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Blashill won't return as coach of Red Wings next season
Was second longest-tenured in NHL; Detroit failed to make playoffs each of past six seasons
Jeff Blashill will not return as coach of the Detroit Red Wings next season, the team announced Saturday.
The Red Wings failed to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs in six of the 48-year-old's seven seasons with them. He was the second longest-tenured coach in the NHL behind Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning (10 seasons).
Blashill was 204-261-72, ranking sixth in Red Wings history in wins and fifth in games coached (537). He was named coach June 9, 2015, replacing Mike Babcock, who left for the same position with the Toronto Maple Leafs on May 20, 2015. In his first season, Detroit qualified for the playoffs and lost to Tampa Bay in five games in the Eastern Conference First Round. The Red Wings have not qualified or finished higher than fifth in their division since then.
They were 32-40-10 this season and finished sixth in the Atlantic Division, 26 points out of a playoff spot.
Detroit ranked 25th in the NHL in goals per game (2.77), 31st in goals-against per game (3.78), 26th on the power play (16.3 percent) and last on the penalty kill (73.8 percent).
"The arc of the organization is headed in the right direction, there's no doubt about that," Blashill said after a season-ending 5-3 win against the New Jersey Devils on Friday. "I think there's positives to be looked at from the year. I think there were times this year where our team showed really, really great and extraordinary-type sacrifice. There were times this year, when we played our best hockey, that we were as good as anybody and we beat a number of good teams.
"We stayed in the playoff race longer than we have in the last couple of years."
Assistant coach Doug Houda and goaltending coach Jeff Salajko also will not return next season.
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instead, Nashville gets Colorado, while Dallas gets Calgary
Nashville might be sneaky here, they have a playoff style roster also. Thing really compromising their chances is the current injury to goalie Saros, simply cannot win this series without him. I'll assume he will give it a go, but may not be effective. As with most injuries, us on the outside are left to guess about the seriousness of the injury (or more often injuries not disclosed at all, until maybe after the post-season).Leave a comment:
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Maple Leafs resting stars despite having small say in Round 1
With home-ice advantage already locked up, the Maple Leafs will roll with a rare seven-defenceman lineup and spread minutes around with its depth forwards Friday, calling up Marlies forward Joey Anderson as a placeholder.
If the visiting Bruins can defeat the Leafs and the Islanders beat the Lightning in any fashion, or if the Bruins earn a point in Toronto and the Isles take care of business in any fashion, we’re staring at another Bruins-Leafs tilt in Round 1.
Otherwise, the Leafs will draw Tampa and wild-card Boston will cross over to face the Metropolitan Division–winning Carolina Hurricanes.
Juicy stuff for an otherwise meaningless game. (Especially when you consider the Islanders may be inspired to exact some small revenge on the club that ended their 2021 playoff run in dramatic style.)
“Because we played Tampa twice recently and because there was a higher probability of playing them, we focused on that. And yet, we have this game of Boston here, so we've been looking at them as well,” Keefe said.
“You playing to win and coaching to win tonight, while being mindful of players’ minutes.”
Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy, winner of four straight, won’t speak to his lineup until 4:30 p.m. ET but indicated he, too, will rest some of his top-line players for the post-season.
“I fully suspect Boston is going to be a shell of themselves tonight here as well — and they could still move in the standings,” Keefe said.
“From my understanding of it, Tampa is really tight to the cap and doesn't have much of flexibility to move their lineup around.”
Wayne Simmonds doesn’t have much time for these reindeer games, however.
“Two really good teams,” Simmonds said. “But the focus, I think, should be on ourselves.”
Heck of a reward for the greatest regular season in franchise history: Do you want to face the two-time defending Stanley Cup champs? Or the franchise that left you gutted following Game 7 in three of your past six trips to the dance?
“We’ve put ourselves in a good spot. No matter who it's gonna end up being, Boston or Tampa, it’s a significant challenge. Both teams are playing extremely well,” Keefe said.
“That we’re in Game 82 and there's nothing really separating them in the standings shows just how good they are. The fact that we didn't clinch home ice until Game 81, despite setting franchise records and having a terrific season, shows just how tight the division is.
“So, we're ready for a battle — no matter who it is.”
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Auston Matthews' transcendent season reached one of its highest peaks yet Tuesday night. The Toronto Maple Leafs star scored his 60th goal of the year against the Detroit Red Wings, making him the first U.S.-born player and only the third active NHL player in the 60-goal club.
The goal made Matthews Toronto's first 60-goal player as no NHL player has scored 60-plus since Steven Stamkos in 2011-12.Leave a comment:
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Kings clinch berth, to play Oilers in first round of Stanley Cup Playoffs
Los Angeles in postseason for first time since 2017-18; series will start in Edmonton
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I took Minnesota futures right after the trade deadline, to win the West and the Cup. Not sure if they really will accomplish either, but I liked the trade moves and felt the futures had good value at that time (current odds suggest that was correct).
I think Wild can make it to the Conference final. Do not see them losing in the first round this year. The difficult part is St.Louis has been awesome against them head-to-head. Also the Wild have no playoff pedigree. But they are playing much more exciting style of game than in years past. And they have some big boys for the playoff style.
Anyway just wanted to give my opinion on this series.Leave a comment:
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Ovechkin day to day for Capitals with upper-body injury
Forward left loss to Maple Leafs in third period after crashing into boards
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Leafs have signed Minnesota State goaltender Dryden McKay, winner this year's Hobey Baker Award as NCAA's top player.Leave a comment:
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Current playoff matchups
Eastern Conference
A1 Florida Panthers vs. WC2 Washington Capitals
A2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. A3 Tampa Bay Lightning
M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC1 Boston Bruins
M2 New York Rangers vs. M3 Pittsburgh Penguins
Western Conference
C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC2 Dallas Stars
C2 Minnesota Wild vs. C3 St. Louis Blues
P1 Calgary Flames vs. WC1 Nashville Predators
P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. P3 Los Angeles KingsLeave a comment:
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and the Canucks are pretty much out of hope for a Wild Card spot with that loss, although still mathematically alive with 3 games remaining on their schedule. It was a good fight, after such a bad start to the season.Leave a comment:
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Flames' Tkachuk scored 40th vs Stars earlier this week and teammate Lindholm got his 40th last night vs Canucks.Leave a comment:
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Former Manchester Monarchs' forward Bokondji Imama became the 725th former ECHL player to reach the National Hockey League when he debuted with the Arizona Coyotes on Friday against Washington.Leave a comment:
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Guy Lafleur, the flashy high-scoring Hall of Fame winger from the Montreal Canadiens’ 1970s dynasty, has died. He was 70.Leave a comment:
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Lightning struck Leafs last night in late season bid for 2 seed, 8-1 ouch!Leave a comment:
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Andersen out at least one week for Hurricanes with lower-body injury
Carolina 'definitely concerned' for goalie; forward Staal likely to return Thursday
Frederik Andersen will be out at least one week for the Carolina Hurricanes because of a lower-body injury.
"It's a big concern," coach Rod Brind'Amour said after practice Wednesday. "Goaltending is the most important part of the deal, so we're definitely concerned."
Andersen sustained the injury during the third period of a 7-4 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday while extending his left leg to make a save.
"Give me a week and we can reassess," Brind'Amour said. "We've got to give it time to see where it's at."
Andersen is tied for sixth among NHL goalies in wins (35-14-3), is second in goals-against average (2.17) behind Igor Shesterkin of the New York Rangers (2.05) and is tied for sixth in save percentage (.922) among goalie to play at least 10 games. He also has four shutouts.
Antti Raanta made 23 saves for the Hurricanes in a 5-3 win against the Arizona Coyotes on Monday. Pyotr Kochetkov was recalled from Chicago of the American Hockey League on an emergency basis Sunday and was the backup goalie. He has yet to make his NHL debut.
Raanta is 13-5-4 with a 2.46 GAA, .912 save percentage and two shutouts in 25 games (23 starts).
The Hurricanes (49-20-8) are tied with the Rangers for first in the Metropolitan Division.
"We're still playing for something," Brind'Amour said. "I think we're going to go day to day on how we approach [the goaltending]. You don't want to get rusty and you want to stay in rhythm."
Jordan Staal, who did not play against the Coyotes because of an upper-body injury, is expected to return on Thursday when the Hurricanes host the Winnipeg Jets. The forward was injured after scoring two goals against Colorado on Saturday.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi, a forward who played two games after missing eight with a lower-body injury, will miss his second straight game.
"I don't think it's anything serious, but it's related to the injury he had before," Brind'Amour said. "He's not 100 percent. No reason to put (him) in."
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Boston making a run to oust Tampa from 3 seed. Both teams play tomorrow night. Boston @ Pittsburgh, Toronto @ Tampa.Leave a comment:
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