Red Wings Head Coach Jeff Blashill Is Pulling a Mike Babcock Move

Detroit Red Wings Head Coach Jeff Blashill is being criticized for his line-up decisions. He has been playing veteran players who are underperforming instead of young up-and-comers. His most recent comments have fans and media members up in arms.

The Red Wings are an abysmal 7-15-3, yet Blashill has somehow managed to not be fired. He is 160-209-55 since being hired as the team's head coach in 2015. There are a number of overpaid veterans who have been placed on waivers this season, yet Blashill continues to play them over their prospects. Frans Nielsen is currently making $5.250 per year and Danny Dekeyser's cap hit is $5 million. Neither players were taken off waivers, yet Blashill continues to give them an abundant amount of ice time and play them on special teams.

Evengy Svechnikov was drafted 19th overall in 2015. Fans have enjoyed watching him play when he's in the lineup, but it seems that Blashill has wasted his key development years. He has only played three games this season and he's registered three points. It is a small sample size, but he's averaging a point per game. The Red Wings are set to face off against the Carolina Hurricanes tomorrow evening. It is Evgeny's dream to play against his brother Andrei Svechnikov, but Blashill would not commit to putting Evgeny in the lineup. Evgeny deserves to be in the lineup, period. Playing him tomorrow evening against his brother wouldn't be a favor; his place in the lineup has been earned. It appears that Blashill may pull off a Mike Babcock move and not play Evgeny in what would be a magical moment for him.

Jeff Blashill wouldn't commit to Evgeny Svechnikov being in lineup when Red Wings are at Hurricanes (home to brother, Andrei) Thursday, but said he knows how much it would mean to Evgeny.
— Helene St. James (@HeleneStJames) March 3, 2021