I'm not letting this one go. In or out, 8 seed or 3rd in the division or golfing in April. No more ticks. No more tocks. It's time for new blood.

And that blood should be red, as in Soviet/Russian/Baltic red. As in Red Army red. As in Larionov red.

We discussed it yesterday and I take no credit for the idea's inception. But it's good.

Larionov is a hockey genius, acknowledged by everyone. He is positioning himself for a GM job during his stint as a player agent.

He has the blood of a Red Wing and, not coincidentally, he's spilled Denver blood.

He loves this organ-I-zation, or at least he has in the past.

He has a pipeline to Russian players.

He's not Ken Holland.

It's time for the Ilitch family to consider that Holland and his "team of advisors" have done nothing to make this franchise competitive, to return it to the place it belongs. I understand the Tigers are the obsession right now. I get it. And we all know time is short to get the old man what he so dearly wants. Shit. We all want it. But, if it comes at the cost of mediocrity down the street? Then sell the team to someone who will give full attention to the Wings.

That won't happen. But firing and hiring an old and new GM can and should.

I'd like an Uncle Igor. I'd like a professor. I want a rebirth and a rejuvenation, a Russian revolution.

Disregard all of that Helene. Disregard any suggestion that a front office shakeup would benefit the organ-I-zation. Jump on the easy prey. Point to Nyquist as a problem instead of the bigger, longer lasting, deeper issue: Ken Holland.

Who has the guts to say it? Which digger (Niyo?) could possibly muster the courage to say what we all know?

The game, the Cap, the league have passed him by.

Come back home Uncle Igor. We'll be good. We promise.