Report: Red Wings, Jeff Blashill closing in on extension in 'coming days'

Detroit — The Red Wings are nearing a contract extension with coach Jeff Blashill, according to TSN/NBCSN hockey analyst Bob McKenzie.

General manager Ken Holland and Blashill are expected “to get pen to paper and get something done” in the “coming days,” McKenzie said on NBCSN on Wednesday night.

Blashill, 45, in finishing his fourth season with the Wings and is in the final year of his contract. Blashill guided the Wings into the playoff his first season — they lost to Tampa Bay in five games — but the Wings have missed the playoffs the last three seasons as the organization began a rebuild.

Blashill has a 130-142-47 record with the Wings.

The extension isn’t any sort of surprise considering Holland basically confirmed it during a press conference after the Feb. 25 trade deadline.

Holland threw his support strong behind Blashill, and praised him for developing young players such as Dylan Larkin, Andreas Athanasiou, Tyler Bertuzzi and Anthony Mantha.

More: Jimmy Howard thrilled about staying with Red Wings another season

“He’s done a great job,” Holland said during the press conference. “You look at the standings and it’s hard to think anybody has done a great job when you see where we are in the standings. But he’s playing our young players and lots of the young players have improved under his watch.

“When I see our team go out on the power play late in a game, there’s lots of young players. The young players have grown under his watch. 

“I’m big on experience. This is his fourth year in the NHL and there’s no doubt he’s a better coach today than he was four years ago just by the experience of getting to know the NHL and the types of players it takes to play in this league.

"He’s done a real good job.”

ted.kulfan@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @tkulfan