NHL Off-Topic thread

[redsox4evur]

Quote: Originally Posted by Money99

Listened to Kenny Hollands presser on the way into work today. Clearly the only goal he and the Wings have is to continue this playoff streak. He claims that his ultimate goal is to win the Cup and you can't do that without making the playoffs. I'm sure he has to say that. Because even a dummy like Colin Campbell can see that the Wings roster isn't going to win a first-round series, let alone the Stanley Cup. So I think it's obvious this dumb streak, which began when the league had 21 teams and all but 5 made the postseason, is the only thing the team cares about.

Or Illich is a greedy bastard who just wants the revenues from hosting 2 playoff games like some other CEOs/Owners (looking at you Jacobs').

[pietasterp]

Quote: Originally Posted by redsox4evur

Or Illich is a greedy bastard who just wants the revenues from hosting 2 playoff games like some other CEOs/Owners (looking at you Jacobs').

I definitely don't think it's that...I just think he's old and it's not clear to me how many of the levers he's really pulling at this point himself (my guess is it's a lot of the family and other trusted 'inner circle' doing most of the actual decision-making these days, although that's just pure 100% speculation on my part).

I agree w/ the other posts in here...in a lot of ways, making the playoffs this year was the worst thing that could have happened to the Wings. Once that relatively meaningless streak is finally dead-and-buried, perhaps it will be a reckoning of sorts to wake everyone up that we need to actually build a team to try to win, rather than build a team that's constructed to just barely not lose more than 50% of their games.

I don't know if Holland is a dumb-a** or not, but I'd say he's starting to wear out his reputation at this point. He's still a good GM I think, but this is a "what have you done for me lately?" business, and he hasn't done much for us lately...

[dickey1331]

Quote: Originally Posted by slickdtc

Are the World Cup of Hockey commercials the actual worst? I'm leaning towards yes. Not funny.

I think they are funny

[Money99]

Quote: Originally Posted by pietasterp

I definitely don't think it's that...I just think he's old and it's not clear to me how many of the levers he's really pulling at this point himself (my guess is it's a lot of the family and other trusted 'inner circle' doing most of the actual decision-making these days, although that's just pure 100% speculation on my part). I agree w/ the other posts in here...in a lot of ways, making the playoffs this year was the worst thing that could have happened to the Wings. Once that relatively meaningless streak is finally dead-and-buried, perhaps it will be a reckoning of sorts to wake everyone up that we need to actually build a team to try to win, rather than build a team that's constructed to just barely not lose more than 50% of their games. I don't know if Holland is a dumb-a** or not, but I'd say he's starting to wear out his reputation at this point. He's still a good GM I think, but this is a "what have you done for me lately?" business, and he hasn't done much for us lately...

I got incredibly lucky a few years ago when a co-worker gave me free tickets to the Illitch's private suite to watch a Wings game.
Marion and Mike Illitch came in and Mike looked like he was doing his best Weekend at Bernie's impersonation.
He had to be helped to the private bedroom within the suite by Marion and someone else.
I was shocked at how unhealthy and feeble he looked. My friend and i were convinced he was on his death bed.
So I wouldn't be shocked if his kids were mostly running the show at this point.

That same evening everyone in the suite got a chance to meet and speak with Ken Holland and Steve Yzerman who visited for about an hour.
Both guys were amazing and Yzerman had just been named GM for Team Canada for the upcoming Olympics.
My friend and I were floored when he spoke so candidly about some players he felt were on the bubble to make the team. He was full-on disclosing which guys he was thinking about adding to the roster.
At the time, he considered Ryan Getzlaf and Mike Green as bubble-players. Incredible.

ANYWAY... great guy. Very cordial, friendly and put on no airs.

Ken Holland was also terrific. Extremely nice, approachable and easy to talk with.
We talked about his role and how he liked his job (he loves it, BTW) and how much we all love hockey.

So it kind of saddens me to bad mouth him because I believe he's a genuinely nice guy and competent at his job.
But I do believe this team needs to decide what it is, and that's up to KH to make that happen.
If you're going for it, then make some aggressive moves (ala Jim Nill!) to put you over the hump.
If you can't do that, start selling off pieces and look to give the kids a bigger role.

The biggest issue is finding that #1 dman. An issue 90% of the league faces, I know.
But he has to get at least another decent #2 on the roster. Kronwall is the only dman that fits that bill, IMO.
The Blues really don't have a true #1, but they're so strong overall. Start looking at that model.

[redsox4evur]

Quote: Originally Posted by Money99

The Blues really don't have a true #1, but they're so strong overall. Start looking at that model.

You had me up until this...the Blues don't have a true #1
Good to know that a guy that has finished in the top 5 of the Norris vote twice in the last 4 years (not including this season as we don't know where he will finish) and is still in his mid 20's isn't a true #1 Dman.

[Money99]

Quote: Originally Posted by redsox4evur

You had me up until this...the Blues don't have a true #1 Good to know that a guy that has finished in the top 5 of the Norris vote twice in the last 4 years (not including this season as we don't know where he will finish) and is still in his mid 20's isn't a true #1 Dman.

Sorry, forgot about A.P. D'oh!

[redsox4evur]

Quote: Originally Posted by Money99

Sorry, forgot about A.P. D'oh!

No problem, I think he was hurt some this year too. So that's probably why you forgot about him.

[Psyblast]

LOL Bruce Boudreau fired. LOL.