Detroit Red Wings fans don't seem happy about Jeff Blashill's extension — but they get it
In a move that should really surprise no one, the rebuilding Detroit Red Wings are keeping their coach Jeff Blashill at least another season.
General manager Steve Yzerman on Tuesday said Blashill, who had just finished the final season of his contract, and the Wings organization had agreed to contract extension. Blashill is 172-221-62 in six seasons as head coach.
Yzerman said after the final game of the Wings' 19-27-10 season that a decision on Blashill's future would come quickly. Nearly two weeks later, the Wings, still expected to be a year or two from playoff contention, announced they'd keep their coach.
Detroit parted ways with assistant coach Dan Bylsma, who was in charge of forwards and the power play. Though it's not official yet, it's expected that assistant coach Doug Houda (defensemen and penalty kill) is staying.
Blashill, born in Detroit and raised in Saul Ste. Marie, was awarded a two-year extension a few weeks before Yzerman was named GM on April 19, 2019. The terms of the current agreement were not disclosed.
After one season as head coach at Western Michigan University in 2010-11, Blashill joined the Wings organization where he has been for the past 10 seasons.
Here are some of the thoughts from Wings world on Twitter:
I trust Steve Yzerman and think he will eventually get the Wings a Stanley Cup. But I think he knows that it won't be Jeff Blashill that gets him there. This extension is just a stop gap.
— Isaac (@WorldofIsaac) May 18, 2021
Here's my take on Blashill: Not the worst coach for the Wings right now. The team improved over the 19-20 season and Yzerman seems to have confidence in him.
Bylsma being gone is the real winner here. The team desperately needs a new power play scheme.— mike is vaccinated but still wears a mask (@mikelevelsup) May 18, 2021
All of these Red Wings ‘fans’ coming out of the woodwork to bash Steve Yzerman’s decision to extend Jeff Blashill really don’t get what is going on here.
— DetroitSportsNation (@detsportsnation) May 18, 2021
The Bowman-Blashill comparisons are never pretty but...
Assuming the NHL goes back to 82 games starting next year, Jeff Blashill is exactly three regular seasons away from matching the length of Scotty Bowman's Red Wings tenure. https://t.co/9PbZEJ24Jc
— Chris Burke (@ChrisBurkeNFL) May 18, 2021
I don't blame Stevie for bringing back Blashill. What's the point of adding a good coach if you know your owner probably wants to wait another year to start spending money to improve the team. This is on Ilitch and will be until they decide to be good
— Big Screamin Honkers #1 Fan (@justposa) May 18, 2021
Is it just me or is this secrecy about coach/front office contract details becoming more common?
Kinda weird they didn't say how long the extension was?
— Chris (@Breuker19) May 18, 2021
Some fans who wanted Blashill fired are now left saying “I guess Blashill is fine if Stevie Y wants him back.”
🤣 pic.twitter.com/4fNg95FCKN— George Sipple (@GeorgeSipple) May 18, 2021
Follow the Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for more news. Tyler Davis can be contacted at tjdavis@freepress.com or on Twitter @TDavisFreep.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings fans react to Jeff Blashill's extension
