Welcome to a new feature here on WIIM: Point-Counterpoint. Corey (CoreyWIIM) and Kyle (KTBauer). We will have a statement, Corey and Kyle will be placed on either side of the issue and will need to defend the side they were placed on. This will be interesting at times, because either could and will at times be placed on the side of an issue that we have to defend, but don’t agree with.
Statement: Jeff Blashill is doing the best he can, with what he has been given.
Point Kyle: He is not. Blashill has slowly made some improvements with usage. Notably cutting Kronwall and Ericsson’s ice time, finally conceding injuries over time have simply depleted their abilities. I also like Larkin moving to center even though the transition has been shaky. Still, we have Glendening occasionally on the second line, Ott, Sheahan and Miller being crammed into the lineup or even Sproul being scratched in favor of Brian Lashoff. The biggest issue I’ve had with Blashill, and many concur, is how tight the reins have been on his younger players. It’s tricky finding an appropriate amount of ice to utilize a young player while not over exposing him or burning him out. I don’t envy the task. But there have been too many games where Mantha and Athanasiou’s ice time has dropped in the third, especially in close games. There isn’t much flexibility to put out an effective lineup, this roster is what it is, but I think certain players could be used better and that’s on him.
Counterpoint Corey: Yes, He can only do so much with what he is given. I think Blashill is thinking, to trust a veteran player to do the systems his way and get as many points as possible to make the playoffs. The young guys will burn you from time to time. You know he feels that if the youth dominate his roster he will fail. He wants to win at all cost He doesn’t want to be the coach of the Red Wings team that eventually misses the playoffs. I think he feels the pressure to make the playoffs and doesn’t think he has the time to focus on or think about next year, or years down the line. After all he didn’t make the roster, he can’t make certain guys better or perform, so he’s doing the best he can.
Statement: Ken Holland is building the team the right way.
Point Corey: No, he is not. Proof is in the salary cap situation. It’s much worse than the mainstream media tells you. When you look at the majority of the good teams, a Helm for one example, would have been allowed to walk and an Andreas Athanasiou to fill the void. Good teams have a few top good heavy contract guys on forward and on defense, and in goal as the starter and rotate and develop young players to fill the void. You then allow yourself the ability to add the veteran player, that will contribute and be that missing playoff link as we have seen in the past. It’s business. You simply cannot keep everyone you want. If Holland doesn’t think he has the young guys to plug into these roles, then he needs to reevaluate how the team drafts and scouts prospects. With the current state of the team, they cannot afford to “over ripen” prospects. When you’re .500 and not going deep in the playoffs it’s beyond time to realize a change in thinking is needed. What worked eight years ago doesn’t work today.
Counterpoint Kyle: To defend Holland’s construction of this team, you have to consider Green and Vanek. Both have been tremendous signings that have kept the Wings from bottoming out. Their trade deadline value could be their biggest payoff. He also has Tatar in a moveable contract that could be enticing to many teams. Waiving Martin Frk and Teemu Pulkinnen were both heavily criticized moves but Teemu’s yet to catch on in Minnesota and Holland was able to get Frk back after a short stint in Carolina. It’s quite possible many of us were too reactionary and harsh, seeing that these weren’t actually highly sought after assets. Holland’s priority is to help the Wings win now. Vanek and Green were two signings that’ve kept their heads above water while keeping flexibility to flip them for the future. There have been indefensible moves, but you can’t erase the recent good that’s been done.
Statement: The Red Wings should consider scratching or even waiving Riley Sheahan.
Point Kyle: Sheahan is an interesting case. He’s only registered six points (all assists) despite getting power play time and even a bump to the second line recently. What Sheahan has come to represent is how low things have gotten for the Wings. How? Despite his lack of production, he still has three forwards struggling beneath him. He can’t go until Ott, Miller or Glendening goes. Miller has already been scratched a handful of times. Ott’s contract can be buried in Grand Rapids, opposed to Sheahan’s $2 mil-plus cap hit coming off a two year extension signed this summer. We all know LGD isn’t going anywhere. At the least, Sheahan offers promise and a 30 point-per-season track record. He has the tools to be a good bottom six center. Sheahan also got off to a slow start last season (3 goals, 3 assists through 31 games) before finishing with a red hot March. There’s bigger concerns than Sheahan unfortunately. Ride it out, hope water finds its level. Also remember he just turned 25—still some room for growth.
Counterpoint Corey: Kyle, Sheahan has been brutal this season. He should have been scratched for several games at this point. It doesn’t even seem like it’s has been or is a consideration. This is a results business and he is producing none. He doesn’t have a point in his last five games and one in his last ten, despite in some of those games playing 15-16 minutes a night. He’s played at least ten minutes or more a night in every game except one. As of this writing he’s with Tatar and Nyquist Two guys that need a play making center in order to get going in the goal department themselves, it’s not what they need to help them out. To put in prospective if Mantha or Athanasiou did the exact same thing, both Blashill and Holland would have sent them packing to Grand Rapids or the press box a long ago and ripped them as being “kids” that are not good enough in this “man’s league” Athanasiou has played in half the games and has produced one more point. Mantha has 14 fewer games played and ten more points. They are noticed in a good way and producing chances. Sheahan is invisible out there. A message needs to be sent to him. Waiving him is extreme, as they haven’t done anything to help him out. Sometimes sitting in the press box, clearing your head and just watching is a good thing. He 100% should be a healthy scratch.
Statement: Ken Holland’s idea for expanding the playoffs and have a wild card play-in game is a great idea.
Point Corey: Yes! The Stanley Cup Playoffs are the best postseason in sports. Can you imagine how hockey fans will flock to watch the one game playoff and the excitement with close standings and teams in the last few weeks flip flopping in and out. Let’s say the second wild card spot is for the playoff game. As of this writing on the morning of December 11 in the west Los Angeles and Winnipeg and in the east Washington and New Jersey would be the play-in games. Now if you want to make both wild card spots as play-in games. It would be Edmonton and Nashville in game one and Los Angeles and Winnipeg in game two in the west. In the east it would be Philadelphia and Tampa Bay in game one and Washington and New Jersey in game two. With either the season is changed for Detroit, instead five points out of a playoff spot the Wings’ would be one point out. Last place Buffalo would be four points out. In the west, last place Colorado would be five points out. The positive from a league point of view, is a team would have to be really bad to tank it and sell off and the trade deadline would be that much more interesting and maybe a compromise is pushing it back a week or two, in order to give GM’s a longer window to decide if the play-in game is worth adding a piece or two. What about when the last team to make the last play-in game wins the Cup, that will really change how teams approach things!
Counterpoint Kyle: I agree with Corey, the NHL consistently has the most exciting playoff of the major pro leagues. In that regard, don’t change anything! MLB playoffs have been compelling—especially the past couple years. NBA playoffs are typically a drag until at least the conference finals. The NFL is piledriving into mediocrity with more conviction than the Red Wings. The league has few things it can hang its reputation on, the playoffs is arguably the best example. If it’s not broke don’t fix it or overdo it. Remember when we only had one outdoor game? The race for the wildcard spots have been dramatic enough. From a Red Wing fan perspective, do you want this franchise aiming to just make it to the play-in game? I’ve been troubled enough by the wildcard becoming the bar. However, I do see the NHL eventually adopting this and a cute team like Winnipeg making it fun and shutting my big mouth up.
Please tweet Corey @CoreyWIIM or email Kyle (kylethomasbauer@gmail.com) with Statements you want us to tackle on the next edition on Point-Counterpoint. We will pick from the best ones and also create some of our own to debate!
