Detroit Red Wings: It's Time to Make Hockeytown Great Again

For the third straight year the Detroit Red Wings have been eliminated in the first round. How do the Red Wings become great again?

For the seventh straight year the Detroit Red Wings will not make it past the second round. For the third straight year the Red Wings will not make it to the second round.

How did such a great organization become so mediocre? Most of the blame has to be on Ken Holland. I know Holland has done a lot of good for this organization but lately his moves have been, at best, questionable.

Lets start during the 2009 season. The pending main free agents for the Red Wings were Henrik Zetterberg, Marian Hossa and Johan Franzen. Zetterberg obviously was a must keep, but Holland re-signed Franzen to a massive deal instead of re-signing Hossa.

Remember, Franzen was coming off two big seasons but Hossa’s track record was much longer. Holland ended up signing Franzen to an absurd 11-year, $43.5 million contract while Hossa ended up with the Chicago Blackhawks on a 12-year, $63 million deal.

Both contracts to me are ridiculous but Hossa has been worth most of his contract whereas Franzen has had concussion issues (not his fault) and lackluster play (his fault).

This is where the Red Wings and Holland began to fall apart. Another mistake Holland made is not having a backup plan when Ryan Suter turned them down to go to the Minnesota Wild in 2012.

I believe that he was so sure that the Red Wings were getting Suter that he didn’t think he needed a backup plan. Who did the Red Wings end up getting instead? Carlo Colaiacovo. That worked out well…..

Also his obsession with former Red Wings is a major problem. Bringing back Todd Bertuzzi, Mikael Samuelsson and Dan Cleary is why I wrote and believe that Jiri Hudler comes back in the offseason.

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Look at the contracts he’s handed out lately. Pavel Datsyuk, who is reportedly going back to Russia, was given a three-year deal when he said he wanted to go year-to-year. Holland should’ve listened to him.

The Red Wings should move his contract but Holland has stated that he doesn’t intend to move it due to loyalty. Loyalty is admirable but not in this situation. Unloading contracts bails out General Managers who give out bad deals, which every GM does by the way.

When I wrote about Justin Abdelkader’s contract, people were upset by it and now that contract looks horrible. Gustav Nyquist looks like Franzen 2.0 with his scoring slumps.

Holland leaving guys in the minors in favor of Jonathan Ericsson, Darren Helm etc is absurd. Andreas Athanasiou, Anthony Mantha, Teemu Pulkkinen, Xavier Ouellet and others are rotting in the minors right now. Holland either needs to bring these guys up or move some of them for a number one or two defensemen.

This team lacks that clear cut number one defensemen. Niklas Kronwall is on his last legs, Jonathan Ericsson is a turnover machine, Brendan Smith, Danny DeKeyser and Mike Green are second or third line defensemen.

The Red Wings in my opinion have three guys who are second or third line defensemen. Not one of them is a top defensemen which is the Red Wings problem.

I admire Holland for not wanting to go through a five year rebuild but he’s shooting himself in the foot with all the bad decisions he’s made.

Giving up prospect Calle Jarnkrok for David Legwand was a bust, letting Landon Ferraro go and keeping Joakim Andersson was a terrible decision.

The Red Wings showed promise in 2013 by taking the Chicago Blackhawks to a Game 7, but even then the Red Wings blew a 3-1 series lead. Last year the Red Wings blew a 3-2 lead against the Lightning. Other then that the playoffs for them have been short lived. Lost in five games to Nashville in 2012, Lost to the Boston Bruins in five games in 2014.

For whatever reason this team has had issues closing out games and series lately.

But all hope is not lost. The Red Wings HAVE TO bring up Andreas Athanasiou, Anthony Mantha, and one of those defensemen in the minors or trade any of them for a number one defensemen.

If Holland has a chance to trade Datsyuk’s contract he needs to even though it probably will cost the Red Wings Pulkkinen or another good prospect.

The Red Wings UFA’s this year are Kyle Quincey, Darren Helm, Drew Miller, Joakim Andersson and Brad Richards. The only one of those that I would keep would be Quincey, but other than that Holland needs to let them go and bring up the young guys.

Most likely the Red Wings won’t get Steven Stamkos who will be the biggest unrestricted free agent in the NHL this offseason, but Holland needs to at least kick the tires on him.

Next: The Problem with Francisco Rodriguez and Proven Closers

I still believe the Red Wings have a bright future with Dylan Larkin, Andreas Athanasiou, Anthony Mantha and Petr Mrazek. But Holland has to be smarter. Or else maybe the Illitches find a way to bring back Stevie to right this ship.

The clock is ticking for Mr Holland, will he be able to fix this problem? Or will someone else be entrusted to make Hockeytown great again?

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Detroit Red Wings: It’s Time to Make Hockeytown Great Again

By Mike Rizzo | Apr 22, 2016

For the third straight year the Detroit Red Wings have been eliminated in the first round. How do the Red Wings become great again?

More from Detroit Jock City