I'd rather AJ be on the bottom pairing, but Holl isn't the reason why Detroit sucks so far this season. I think coaching needs to be addressed. Wings have the talent to do much better if they learn how to play cohesively.
I agree. I haven't been on the "Fire Lalonde" train so far but I'm starting to move in that direction. The team still lacks high end talent but they do have enough defensively responsible players that they should be better.
And I think this offseason was a move in that direction from Yzerman. Even if their replacements were a lateral move at best I don't think it's a coincidence that Sprong, Ghost and Fabbri didn't get re-signed.
Yzerman has said multiple times the team needs to be better defensively, and that he wasn't just talking about the defensemen.
As for Holl, he's looked better this season than he did last. If he can be in the lineup in any capacity that's useful, that's a win for the Wings.