OT (NHL): Vegas Fires Gerard Gallant
Holy shit! Next stop, Detroit? Blashill under contract this season with team option for next season. So long, Blash?
January 15th, 2020 at 6:02 PM ^
Very upset at this but it'll make up for it if he ends up with the Wings
January 15th, 2020 at 7:18 PM ^
Ridiculous move by Vegas.
It could help the Wings down the road... I know there are lots of Blashill haters in here but coaching is not the problem for the Wings presently. Jesus Christ himself couldn't make that roster a .500 club.
January 15th, 2020 at 7:52 PM ^
Yeah, it was kind of a giddy "we're getting the band back together" thought.
So, keep Blash, or get a new coach for a few years, and maybe the Wings will be ready for Gallant when he gets fired from his next job?
January 15th, 2020 at 9:54 PM ^
The biggest negative about Jeff Blashill is his system of play. Blashill doesn't value possessing the puck and his always-make-the-safe-play, dump-the-puck-deep-and-chase, hustle-and-grind-our-way-to-victory meatgrinder style of hockey is basically hell to watch and worse to play in. Gallant's system of play in Vegas couldn't be more night and day.
Jeff Blashill seems like a stand-up guy and he doesn't have a lot to work with here in terms of talent, but it's pretty obvious he's not cut out for coaching in the NHL unless he goes back to the drawing board and reinvents himself.
January 15th, 2020 at 10:36 PM ^
Blashill is Jacque Demers without the charisma.
January 16th, 2020 at 12:31 AM ^
Blashill doesn't value possessing the puck
Maybe because the Wings don't have a lot of players, ESPECIALLY on defense, who can control the puck. Hard to coach that with that roster.
January 16th, 2020 at 6:32 AM ^
For an NHL team. the Wings are atrocious at puck handling, passing and receiving passes. It's really something. So they either dump the puck or turn it over then spend the next 30-45 seconds chasing trying to regain possession.
January 16th, 2020 at 12:03 PM ^
I can't disagree with your point, but we're not winning any games with this current system that is desperately trying to shelter the bottom six and we're stunting the future development of Larkin, Mantha, AA, Bert, Hronek, and Zadina by forcing them to play down to the level of Franz Nielsen and Justin Abdelkader instead of allowing them to play with skill and speed.
If we're going to lose, we might as well have some fun and open the throttle.
January 16th, 2020 at 1:34 PM ^
Good point.
I like some of the forwards (which is why I specifically emphasized defense, re: your point about puck possession)... so that would be cool for them to say fuck it and just let em skate. Instead of getting blown out 8-2, we may see some 5-4 games (either way).
January 15th, 2020 at 10:30 PM ^
The Wings are 12 points behind the rest of the league, and their max is 97 points this season, and that's if they reel off a 35 game winning streak. EDIT: Last year it took 98 points to get the #8 seed in the East.
Blashill is gone in April. Gallant could very well be the replacement, unless you think he's about to get snapped up by someone else, in which case you make the move earlier. This is all assuming that Gallant didn't do something stupid to get clipped in the first place. We've seen a couple of those already this year.
The bigger problem down the pike for the Wings is the absolute lack of goaltending in this organization. Jimmy Howard is soon to be 36, and probably done already. Bernier isn't the answer, and I haven't seen anything from Pickard that makes my nipples hard, either. There's a defenseman or two on the way, as well as a forward or two. But there's nobody you're going to want to put between the pipes when the chips are down.
January 15th, 2020 at 10:35 PM ^
Unless the Wings get the first or second pick, they'll draft Askarov as the goalie of the future.
January 16th, 2020 at 2:48 AM ^
My nipples are ALWAYS hard. Because I fucking live life on the edge.
January 16th, 2020 at 6:41 AM ^
Jimmy Howard seems like a really good dude and has been a loyal Red Wing but he definitely looks washed up. Hindsight being 20/20, they probably should have kept Mrazek and traded Howard instead. Obviously it wasn't that simple as I'm sure Jimmy was a better presence in the room and Mrazek probably needed a change in scenery to help boost his game but the Wings are pretty hosed from an organizational goaltender perspective right now.
Bernier hasn't been terrible but he isn't that young either and gets injured (and sick) a lot. The Wings have so many needs at all positions I'm not sure they can afford to take the risk of taking a goalie with the 3rd or 4th pick. Hopefully they can find someone in free agency to start or back up Bernier for the next couple of years until they can develop somebody.
January 16th, 2020 at 10:32 AM ^
To be fair, Howard (when not dinged up) was putting up .900/2 GAA when him and Mrazek were platooning. Those were amazing numbers in front of that shitty defense.
The defense is worse now.
I liken it to Franzen/Hossa. Franzen had a monster year in the playoffs so they kept him. Hindsight being 20/20 the WIngs should have kept Hossa.
January 15th, 2020 at 7:28 PM ^
7th NHL team to hire a new coach in-season! Nearly 25% of the league!
But, why not: 3 teams in the 2010s won a Stanley Cup in a season where they replaced their coach in-season.
January 15th, 2020 at 8:01 PM ^
You would think the Wings get him. Played for the Red Wings with The Captain
Watch Seattle get him and take them to the Cup finals.
January 16th, 2020 at 11:43 AM ^
I think Steve will grab him. I've been waiting all season for him to drop Blashill, who will probably accept it with relief. He needs a fresh start too.
January 15th, 2020 at 10:03 PM ^
If Stevie doesn't hire him within a week we should fold the franchise. Go get this man!
January 15th, 2020 at 11:55 PM ^
Love ole Spuddy! Hope he gets the call from StevieY. I loved when he abused Chelios when Cheli was a Blackhawk.
https://youtu.be/zYqS_X2P7tg
January 16th, 2020 at 12:27 AM ^
Hey, guys, I guess you missed the interview after his hire when he said to call him "Steve," not "Stevie," since he's The GM, not The Captain. But of course, he said, someone will see him and say, "Hey, Stevie," and he just shakes his head.
January 16th, 2020 at 12:44 AM ^
I guess you missed it when i never called him Stevie to his face. I’m sure the CAPTAIN is perusing Mgoblog and fuming right now.
January 16th, 2020 at 12:36 AM ^
Awesome post.
Those Wings weren't going deep in the playoffs but they were sure fun to watch.
January 16th, 2020 at 9:22 AM ^
Spuddy to Hockeytown..... back where he belongs.
January 16th, 2020 at 9:55 AM ^
They should hire a good coach.
January 16th, 2020 at 10:55 AM ^
I'd be very surprised if he doesn't end up with Wings.
January 16th, 2020 at 9:11 PM ^
I would love to see Gerry back home in the D.
In a few years he and Stevie Wonder will easily be able to recruit a roster that will roll up on all these bitchez!!!!!!!!!