Jeff Blashill is a candidate for Michigan Hockey job per Spath

Submitted by Wolverine Devotee on

If Red comes back, just lol.

What I get from this is those are the two candidates, if Michigan misses on both, Red will come back.

 

Source told me the 3 best candidates to be #MichiganHockey coach next year are Red Berenson, Mel Pearson or Jeff Blashill. (in no order)

— Michael Spath (@MichaelSpathITH) March 22, 2017

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

March 22nd, 2017 at 1:24 PM ^

I'm not convinced of that.  If one or two Wings were regressing from expectations, I'd blame the players.  Pretty much the whole team is underperforming.  Nyquist, Tatar, Sheahan (especially Sheahan), and former players like Jurco too - the power play sucks and the guys who were supposed to be building blocks of the offense are thin shadows of what we thought they'd be when Babcock was coaching.

This points to Blashill.  Maybe he's a better college coach than NHL coach, but I've been completely and totally unimpressed by him and if it didn't hurt Michigan I'd love the opportunity for the Wings to go find someone else.

Stringer Bell

March 22nd, 2017 at 1:48 PM ^

Tatar is pretty much right in line with his career numbers. Yeah some players have regressed and the team stinks, but don't forget he lost his best player last offseason. And some players have gotten better. Athanasiou has improved, Vanek was having his best season in years. Does Blashill get credit for those guys?

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

March 22nd, 2017 at 2:44 PM ^

Regarding Vanek, I think it's really more the case he got back to his usual self after finding a bad fit in Minnesota.  Minny was the only place where his scoring was down.

Tatar has taken a pretty clear step backwards after his 14-15 season.  He was 24 then.  Most players don't step backwards or generally even plateau at 24.

Robbie Moore

March 22nd, 2017 at 1:58 PM ^

To look at a failed NHL coach. Regardless of his success at Grand Rapids. Blashill has one year of experience as a college head coach. There are coaches with great college resumes who would jump at this job. Mel Pearson is just one. Break out the money cannon and get the best college coach we can attract.

Maizen

March 22nd, 2017 at 3:17 PM ^

And what exactly did he do that was all that special at WMU. What he did in GR was nothing Wings have been stacking their minor league system for years. Know several guys who played for him at WMU and one who still plays for the Griffins and they can't stand the guy and think he's nothing special at all as a coach. TIFWIW.

Only reason Red would come back at this point is if he wants to drive the program further into the ground. Red is Michigan hockey and a living legend but enough is enough already.

Wolverine Devotee

March 22nd, 2017 at 12:57 PM ^

Missing the tournament 4 of the last 5 seasons shouldn't be fine with anyone.

This is akin to Alabama Football going 5-7 in 4 of 5 years with the talent we've pulled in.

Dylan Larkin never made the tournament here. Neither did Jacob Trouba, both first round picks. 

We lost the season series to last place MSU. That right there should be enough to wake some people up who still think this is what we should stick with. Got blown out at Yost by a 7-win MSU team, TWICE.

We've lost 3 of the last 4 at Yost to them. This after not losing to them once at Yost from 2009-2014.

Red is a legend. So was Bobby Bowden. Both of them stuck around way too long. 

Zoltanrules

March 22nd, 2017 at 3:14 PM ^

If we are having this conversation next year and he hasn't announced his retirement and we are cellar dwellers, I obviously will change my mind. I think the Blashill theory has credence and it wouldn't make sense to announce anything until after the Wings season is done.

Red has seriously thought about quitting before and has been talked into staying by the Administration. 

 

 

Zoltanrules

March 22nd, 2017 at 10:42 PM ^

I really believe after listening to him for many years that he will do the right thing and has all his faculties to make that decision. This year was the tipping point for me but I think it would be disgraceful to preemptively fire Red.His love of UM will be greater than any ego he has.

 

stephenrjking

March 22nd, 2017 at 1:18 PM ^

I'm going to nitpick here. Your opening statement is absolutely correct, 4 misses out of 5 is atrocious. But the statement that Larkin and Trouba "never" made the tournament is misleading, because both of them left after one year. Just stating simply that they "did not make the tournament" would be accurate and more faithful to what actually happened, without implying that either had multiple misses. 

Especially since they probably (Trouba) and certainly (Larkin) make the tournament if they stay for another year.

I personally think that the general program issues are part of the reason why they left so quickly, but I doubt we'll ever know.

 

Rabbit21

March 22nd, 2017 at 1:04 PM ^

This is a tough situation, but at some point the argument that he's hurting his legacy has to be made.  It's not a fun conversation and it doesn't feel particularly good, but the decline in performance is notable and something has to be done before the rebuilding job becomes too big to bring in a good coach.  

I'm fine with two, but another year fro Red means he's holding the program hostage.  Respect must be paid to the man for all that he's done for Michigan hockey and how great of a coach he is, but respect is a two-way street.

Ty Butterfield

March 22nd, 2017 at 12:53 PM ^

Michigan hockey can't have another down year. Blashill is intriguing and he did a great job at WMU. Either him or Mel I don't care it is just time for a change.

Magnus

March 22nd, 2017 at 1:01 PM ^

I miss the days of excellent Michigan hockey. Yost used to be a blast when the team was going really strong. I agree that it's time for Berenson to step down. He wanted to step down last year, so I don't think it's about "going out when he's ready." He's ready. It's just a matter of finding the right guy to replace him.

Bando Calrissian

March 22nd, 2017 at 4:44 PM ^

It's incredibly sad how much the old barn is pretty much a caricature of everything that made it great back in the day. Yost was a wild place to see a game in the mid-90s. Now? Not so much.

The first time I went to Yost, an MSU game in about '93 or so, the usher took my dad aside on the way in and told him if things got too rough, just ask, and he'd find us new seats. He wasn't far off--it was insane. Of course, as a little kid, I loved every second of it. We got season ticket the next year. Those days are long gone.