'Butterflies' For New Wings Head Coach Jeff Blashill Before Home Opener
By: Ashley Scoby
@ashleyscoby
The awkwardness is out of the way, and now the Red Wings' new coach will take on their old one in Detroit's season opener Friday night.
Jeff Blashill, the new head man in Detroit, will lead the Wings against the Toronto Maple Leafs Friday, who is coached by Mike Babcock. Babcock left Detroit for the new gig last year, and the teams actually played each other last week in the preseason.
"It gave everybody a chance to ask some questions and gave us a chance to kind of work it out," Blashill said about the dynamic of the Wings playing against their former coach. "It's not as abnormal. Babs and I get along great. It was good to see him this week and good to see him a little bit here this morning."
In the two-game preseason series last weekend, the Red Wings won both, 4-2 on Friday and 2-1 on Saturday.
But even though he has a full preseason of coaching this team under his belt, Blashill said he is still a little nervous about the season opener at Joe Louis Arena.
"I think when you step on the bench at the beginning of any season, at the beginning of any time you take a new job – anybody that's taken a new job understands what that's like," Blashill said. "So I'm sure I will tonight, and I'd say most games I'll have little butterflies to start."
He might have reason to be nervous: The Red Wings haven't missed the playoffs since the 1989-90 season – a remarkable streak that's unique not just in hockey but in sports. The pressure to maintain that now lies firmly with a new coach in Blashill.
"It's unbelievable," he said. "Longevity success is the hardest thing to do. Short-term success can at times be easy. For our team, though, the playoffs mean one thing – it means an opportunity to compete for a Stanley Cup. … I don't think external pressure can ever match the internal pressure you put on yourselves."
The excitement of a new season in Detroit is at least partially matched by fans' excitement for a new player: 19-year-old Dylan Larkin made the opening day roster, and the young talent is seen as a potential star in the making.
"He's a complete player," Blashill said. "He does things in a very efficient fashion. He's not high risk and he seems to have real good leadership qualities. How good can he be? We believe he can be really good."
