The Detroit Red Wings have a new coach and two new players, but center Pavel Datsyuk's status for early 2015-16 is uncertain. After the Red Wings were eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, losing their Eastern Conference First Round series to the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games, Mike Babcock, who was Detroit's coach for 10 seasons and has more wins than any coach in Red Wings history, left for the Toronto Maple Leafs and was replaced by Jeff Blashill.
Blashill was the favorite off the bat in Detroit, having coached its American Hockey League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, for the past three seasons.
The 41-year-old is the second youngest coach in the NHL (John Hynes of the New Jersey Devils is 40). Blashill coached Grand Rapids to the Calder Cup in 2013, was AHL coach of the year in 2014, and guided the Griffins to the Western Conference Final last season. Blashill was born in the Detroit suburb of Southfield, Mich., and grew up in Sault Ste. Marie in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Ten Red Wings who were part of the playoff series against the Lightning played for Blashill in Grand Rapids.
The Red Wings signed defenseman Mike Green and center Brad Richards on July 1, the first day of free agency. Green, 29, signed a three-year, $18 million contract, giving the Red Wings the right-handed shooting defenseman with offensive ability they had been seeking since the retirement of Brian Rafalski in 2011. Green had 10 goals and 45 points in 72 games with the Washington Capitals in 2014-15, and two assists in 14 playoff games. Holland and Blashill each said Green likely will be paired with Danny DeKeyser, who is strong defensively.
Richards signed a one-year contract which guarantees him $3 million for 2015-16 and could reach $4 million with bonuses. The 35-year-old had 12 goals and 37 points with the Chicago Blackhawks last season, and had 14 points in 23 playoff games to help them win the Stanley Cup. He also won the Cup with the Lightning in 2004, scoring 26 points in 23 games to win the Conn Smythe Trophy. Holland said with everyone healthy Richards is penciled in to be the No. 2 center. But with the uncertainty surrounding Datsyuk, who had surgery on ruptured tendons in his right ankle in late June, Richards could open the season as the No. 1.
It was thought Datsyuk, 37, would be back close to the beginning of the regular season, which is Oct. 9, with the recovery process 4-6 weeks. But he told Swedish media outlet SVT.se he'll be out longer.
Ken Holland: "I'm going on my instinct. [Blashill's] a great young coach who is ready to coach in the NHL.… You don't have success like that at the American Hockey League level unless you're running a good program."
"For some reason, we've just had a lot of left-shot defensemen.… It's hard to find a defenseman who can create offense. … We were able to add a [defenseman] who can rush the puck, create offense and quarterback the power play."
Jeff Blashill: "I don't want to talk about what has been the case in the past; I have my own approach and some things will be different. I'll be Jeff Blashill, and I think in that there will be change. Throughout his career, [Richards] been productive as a top-couple-of-lines center. He's a great power-play guy who can run it from up top and who can pull up on the half boards."
Pavel Datsyuk: "Doctors say 4-5 months. So we'll see. I hope I just miss a little early in the season."Riley Sheahan: "I think we're all really happy. The guys that played with him before know how [Blashill] reacts to different situations and knows what he expects. I think in that way some guys will be a little bit more confident, which always helps. It's definitely a good thing."
After 10 playoff appearances in as many seasons as Detroit Red Wings coach, Mike Babcock left for the Toronto Maple Leafs. In his place, the Red Wings hired Jeff Blashill, who coached their American Hockey League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, for the past three seasons. How Blashill fares in his first NHL season is one of three questions facing the Red Wings as they try to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a 25th consecutive season:
At 41, Blashill is the NHL's second-youngest coach (John Hynes of the New Jersey Devils is 40). He had nothing left to prove at the AHL level after coaching Grand Rapids to the Calder Cup in 2013, winning coach of the year in 2013-14, and reaching the AHL Western Conference Final last season. But he has no experience running an NHL bench, though he served as an assistant under Babcock in 2011-12. Blashill coached many of Detroit's young players with Grand Rapids and had defenseman Danny DeKeyser as a college freshman in 2010-11 when he coached Western Michigan.
Datsyuk, 37, had surgery in late June to repair ruptured tendons in his right ankle. The center was expected to be in a cast for 4-6 weeks before starting rehab and was to be evaluated in three months, which meant he might be back close to the beginning of the regular season on Oct. 9. But Datsyuk told Swedish media outlet SVT.se he will be out longer. The plan is for Brad Richards, signed as a free agent, to be Detroit's first-line center until Datsyuk returns.
Though Mike Green scored 10 goals and had 45 points in 72 games with the Washington Capitals in 2014-15, Green, 29, mostly played on the third pair because of his defensive ability. The Red Wings think they have the answer: Holland and Blashill said Green will be paired with DeKeyser, the third-year defenseman called "The Human Eraser" by Babcock because of his strong defensive play. Green could make a big difference for the Red Wings, who have been searching for a right-handed shooting defenseman with offensive ability since Brian Rafalski retired in 2011.No matter what challenges the Red Wings have faced in the past quarter century, there has been one constant: making the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Detroit reached the playoffs for the 24th consecutive season in 2014-15, but was eliminated in seven games in the Eastern Conference First Round by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Mike Babcock was Red Wings coach for the past 10 seasons but left for the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jeff Blashill, who coached the Red Wings' American Hockey League affiliate in Grand Rapids the past three seasons, was hired to replace him. Detroit's roster remains largely intact, although they signed defenseman Mike Green and center Brad Richards as free agents.
Gustav Nyquist and Tomas Tatar, who combined for 56 goals (Nyquist 27, Tatar 29) last season, have provided much-needed offense. Nyquist, 25, and Tatar, 24, have been productive the past two seasons. Nyquist has 55 goals and 102 points, and Tatar has 48 goals and 95 points. Nyquist signed a four-year contract in July, and he and Tatar should help take the pressure off veterans Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk, who will miss the start of the season after having surgery on his ankle.
Mike Green and Brad Richards should each fit in well with the Red Wings' puck-possession system and on the power play. Green, 29, is a right-handed shooting defenseman with offensive ability that Detroit has been looking for since Brian Rafalski retired from the NHL in 2011. General manager Ken Holland and Blashill each said Green will be paired with Danny DeKeyser, who is strong defensively, which should offset Green's liabilities. Richards, 35, is a talented veteran center with a high hockey IQ. He's won the Stanley Cup twice, including last season with the Chicago Blackhawks.
The original plan was for 23-year-old goalie, Petr Mrazek to play his first full NHL season as Jimmy Howard's backup. But because of injuries to Howard, 31, and Jonas Gustavsson (the backup going into last season), Mrazek played 29 games (16-9-2 with a 2.38 goals against average, .918 save percentage and three shutouts) and was Detroit's starting goalie in the playoffs when Howard struggled after returning from a groin injury. Mrazek had a 2.11 GAA, .925 save percentage and two shutouts in the playoffs, proving he can be the No. 1 goalie.
If Mrazek falters, Howard would take over. Howard was 23-13-11 with a 2.44 GAA and a .910 save percentage last season.
It will be a change with Babcock gone, but Jeff Blashill is ready and capable for the challenge. Blashill coached many of the Red Wings in Grand Rapids, including Nyqvist, DeKeyser, Mrazek, Riley Sheahan, Luke Glendening, Tomas Tatar, Joakim Andersson and Tomas Jurco on the Calder Cup-winning team in 2013. Don't expect Blashill to be a soft touch when circumstances dictate otherwise, but the different approach could be a positive one for the players.
The Red Wings' success during the past two decades has given them the luxury of allowing their prospects to develop in the American Hockey League.
For the most part, that remains true going into this season. The only exception is their top prospect, center Dylan Larkin, who has played six games in the AHL (all in the Calder Cup Western Conference Finals last season) after spending one season in college but showed he may be ready to make the jump to the NHL.
Detroit is deep in versatile forwards and mobile defensemen, but a little light in goal and in forwards with size.
Dylan Larkin, CHow acquired: 1st round (No. 15), 2014 NHL Draft
Last season: Michigan, Big Ten: 35 GP, 15-32-47; Grand Rapids, AHL (playoffs): 6 GP, 3-2-5
The Red Wings had the same develop-slowly plan for Larkin, 19, after they drafted him last summer. But he has forced a change. Larkin (6-foot-1, 190 pounds) was Michigan's second-leading scorer and the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2014-15. He excelled for the United States at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship, leading the U.S. team with five goals and seven points in five games and impressing with his all-around game. Larkin also played for the U.S. team at the IIHF World Championship; he had one assist in 10 games. After proving he could compete against professionals, Larkin signed with Detroit and made his pro debut with Grand Rapids in the AHL Western Conference Final. He played well, scoring two goals to help the Griffins win a game when they faced elimination. The plan was for Larkin to return to Grand Rapids, at least for the start of this season. But with the uncertainty of Pavel Datsyuk's availability because of surgery in late June to repair a ruptured tendon in his right ankle, Larkin could make the NHL roster out of training camp. Larkin, one of the NHL's top prospects, is an outstanding skater who has speed and good on-ice vision, and is willing to put in the work to improve.
Projected NHL arrival: 2015-16
Teemu Pulkkinen, RW
How acquired: 4th round (No. 111), 2010 NHL Draft
Last season: Red Wings: 31 GP, 5-3-8; Grand Rapids, AHL: 46 GP, 34-27-61
Pulkkinen's biggest asset is his shot; his right-handed release has been compared to Brett Hull. The 23-year-old led the AHL in goals last season. But Pulkkinen (5-foot-11, 183 pounds) needs to get off his shot quicker in the NHL. He will get more opportunities to do that immediately because he can no longer be sent to the minor leagues without having to clear waivers.
Projected NHL arrival: 2015-16
Xavier Ouellet, D
How acquired: 2nd round (No. 48), 2011 NHL Draft
Last season: Red Wings: 21 GP, 2-1-3; Grand Rapids, AHL: 47 GP, 1-15-16
Ouellet, who turned 22 in late July and is 6-foot, 200 pounds, played well for the Red Wings last season. But there doesn't seem to be room on the roster for Ouellet after the Red Wings signed free agent defenseman Mike Green. Ouellet is skilled offensively and solid in his own zone, and has the knack of making the right play to get out of tough situations.
Projected NHL arrival: 2016-17
Alexey Marchenko, D
How acquired: 7th round (No. 205), 2011 NHL Draft
Last season: Red Wings: 13 GP, 1-1-2; Grand Rapids, AHL: 51 GP, 3-17-20
Marchenko (6-foot-3, 210 pounds) was effective with the Red Wings last season, averaging 15 minutes per game. The 23-year-old is strong defensively and a good skater who has solid offensive instincts.
Projected NHL arrival: 2016-17
Anthony Mantha, RW
How acquired: 1st round (No. 20), 2013 NHL Draft
Last season: Grand Rapids, AHL: 62 GP, 15-18-33
Mantha's first professional season was marred by a broken leg sustained in September during a prospects tournament game. The injury prevented the 21-year-old from beginning the season with Grand Rapids until November and added to the usual struggles of a first-year pro. Mantha (6-foot-5, 214 pounds) scored 57 goals in his final junior season with Val-d'Or of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
Projected NHL arrival: 2016-17
Predicted Lines
40 Zetterberg - 13 Datsyuk - 8 Abdelkader
14 Nyquist - 17 Richards - 21 Tatar
43 Helm - 15 Sheahan - 56 Pulkkinen
20 Miller - 41 Glendening - 26 Jurco
93 Franzen - Injured
52 Ericsson - 55 Kronwall
65 DeKeyser - 25 Green
2 Smith - 27 Quincey
34 Mrazek - 35 Howard
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