By Jordan Long
The Detroit Red Wings finished the season at 32-40-10, a total of 74 points. Detroit missed the postseason by 26 points marking the 6th consecutive season they did so. Detroit decided it was time to move on from Head Coach Jeff Blashill. They are now looking for a new Head Coach.
Blashill was hired by Detroit prior to the 2015-2016 season. The Red Wings dismissed Mike Babcock who had been with the Red Wings for 10 years. During Babcock’s tenure, Detroit never missed the playoffs. They advanced to the Stanley Cup Final twice, 2008 and 2009. In 2008 they beat Pittsburgh in 6 games. In 2009, Pittsburgh got revenge and beat Detroit in 7 games. Even though Babcock was very successful, they fired him following the 2015 postseason when Detroit was beaten by Tampa Bay in the first-round.
Blashill didn’t have NHL Head Coaching experience when he was hired. He spent time with the Grand Rapids Griffins, the minor league affiliate of the Red Wings. He was successful there with a record of 134-71-12. Grand Rapids won the Calder Cup which is the American Hockey League Championship in 2013. Detroit was hoping his familiarity working with younger players was going to work at the NHL level.
In his first year, Blashill went 41-30-11 earning a playoff spot to keep Detroit’s postseason streak going for the 24th straight season they earned a playoff spot. They made the playoffs from 1991 to 2016. 2005 was the lockout year that wiped out the whole season. Detroit was beaten by Tampa Bay in the first-round in 2016. That series lasted 5 games.
Detroit was expecting bigger things from Blashill, but they never came. Blashill had time to coach Detroit into a team who could be a playoff and Stanley Cup threat. The results weren’t there. Detroit missed the playoffs for the 6th straight year this season. His contract was over and Detroit felt it was time to move on.
Blashill was the Head Coach for Detroit for 7 years. Not many franchises will stick with a coach that long. Blashill was 204-261-72 in his time with the Red Wings. Unfortunately for him, Detroit only earned a playoff spot once, 2016. Blashill showed in the last few years, he wasn’t the right man for the job.
The Red Wings also let go of all assistant coaches except for Alex Tanguay. Who knows what his future holds with the organization. For now he is going to stay. Could he be the next Head Coach? Maybe, but he doesn’t have NHL Head Coaching experience.
Detroit will start a coaching search. They will want one who has coached in the NHL before. General Manager Steve Yzerman will do what is best for the team. Yzerman wants to build a Stanley Cup team. They need to hire a Head Coach who will coach them there.
Leave a Reply