'Swedish Mafia' running the show in Motown

[yave1964]

Whoo boy, it looks like the truth is coming out in Detroit as to what has occurred with some of the Wings more curious roster moves down the stretch. If what is coming out is even half true, it is ugly. Very ugly in fact.

   First: the curious roster moves.

 

Anthony Mantha had been recalled by the Wings and warts and all the power play improved. Not even by a little, but by a considerable amount. But right before the postseason Mantha was sent down and Joakim Andersson who sucks was recalled.

  Then Brendan Smith who was solid all year long was benched just in time for the postseason. Jonathan Ericsson who had an awful year played 20 plus minutes a night most every night.

  The Detroit sportswriters had been hinting for some time that first year coach Jeff Blashill had lost the room, that the very vocal Captain Zetterberg and defensemanNiklas Kronwall were running the show and demanding that fellow Swedes be allowed to play over anyone else. The Wings have long had the most Euros of anyone in the league but managed to live in harmony. Rumors are that the clubhouse is divided between North American players verus Euros, veteran graybeards and young and hungry kids.  Now it appears the rumors have grown louder as the Wings fell to the Bolts in 5 games.

  When Mike  Babcock moved on for Toronto Blue and Canadian Green at the end of last year Zetterberg surprised me by stating that a coach can stay too long in one place and it was probably past time that Babs moved on. In truth, it caused me to raise an eyebrow but I thought, maybe it was lost in translation. Now it looks as if it is more than possible the inmates are running the asylum.

  Rumors from multiple sources say that Blashill would have a team meeting, going through X's and O's and no sooner would he leave the room than Zetterberg or Kronwall would stand up and say, 'okay he is gone, this is how we are really going to do things.'

  Supposedly the locker room is divided, quite a few young Wing players who played for Blash in Grand Rapids are backing the coach, while a lot of the vets are ignoring the coach and lining up behind Zetterberg and Kronner. A divided locker room over who runs the team. Never good. Something that quite frankly I can never remember occurring in Detroit. Oh maybe when Probert was having his problems, Norwood and snepts among others hated the special treatment he was receiving from management but this is different.

  If true and too many sources point to it being so the Wings could be in bigger trouble than just losing in the first round again and possibly getting ready to lose Datsyuk forever to Russia.

 I can see no justification for playing Andersson over Mantha, for playing Ericsson over Smith. Quite a few of the young Wings have went to the press defending Blashill while hiding behind anonymity out of fear of the Swedish Mafia coming after them.  As much as I love Kronner and Z if this is not addressed and soon it will permanently tarnish both of their reputations irrevocably and likely ruin the Wings for years.

  It reminds me of a Soap Opera, but instead of being named While the World Turns, it should be titled, While Kenny Holland Slept.

[TropicalFruitGirl26]

Ruh roh...move over stromboli, make way for swedish meatballs as THE official rounded food of Detroit, MI....

 

[SpikeDDS]

@yave1964

 

This is, so far, the only explanation which half-explains what's going on, but it doesn't explain everything.

 

It might explain why Athanasiou only played 5 minutes of every game, but to me it doesn't explain why Mantha is in GR unless Blash just totally relented. I don't see him as the type. Whereas Z and the Mafia might be able to influence playing time once someone is on the bench for a game, it seems harder to think that they can control who is and is not on it. I thought Athanasiou played in the top 5 for the Wings as far as making the most of his TOI. The only reason he wasn't higher than that was that he only played 5-8 minutes per game!

 

Another thing that doesn't quite fit is Andersson's playing time. Dude was playing a little more than a minute per game, TOI. First of all, it makes little sense to have someone on your bench like that and not play him. Just to rest others, if nothing else. But if the Mafia was in charge, you would think Andersson's TOI would be higher. It wasn't.

 

While there may be SOME legitimacy to favoritism toward Swedes coming from team leadership--and I agree that probably the strongest evidence is Ericsson's playing time vs. Smith's...I don't understand that either--it isn't all fitting for me. Having said that, it is OBVIOUS that the remaining Swedish talent is not enough to make us good, and that toward the end of the season, some of our best players were the young guys, so this cannot continue if is has, in fact, been true to a significant degree.  It is time for the personnel shift to...well...shift into high gear.

[yave1964]

18 hours ago, SpikeDDS said:

@yave1964

 

This is, so far, the only explanation which half-explains what's going on, but it doesn't explain everything.

 

It might explain why Athanasiou only played 5 minutes of every game, but to me it doesn't explain why Mantha is in GR unless Blash just totally relented. I don't see him as the type. Whereas Z and the Mafia might be able to influence playing time once someone is on the bench for a game, it seems harder to think that they can control who is and is not on it. I thought Athanasiou played in the top 5 for the Wings as far as making the most of his TOI. The only reason he wasn't higher than that was that he only played 5-8 minutes per game!

 

Another thing that doesn't quite fit is Andersson's playing time. Dude was playing a little more than a minute per game, TOI. First of all, it makes little sense to have someone on your bench like that and not play him. Just to rest others, if nothing else. But if the Mafia was in charge, you would think Andersson's TOI would be higher. It wasn't.

 

While there may be SOME legitimacy to favoritism toward Swedes coming from team leadership--and I agree that probably the strongest evidence is Ericsson's playing time vs. Smith's...I don't understand that either--it isn't all fitting for me. Having said that, it is OBVIOUS that the remaining Swedish talent is not enough to make us good, and that toward the end of the season, some of our best players were the young guys, so this cannot continue if is has, in fact, been true to a significant degree.  It is time for the personnel shift to...well...shift into high gear.

It is growing legs and getting bigger, this story. If true it has long reaching implications.

  If Blash has lost the room and respect from the vets, he almost certainly should go. He wont get it back from them, they would need to bring in a Randy Carlyle type to reclaim the room. If Z and Kronner are that big of horses Asses as the articles are implying they certainly wont be traded, it would take a stronger person than the laid back Blashill to run the team.

  And what a message it would send to the kids. Most of them love Blash but if they see the Swedes run out a coach, what happens in a few years when they are gone and AA and Larkin decide they dont like the coach. Do they follow the example they were shown by the vets and run to Holland and run out the coach?

  I dont like it at all.

[SpikeDDS]

10 hours ago, yave1964 said:

It is growing legs and getting bigger, this story. If true it has long reaching implications.

  If Blash has lost the room and respect from the vets, he almost certainly should go. He wont get it back from them, they would need to bring in a Randy Carlyle type to reclaim the room. If Z and Kronner are that big of horses Asses as the articles are implying they certainly wont be traded, it would take a stronger person than the laid back Blashill to run the team.

  And what a message it would send to the kids. Most of them love Blash but if they see the Swedes run out a coach, what happens in a few years when they are gone and AA and Larkin decide they dont like the coach. Do they follow the example they were shown by the vets and run to Holland and run out the coach?

  I dont like it at all.

UNLESS Blash just basically says, "OK, you guys did it your way, now I'm gonna do it mine." He won't be able to do it without Holland's say-so AND moving people to make the point. Holland's gotta back whatever coach they choose to go with moving a Swede or 3 and saying to the rest of the remaining players, "You're gonna do this our way and ACTUALLY PLAY, or you GO!" It doesn't matter if he brings in a new coach if the Swedes don't think they are threatened. If necessary, you trade Zetterberg (or does he have a no-trade?) to make the point.

 

I've been saying this for 3 years. You are my witness. I have said that it is time for the Wings to make some painful short-term decisions for the sake of the long-term. I said to end the streak AT LEAST 2 years ago. It may have been 3. They have NOT done it. They only made changes when they were FORCED to do so, other than Larkin, and even that almost seemed forced by the press and for the sake of immediate ticket sales. They are LONG OVERDUE for making harsh changes to allow a rebuild. I'd rather be out of the playoffs for 2 years and being competitive in 5-6 years than continuing the streak for that whole time and being ousted in the 1st 2 rounds every time. I still say the same principle, but now the costs may be higher than they would have been 2 years ago to do those things.

 

Honestly, this HAS to start with Holland and /or Illitch. (If he decides that Holland should answer for what has happened under his watch of late, I could see Blash staying, although the chances of Illitch canning KH are VERY low.) But Holland HAS to retake control of the room. No coach, even a new one, can do it alone. Not Blash. Not Bowman! there MUST be unwanted consequences if there is non-compliance.

 

Did ya see Moneyball? That is EXACTLY what Holland needs to do if there is ANY significant truth to the rumors. Look them DEAD in the eye and say, "I can do this all day!" Quickly. Decisively. Give Abby or Larkin the C if Z won't play ball. (Dunno, if Larkin is ready yet. I'd go with Abby.) There is NO sense keeping players who have talent but who REFUSE to get with the program! They are USELESS. Worse, they are a HINDRANCE!

 

The goal is to compete for a Cup! To return to that form as quickly, and more importantly, as WELL as we can, never sacrificing the latter for the former. There is more than one way to do that, but THIS way is NOT working for this group, and since we don't PLAN to change the group, we MUST change the tactics. You don't wanna play along? Babs would probably take Z.

 

But once again, this HAS TO start from the top. How systemic this is will determine how deep the cuts will have to go, but cut they must. It won't work until the VAST majority of the core of players that remain either believe in what the organization is doing or else understands that NO ONE is irreplaceable, including themselves.

 

IF the rumors are true!

[WingNut722]

@yave1964 @SpikeDDS

 

I personally don't give this theory a whole lot of creedance.  Like Spike said, it doesn't all add up.  It seems more likely that Blash decided to simply go with veterans (using the term loosely) in establishing his playoff roster.  This appears to be why Andersson was called in to replace Mantha.  Andersson is the NHL playoff "veteran" over Mantha.  Same thing with Ericsson over Smith.  Ericsson has many more years in the playoff's to Smith's.  Marchenko was likely kept on for the sake of his right-hand shot.  

 

This was Blash's first foray into the NHL playoffs and I think he was going top play it as safe as he could.  Hell, even Dylan Larkin was thrown off by the nature of the beast.  I read an article which indicated Zetterberg commented that he would like to see what Anthanasiou could do if he plaid 18 minutes a game.  When Blash heard it, he responded by asking if Zetterberg would be willing to give up his minutes to allow that.  

 

Blash simply wanted hard experience on the ice whenever possible.  Brendan Smith was only brought on after Blash was convinced Marchenko wasn't producing.  Mantha's presence may have improved the power play, but it was by no means "good".  So, in Blash's eyes, Andersson's playoff experience (what little of it there is) was preferred over the rookie.

[yave1964]

40 minutes ago, WingNut722 said:

@yave1964 @SpikeDDS

 

I personally don't give this theory a whole lot of creedance.  Like Spike said, it doesn't all add up.  It seems more likely that Blash decided to simply go with veterans (using the term loosely) in establishing his playoff roster.  This appears to be why Andersson was called in to replace Mantha.  Andersson is the NHL playoff "veteran" over Mantha.  Same thing with Ericsson over Smith.  Ericsson has many more years in the playoff's to Smith's.  Marchenko was likely kept on for the sake of his right-hand shot.  

 

This was Blash's first foray into the NHL playoffs and I think he was going top play it as safe as he could.  Hell, even Dylan Larkin was thrown off by the nature of the beast.  I read an article which indicated Zetterberg commented that he would like to see what Anthanasiou could do if he plaid 18 minutes a game.  When Blash heard it, he responded by asking if Zetterberg would be willing to give up his minutes to allow that.  

 

Blash simply wanted hard experience on the ice whenever possible.  Brendan Smith was only brought on after Blash was convinced Marchenko wasn't producing.  Mantha's presence may have improved the power play, but it was by no means "good".  So, in Blash's eyes, Andersson's playoff experience (what little of it there is) was preferred over the rookie.

IDK, I am not usually one to buy into every conspiracy theory out there, but this one would not surprise me. Z and Kronner may not be as bad as portrayed in several articles, but it may be a case of two grizzled vets not wanting to let a rookie coach make the decisions that affect what little future they ahve left. I think there is likely in this particular tale some truth.

[SpikeDDS]

1 hour ago, WingNut722 said:

@yave1964 @SpikeDDS

Blash simply wanted hard experience on the ice whenever possible.  Brendan Smith was only brought on after Blash was convinced Marchenko wasn't producing.  Mantha's presence may have improved the power play, but it was by no means "good".  So, in Blash's eyes, Andersson's playoff experience (what little of it there is) was preferred over the rookie.

Uh, actually, during Mantha's 10 games our PP was almost 40%. I don't know about you, but I would call that "good." Not that you could attribute ALL of that to Mantha's presence directly, but it still was what it was!

 

And I'm thinking the same thing.

 

The source for this rumor appears to be one blogger who quotes an unnamed player in the Red Wing locker room who supposedly made his comments on condition of anonymity so as to avoid the repercussions from the alleged "Swedish Mafia." I have seen multiple articles about it, but I haven't seen or heard of another source confirming the reliability of the information. Just using the same source.

 

Whether it's true or not, the best we can truly say about it's veracity is that it is hearsay from an anonymous source. Must be taken with AT LEAST a grain of salt.

[WingNut722]

@SpikeDDS

 

Okay 40% is good.  I didn't realize the number was that high.  Still, Mantha only had 2 points on the power play (both goals), and I still find it hard to believe that one guy can ignite a power play like that just by being in the arena (much less on the ice)

[SpikeDDS]

23 minutes ago, WingNut722 said:

@SpikeDDS

 

Okay 40% is good.  I didn't realize the number was that high.  Still, Mantha only had 2 points on the power play (both goals), and I still find it hard to believe that one guy can ignite a power play like that just by being in the arena (much less on the ice)

And I am RIGHT THERE with you. Except at the end of that playoff series, when your PP is 1-fer-21 and you are down 3-1 in the series, and just went 0-fer in the last game, you HAVE TO at least SEE if his presence once again makes any difference. You owe it to the team and the fans to go down swinging!

 

I woulda done it in game 4, but you can MAYBE argue no for that game because Richards scored his PP goal in game 3. But for game 5? No way. Makes absolutely NO sense to me. Defies all reason. Only argument would be gut instinct, and the answer to that would be, "So down 3-1 in the series and with a PP that is 1-for-21, and you just went 0-fer in Game 4, how is that working for you?

 

<crickets>

[WingNut722]

@SpikeDDS 

 

Yes, I will agree to that too.  You do have to try everything when you're down in that hole.  We can argue all day long about a coach's decision to send down Mantha, but I think the bigger enigma is why he replaced him Joaquim Andersson.  THAT defies all reason.  There is absolutely no positive to it.  

[SpikeDDS]

3 minutes ago, WingNut722 said:

@SpikeDDS 

 

Yes, I will agree to that too.  You do have to try everything when you're down in that hole.  We can argue all day long about a coach's decision to send down Mantha, but I think the bigger enigma is why he replaced him Joaquim Andersson.  THAT defies all reason.  There is absolutely no positive to it.  

Actually, I think Andersson did better than Jurco would have done. He actually DID contribute a little in the short TOI he was given. I just think it was useless to call him up and then play him for 90 seconds. Why bother? I don't LOVE Andersson, but for a playoff game, his PK ability is usually better than Jurco's overall game is, so if you are eliminating Mantha from consideration, I don't have a beef with choosing Andersson over Jurco. I might have pulled the trigger on Pulks, but definitely Andy over Jurco in a playoff game.

 

I just don't understand why neither Pulks nor Mantha were employed to improve the PP. I get why to not do Pulks, because the PP didn't improve significantly when they played him. But you can't say the same for Mantha. The PP was a monster when he was here playing. You can try to dismiss it by saying coincidence, but the numbers don't lie. Maybe it was just the chemistry that he added to the PP unit. Maybe it was adjustments by defenses having to deal with his big body, wearing them out. I can't say for sure. What I CAN say is that our PP thrived while he was here.