Red Wings ready to start new era under Blashill - NHL.com
He's a great young coach who is ready to coach in the NHL," Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said when introducing Blashill in June. Ten Red Wings who were part of the playoff series against the Lightning played for Blashill in Grand Rapids. I have my own approach and some things will be different," Blashill said. The Red Wings signed defenseman Mike Green and center Brad Richards on July 1, the first day of free agency. Green, 29, signed a three-year, $18 million contract, giving the Red Wings the right-handed shooting defenseman with offensive ability they had been seeking since the retirement of Brian Rafalski in 2011. "For some reason, we've just had a lot of... … We were able to add a [defenseman] who can rush the puck, create offense and quarterback the power play. Green had 10 goals and 45 points in 72 games with the Washington Capitals in 2014-15, and two assists in 14 playoff games. Holland and Blashill each said Green likely will be paired with Danny DeKeyser , who is strong defensively. Something we feel could be a good skill-set match," Blashill said. Richards signed a one-year contract which guarantees him $3 million for 2015-16 and could reach $4 million with bonuses. The 35-year-old had 12 goals and 37 points with the Chicago Blackhawks last season, and had 14 points in 23 playoff games to help them win the Stanley. Source: www.nhl.com
