Ansar Khan of Mlive answers questions from the fans...

Q: I have to admit this team is better than I thought and actually fun to watch. Love the play of the young guys and the scrappy play. I thought Blashill was going to be fired earlier this season. Now I think he might come back next year. What do you think?

A: I think the organization will evaluate Blashill near the end of the season and make its decision then.

I don't think he needs to reach the playoffs to earn an extension. If the team is competitive on a consistent basis, finishes near .500 and young players continue showing growth, I think Blashill will be back.

One of Blashill's strengths as coach of the Grand Rapids Griffins was player development. That was lacking in Detroit the past two seasons. This year, Dylan Larkin has taken his game to another level. Andreas Athanasiou is competing consistently. Anthony Mantha, following a slow start, was coming on strong before his injury. Tyler Bertuzzi brings it every night. Dennis Cholowski looks good. Michael Rasmussen has gained confidence after a tough start.

This bodes well for Blashill.

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