Snapshots: Holland, Gretzky, Ehrhoff

Ansar Khan of MLive reported today that Ken Holland will return as general manager for the Detroit Red Wings next season. Though no formal announcement has been made regarding Holland’s expiring contract, Khan seems convinced that he will be the one leading the Red Wings in 2018-19. He also suggests that Jeff Blashill could also return as head coach, despite a relatively disappointing season that has the Red Wings just five points out of last in the NHL.

Bringing Holland back would likely mean a new contract, and one that could take his name out of consideration for the job in a potential Seattle franchise. Though Holland has never indicated or even spoken about an interest in joining the expansion organization, there has been some chatter about his name as a leading candidate, especially one that the league would welcome. Detroit has some very interesting decisions to come this summer and down the road, as they try to navigate a rebuild for the first time in decades.

• Wayne Gretzky will be a household name in China if he isn’t already, that’s what Darren Dreger of TSN makes it sound like on the latest iteration of Insider Trading. Dreger reports that Gretzky will soon sign a deal to put his branding on everything from arenas to equipment in China as the country encourages more and more children to take up the sport. Gretzky is obviously still one of the most well-known names in hockey worldwide, and could still have a huge impact in the growth of the sport.
• Christian Ehrhoff has officially retired from professional hockey, but as John Vogl of the Buffalo News points out he’ll still be getting a paycheck from the Buffalo Sabres for some time. Ehrhoff, bought out in 2014 just three seasons into a ten-year contract, will remain on the Buffalo payroll through 2027-28. That’s another ten years from now, not bad for a player who only suited up 192 times for the Sabres over three seasons.