Jeff Blashill
This one is thinking outside the box, because of his lack of success in Detroit, but hear us out. Jeff Blashill was the no-doubt replacement for Mike Babcock when he left to sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs. It seemed like he was the best possible choice of anyone in the world, but so far it hasn’t worked out. There’s a lot of reasons for that. Henrik Zetterberg retired. Pavel Datsyuk went to Russia. The young players have not developed fast enough, and the goalies have not shown up.
Now, the Devils have dealt with a very similar situation. A Russian defection, a star leaving quickly, a goalie situation that’s in the toilet. The Red Wings and Devils situation is very similar, except the Devils are at the tail end of it. No matter how bleak this season looks, we know the future is still bright. The Devils have two number-one overall picks in the lineup, and likely another top-five pick coming barring a miraculous turnaround.
Blashill has his complaints. Many fans are upset with his use of Filip Zadina, the former 1st-round pick that was supposed to be one of the answers. There could be some issues, but there’s a reason he was so sought after when Babcock left. He’s getting desperate this season, and that’s never a good look for a coach, just ask John Hynes.