTsuki]

Smart coaches like veterans. Scotty Bowman liked veterans too. HOF GMs like veterans too. Are there not any good young players buried in the system now?

But the thing here is. Babcock liked the wrong types of veterans. He liked the low line scrubs veterans.

I still think this team is better if we have Holmstrom out on the ice instead of Andersson,cleary though lol

All you have to do is keep him on the bench until the team has the puck.

 

[Obe2kenobe]

Nyquist wasn't competing to sit in the press box. That is an absolutely tired and ridiculous argument. The kind of argument that displays a total lack of understanding of how a roster is constructed.

Tell me about how Blashill has been better than Babcock. I mean in reality.

You keep defending Babcock's mistakes (playing Cleary over Nyquist) And not recognizing any of Blashill's good moves ( Larkin up Day# 1). Obviously Babs can do no wrong, Blash can do no right in your opinion. In reality, it is not all on the coach.

 

[Eggberto]

Even if the narrative from last season hasn't come true (a narrative I never bought into by the way) doesn't change the fact that the team is in pretty much the same situation in the standings as it was last year. Floating between 2nd and the Wild Card. Some set lofty expectations, but those not coming true does not discredit Blashill as a coach. You just stated Z is on pace for 6 points less than last year but can't acknowledge older players typically declibe? That Z has been a shell of his former shelf since last season? Not to mention the fact that one hot-stretch and our players can replicate the pace for the stats they had last season.

Now. I don't expect you to come out and praise Blashill as being an excellent coach. I don't expect you to believe he doesn't have faults, but I do think an acknowledgment that Blashill has not been AS BAD as you're trying to convince everyone would go a long way. Blashill isn't perfect, but he's also working with a nearly identical roster as Babcock, encountering the same problems Babcock had with the roster, and producing similar results.

Hypothetically speaking what would you say if the Wings made it further than the 1st round of the playoffs? If we made it to the semi-finals? Or the conference finals? Will Blashill still be the worst thing that has ever happened to the Wings organization?

 

[Ezekial]

"Until you convince me that blash is better than the arguable best coach in the league, he's trash."

Got it.

 

[Frk It]

Apparently we were supposed to chain Babcock to the bench and never let him leave.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

Nyquist wasn't competing to sit in the press box. That is an absolutely tired and ridiculous argument. The kind of argument that displays a total lack of understanding of how a roster is constructed.

Tell me about how Blashill has been better than Babcock. I mean in reality. Specifically about how the narrative from last year has come true in any way.

Why does Blashill have to be better? Is it either better than Babcock or horrible?

 

[DanZ]

Nyquist wasn't competing to sit in the press box. That is an absolutely tired and ridiculous argument. The kind of argument that displays a total lack of understanding of how a roster is constructed.

Tell me about how Blashill has been better than Babcock. I mean in reality. Specifically about how the narrative from last year has come true in any way.

It's not a ridiculous argument at all. Nyquist was in GR because Babcock wanted to play significantly inferior players. Then he forced Babcock's hand when injuries occurred and led the Wings into the playoffs. Babcock has injuries and Nyquist to thank for keeping the Wings' playoff streak alive.

I never said Blashill was better, but I don't think Babcock would have this Wings team in a significantly different position than they are right now.

You better be praying that the Wings don't win a playoff round this spring or your whole agenda will look even more hilarious than it already does.

 

[ap3x]

Why does Blashill have to be better? Is it either better than Babcock or horrible?

Guess he's referring to all the "fresh voice" and further optimistic posts before Blash took finally over.

 

[Actual Thought*]

You keep defending Babcock's mistakes (playing Cleary over Nyquist) And not recognizing any of Blashill's good moves ( Larkin up Day# 1). Obviously Babs can do no wrong, Blash can do no right in your opinion. In reality, it is not all on the coach.

Holland makes the final roster decisions. He is the GM. Blashill may have wanted him but it is Holland's call. I never said Babcock could do no wrong but being the vastly superior coach he makes more correct decisions and gets better results. In a parity league like we have today even the smallest of margins matter. I would rather have a qualified veteran coach.

 

[Actual Thought*]

Even if the narrative from last season hasn't come true (a narrative I never bought into by the way) doesn't change the fact that the team is in pretty much the same situation in the standings as it was last year. Floating between 2nd and the Wild Card. Some set lofty expectations, but those not coming true does not discredit Blashill as a coach. You just stated Z is on pace for 6 points less than last year but can't acknowledge older players typically declibe? That Z has been a shell of his former shelf since last season? Not to mention the fact that one hot-stretch and our players can replicate the pace for the stats they had last season.

Now. I don't expect you to come out and praise Blashill as being an excellent coach. I don't expect you to believe he doesn't have faults, but I do think an acknowledgment that Blashill has not been AS BAD as you're trying to convince everyone would go a long way. Blashill isn't perfect, but he's also working with a nearly identical roster as Babcock, encountering the same problems Babcock had with the roster, and producing similar results.

Hypothetically speaking what would you say if the Wings made it further than the 1st round of the playoffs? If we made it to the semi-finals? Or the conference finals? Will Blashill still be the worst thing that has ever happened to the Wings organization?

I don't think Blashill has been so bad that he deserves to be fired unless a more qualified and capable replacement is available. As I said the other day, he isn't the worst coach in the league. He is simply a significant downgrade and that is contrary to the party line of last season when many here were constantly ripping Babcock and blaming him for every negative event. That is quite the contrast to the constant excuse making we see for Blashill now that we see he his fresh voice wasn't quite the magic potion it was touted to be.
IMO goaltending has been the difference between hovering in playoff position and a lottery pick. The team's play has been inferior. That proves to be the case statistically as well. Just a bit worse in every aspect of the game.

I have said many times if Blashill defies all odds and goes deep in the playoffs I would happily admit that I misjudged him. I have been wrong before. That is more humility than you are likely to find from the Blashill apologists.

 

[Cyborg Yzerberg]

Actual picture of Jeff Blahill leaving Actual Thought's house:

 

[RabidBadger]

Toronto has scored 2 less goals than Detroit. They have given up 3 more. Their starting goaltender has a .896 save %. Put Mrazek on Toronto and they are better than we are. The last 10 they are .500 just like we are.

That all adds up to squat when you look at the standings. I'm sure there were several teams that scored more goals and gave up less than Chicago did last year.

 

[BeersHockey]

Pretentious attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed.

By definition the posting of that quote is pretentious. Possibly less so in a room full of dreaming kids but very much so in a room of men who have accomplished much more than Blashill.

Then by definition ANY motivational quote is pretentious. Chill on the quote dude, it's really the worst of your arguments.

 

[GoAwayDanCleary]

Toronto has scored 2 less goals than Detroit. They have given up 3 more. Their starting goaltender has a .896 save %. Put Mrazek on Toronto and they are better than we are. The last 10 they are .500 just like we are.

Toronto's starting goaltender is outperforming every goalie in the league at the moment.