When one thinks of Detroit Red Wings General Manager Ken Holland, immediately thoughts of making the playoffs every year, winning Stanley Cups, and making a mockery of the NHL draft come to mind. So, when the news broke this morning that he was given a 4-year extension through the 2017-18 season, that resume alone seems like it would justify his deal. In 17 seasons under his tenure, the Wings have been the model NHL franchise. The last few seasons or so however, have not displayed this success. The team has certainly regressed from being in their usual spot on top of the standings since the departure of the stars and players that defined the success of the previous two decades. Names such as Kris Draper, Brian Rafalski, Chris Chelios, Jiri Hudler, Valtteri Filppula, and most recently the legend himself Nicklas Lidstrom have come and gone, as has the dominance that Hockeytown is used to seeing. Sure, there were injuries, there were close calls, but the team itself has not been retooled as Red Wings fans remember. The fall from the pedestal has many pointing fingers at the GM’s office. This writer hates to say it, but they have the argument to be upset with Holland and his recent offseasons in an attempt to help the current team improve have shown it.
Let’s go back to the summer of 2012. Fresh off of a first round exit on account of the revamped Nashville Predators, the Detroit Red Wings knew there were many questions and few answers about their team for the next season. Will Nicklas Lidstrom return? Who’s the next big star that Ken Holland will go get? Will this shake up the team? All these questions.
Well, the answer to the first question was the dreaded no, as possibly the greatest defenseman in NHL history hung up the skates after 20 seasons in the Winged Wheel. The demise of the Detroit Red Wings was overblown as could be with this announcement and immediately thoughts turned to who would replace Lidstrom. With the absolute trust of franchise and fanbase, it seemed like it was a sure thought that Holland would get that next big name on the market. Nashville defenseman Ryan Suter was the top prize in free agency, and many teams vied for his services, with the Red Wings being one of the hardest pressers. Zach Parise was another name that tested the waters with the Red Wings’ crosshairs on him as well. After days of waiting, the two formed a package deal and picked their destination. The State of Hockey over Hockeytown. A team who hadn’t made the playoffs the season before landed the two over the high and mighty Detroit Red Wings. It was unheard of.
After striking out there, the Wings signed the oft injured Carlo Colaiacovo along with previous moves such as bringing Mikael Samuelsson back with a 2-year deal, signing Jordin Tootoo to a 3-year contract, Swiss sniper Damien Brunner for one season and Toronto netminder Jonas Gustavsson for two years. Samuelsson managed 34 games played in two years with four points. He is no longer in the NHL as he jetted to Sweden. Jordin Tootoo was a regular player in a 48-game shortened season, playing in 43 and managing eight points. He was an energetic agitator that the Wings haven’t seen since the likes of Darren McCarty or Dallas Drake, but was a regular scratch in the playoffs and 2013-14 season. He played in only 11 games at the NHL level and the Red Wings bought him out this offseason. Damien Brunner got off to a hot start but fizzled in a shortened season, managing 26 points in 45 games in his rookie season at the age of 26. He is now in New Jersey. Colaiacovo was bought out after playing only six games with the club in 2012-13 with one point. Gustavsson was bit by the injury bug for most of the season, playing in only seven games with a 2.92 GAA and .902 save percentage. He is currently signed to be the team’s back-up for 2014-15.
At the draft, Holland and the braintrust went to work again, selecting names such as Andreas Athanasiou, Jake Paterson, and Martin Frk. Athanasiou is making his transition to the AHL level as he will play in his first full season with Grand Rapids this coming season. Frk has had struggles in his transition to the AHL but looks to bounce back in 2014-15. Paterson saw time in the World Juniors for team Canada and has played four seasons in the OHL with the Saginaw Spirit. Here’s Holland’s work for 2012 in Pittsburgh:
Year Lg Draft Round Overall Player Amateur Team
2012 NHL Entry 2 49 Martin Frk Halifax (QMJHL)
2012 NHL Entry 3 80 Jake Paterson Saginaw (OHL)
2012 NHL Entry 4 110 Andreas Athanasiou London (OHL)
2012 NHL Entry 5 140 Michael McKee Lincoln (USHL)
2012 NHL Entry 6 170 James De Haas Toronto Lakeshore (OJHL)
2012 NHL Entry 7 200 Rasmus Bodin Ostersunds (Sweden)
This summer ranked up there as one of the worst of Holland’s tenure in the free agent waters, if not the worst. The team barely made the playoffs and nearly made the Western Conference Finals, capping off one of the craziest seasons in recent memory, the first without Nick Lidstrom and the first in decades that saw them almost miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The summer of 2013 was a different story for Holland and the team as they were involved in one of the biggest surprises of the offseason. Daniel Alfredsson, longtime captain of the Ottawa Senators and future hall of famer, decided to leave and come to Detroit on a 1-year $5.5 million deal with one goal in mind: Lord Stanley. Alfie was hit by the team-wide injury plague at times this past season but still managed a team high 49 points in 68 games. The team fell short of the end goal, but if there are no lingering issues with his health, it appears that he will return to Detroit in 2014-15 for one more shot.
The second name reeled in by Detroit last summer was longtime Florida Panthers center Stephen Weiss. Weiss came to Detroit on a larger 5-year $24.5 million dollar contract and was expected to be the team’s number two center, replacing Valtteri Filppula who went to Tampa Bay on a deal for $500,000 more. The results were disasterous. Weiss played in 26 games and suffered multiple setbacks, only managing four points. He was shut down in March and it was revealed he had lingering injuries coming into training camp. How much did this affect the 30-year old Weiss? The answer is unknown, but the fact of the matter is that he was in no way a difference maker and the contract is raising questions for the GM. However, there could be a light at the end of the tunnel this coming season. Weiss is reported to be good to go with no pain headed into camp and could become a huge factor in the success and bounce-back of the team.
Perhaps no move raised more questions or made fans raise their perverbial pitchforks even more than with the re-signing of Dan Cleary. The then 34-year old regressed from his previous seasons with Detroit and prevented Gustav Nyquist from being with the team until November. He managed eight points in 56 games. Nyquist had 49 in 57.
The Wings snuck into the postseason again led by the coaching of Mike Babcock and the emergence of rookie stars such as Gustav Nyquist, Tomas Jurco, Riley Sheahan, and Tomas Tatar. With Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk playing only half the season due to injury, these rookies played like they were 10-year vets. Sheahan displayed his wicked wrister on his way to a 24 point season in 42 games. He is 22 years of age. Right winger Tomas Jurco displayed the poise and gonads to pull of dekes that one doesn’t see out of normal 21-year old NHLers with his 15 point performance in 36 games. Winger Tomas Tatar played the most out of every rookie, playing in his first full season with the big club, netting 39 points in 73 contests as a 24-year old. An honorable mention would be goaltender 22-year old goaltender Petr Mrazek, who appeared in nine games posting a 1.71 GAA and .927 save percentage. All of these players were drafted in rounds other than the first and all under Holland’s tenure. They look to lead the next wave of Red Wing stars in the coming years.
The 2013 NHL draft was the first in Holland’s tenure without 15-year partner and Assistant GM Jim Nill. Without Nill, the Wings appeared to not lose their touch draft-wise as they traded down to get winger Anthony Mantha 20th overall. Mantha is projected to be one of the next great NHL snipers and his resume proves as much. After being drafted by the Red Wings, that season in the OHL playing for the Val D’or Foreurs he absolutely lit the league up. With 57 goals and 120 points in 57 games played, Mantha proved that he is ready to play in the AHL. Some want Mantha in the NHL with that kind of season but this writer thinks otherwise, as Mantha is too good of a prospect to rush. Holland has stated that he is protected from any trade proposals. If he lights it up in Grand Rapids then it would appear he is ready but until then, the 20-year old should play with the Griffins. Here’s how the whole thing played out:
Year Lg Draft Round Overall Player Amateur Team
2013 NHL Entry 1 20 Anthony Mantha Val-DOr (QMJHL)
2013 NHL Entry 2 48 Zach Nastasiuk Owen Sound (OHL)
2013 NHL Entry 2 58 Tyler Bertuzzi Guelph (OHL)
2013 NHL Entry 3 79 Mattias Janmark-Nylen AIK (Sweden)
2013 NHL Entry 4 109 David Pope West Kelowna (BCHL)
2013 NHL Entry 5 139 Mitchell Wheaton Kelowna (WHL)
2013 NHL Entry 6 169 Marc McNulty Prince George (WHL)
2013 NHL Entry 7 199 Hampus Melen Tingsryd (SWE Jr)
Fast forward to 2014 and the Red Wings biggest need is once again, defense. With a multitude of names on the market such as Anton Stralman, Matt Niskanen, Dan Boyle, and Christian Ehrhoff, Holland looked to fill the need. However, he struck out yet again. Every player the Wings contacted had their sights set on somewhere else, further supporting the belief that Hockeytown is not the destination that every player desires anymore. It’s a gut-wrenching feeling with the talent, future, and pedigree that the franchise has. The Wings were forced to bring back Kyle Quincey for two years as a consolation. Quincey played better the second half of last season but is a popular whipping boy among fans. Dan Cleary was brought back, again, and both were given a raise. Cleary’s deal for 1-year is looked at as an absolute farce and could take playing time away from Tomas Jurco. Holland’s pacts with older players may not have worn off as many thought with an emergence of youth. Many fingers point to Mike Babcock and his demanding demeanor preventing players from wanting to be coached by him. This writer does not feel that this is true, as Babcock gets results, and he showed that last season with some of the biggest disadvantages he has had in his tenure with the Red Wings. It was reported today by Dan Rosen that Babcock would not sign an extension before Holland. With this break, it appears an extension may surface soon.
The 2014 draft came and went with the Holland and the Red Wings having their highest draft pick since drafting Martin Lapointe in 1991 (10th) at 15th overall. They selected Dylan Larkin out of the USA-Under 18 National Team and the pick comes with high praise. In 26 games he potted 17 goals in 26 games with 26 points. The 17-year old center is well-spoken as they come and his hard-working play speaks louder than his words. He is a hometown boy from Waterford Michigan and will be attending the University of Michigan this fall and playing under head coach Red Berenson. Holland and his braintrust may have found the franchise’s next great American stud in Larkin. The rest of the draft looked like this:
Year Lg Draft Round Overall Player Amateur Team
2014 NHL Entry 3 63 Dominic Turgeon PORTLAND (WHL)
2014 NHL Entry 4 106 Christoffer Ehn FROLUNDA JR. (SWEDEN-JR.)
2014 NHL Entry 5 136 Chase Perry WENATCHEE (NAHL)
2014 NHL Entry 6 166 Julius Vahatalo TPS JR. (FINLAND-JR.)
2014 NHL Entry 7 196 Axel Holmstrom SKELLEFTEA JR. (SWEDEN JR.) 2014 NHL Entry 7 201 Alexander Kadeykin MYTISCHI (RUSSIA)
So, in the grand scheme of things and looking at Holland’s pedigree and past few seasons of running the team, the 4-year deal given to Holland this morning, despite his setbacks and head scratching moves, is the right one. Yes, Holland has kept ties with older players (CLEARY). He has driven the fanbase crazy with overseasoning prospects. He has swung and missed in free agency. The team has regressed in the past few seasons and seems like extending the playoff streak has been their goal for a few years running versus the ultimate goal. There is an arguement for being against the term of his deal with the work he has turned in in the last four seasons. However, with the braintrust he has kept the team’s core together and set the team up for future success, despite his free agent mishaps.
The team has one of the more deeper prospect systems in the league with rookie stars previously mentioned already breaking in with way more on the way. The team has made the playoffs for 23 consecutive seasons and barring an ungodly injury plague, the team looks poised to bounce back. Holland has overseasoned prospects but it has turned out to be a smart strategy as present-day examples Gustav Nyquist (4 yrs.) and Tomas Tatar (5 yrs.) explain. With all the injuries the team had, they still managed 93 points in 2013-14. This without the services of the top five centers and their Euro-Twin combination at one point. Lots of praise goes to Babcock and this writer hopes to see an extension for him follow suit, no matter what other players on the market may think of his style. He gets results. Holland has gotten results and has built the team for more positive results going forward.
The GM controls the moves the team makes and dollar figures and years given to influence the decisions of players on the market, but does not control the preference of destination or non-hockey matters the individual has and where he wants to go in the end. Free agency and the most recent moves should not dictate Holland’s 2010s tenure, and Red Wings fans including myself, as hard and unheard of as this may be, have to be patient with the current state of the team. He did not overpay this offseason for big-name players on the market and has not in recent years, and it is too early to tell if Weiss’s contract will be thrown into that conversation. Holland has held on to the team’s core and future, testy as this may be, and has managed to keep the team competitive at the same time. Not as dominant, but still competitive. This writer does not agree with some of the more “well-known for wrong reason” moves Holland has made and has scratched his head a few times, don’t get him wrong. However, he is happy with the fact that the future is set up to be bright while at the same time the present team gives him stars of today and a peek into the stars of tomorrow; growing pains, grueling stretches, and heart-stopping moments in all.
Looking at Holland’s current Red Wings club for this coming season, the team has expectations to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs as they do every season. The team is essentially the same barring Daniel Alfredsson retiring, and with a good summer should be healthy and ready to go come training camp. Weiss as previously stated could be a difference maker healthy adding depth scoring. Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk have plenty left in the tank and when healthy can lead this team. The rookies have another year to grow along with others right on the fringe that could make appearances and contribute. The defense looks like it could get a jolt of youth this season and in coming years. Moral of the story, in a wide open Eastern Conference, Detroit has the talent and personel to surprise with their current team and this writer expects to see another great season of some (healthy) Detroit Red Wings hockey, managed by their newly re-signed GM and steady coach that hopefully is re-signed in the coming days. I trust Ken Holland, and am confident in the state of the team going forward under his watch for the next four years.
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NHL Draft information and picks courtesy of Hockey Reference
Player bios and stats courtesy of Hockey DB and NHL.com
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