We all know how locker-room clean-out day usually goes for the Red Wings. Ken Holland says something cryptic, Henrik Zetterberg talks about self-evaluation and conditioning during the off-season, locker room leaders like Niklas Kronwall mention how disappointed they aren’t bringing The Cup back to Detroit, and we spend the next few months dissecting these sparse comments and trying to figure out how everything will fit together moving forward.
Things went a little different this year….
Ken Holland is bringing back Jeff Blashill. He said the plan going forward is to go young. pic.twitter.com/UytgpHXKyL
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) April 10, 2018
Well, that was blunt… How about a spoiler alert warning next time?
Ken Holland: “Our defense is old. We’ve tried drafting some defensemen. We haven’t done a good job of drafting defensemen who make a high impact.” pic.twitter.com/0aOPUtVU6g
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) April 10, 2018
Tell us how you really feel, Kenny….
holland:
mike green’s surgery a success. i anticipate he will be 100 percent going into training camp.
will see how he is feeling, and talk in scouting meetings and after draft to make a decision.
— gregg krupa (@greggkrupa) April 10, 2018
Mike Green on a 1-year contract, maybe? Smells like trade-bait…
blashill;
every one of us needs to be a lttle better.
i think anthony still has to learn that there is more inside. until you are pushed past the bring, you don’t know there is more in you.
he has suggested boxing for mantha, this summer.
— gregg krupa (@greggkrupa) April 10, 2018
To be fair here, Blash was specifically asked about Anthony Mantha and differing standards for different players. It’s not like he’s calling Mantha out without prompting.
asked if he might bring in outside help, into management, holland:
yes.
i’m open to anything.
points out that devellano, nill, bowman no longer here, and lhe has fewer people to talk to .
— gregg krupa (@greggkrupa) April 10, 2018
Maybe we will see some office changes this summer.
Asked when he thinks the Red Wings might be a playoff contender again (not Stanley Cup contender), Ken Holland said, “I’m hoping a year or two.” Note: Colorado went from last place to playoffs this year
— Bob Wojnowski (@bobwojnowski) April 10, 2018
Do you know something about our draft lottery odds that the rest of us don’t, Kenny?
Kronwall expects to return next season if health remains good
— Ted Kulfan (@tkulfan) April 10, 2018
In my best Inigo Montoya: “Remains? This word, I do not think it means what you think it means…”
This is just a smattering of the quotes from today’s clean-out session. It seems like we may have a lot more to talk about this summer as opposed to years past….
UPDATE
Daniel Cleary (sitting in back) and either Ken Holland or Tyler Wright will be Wings representative at draft lottery April 28.
— Helene St. James (@HeleneStJames) April 10, 2018
I’m suddenly scared for our draft. Where’s Håkan Andersson?
Jeff Blashill on assistants: “I will evaluate staff, see if there is anything that will make sense for us.” Doug Houda has 1 year left, John Torchetti contract is up.
— Helene St. James (@HeleneStJames) April 10, 2018
Just a friendly reminder from Helene regarding contract lengths of some key assistants…
