Fans and media react to the Detroit Red Wings releasing Derek Lalonde and bringing in Todd McLellan
News

Fans and media react to the Detroit Red Wings releasing Derek Lalonde and bringing in Todd McLellan

Posted on by Amelia Pressman

Another change is taking place in “Hockeytown.”

As the Detroit Red Wings continue to struggle to recapture the glory of years past, the team decided Thursday to fire coach Derek Lalonde and bring in veteran Todd McLellan to take over the team.

It wasn’t a successful tenure for Lalonde, who took the head coaching job in 2022 hoping to get Detroit back to the playoffs for the first time since 2016. It never worked; The Red Wings finished seventh in their first season and missed the playoffs last season due to a tiebreaker. The team is off to a 13-17-4 start this season and has lost nine of its last 12 games, causing frustration among the fan base.

Now McLellan will step in with the hopes of turning the season around and lifting Detroit out of the basement of the Eastern Conference.

Derek Lalonde was hired by the Detroit Red Wings in 2022 after spending four seasons as an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning.Derek Lalonde was hired by the Detroit Red Wings in 2022 after spending four seasons as an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Derek Lalonde was hired by the Detroit Red Wings in 2022 after spending four seasons as an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Social media reaction to Lalonde’s firing and McLellan’s takeover

The coaching change in Detroit was the talk of hockey on social media Thursday, with fans and NHL media voicing their opinions. People also pointed out that general manager Steve Yzerman hasn’t had much success since taking over in 2019.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Red Wings fire Derek Lalonde, hire Todd McLellan: Social reaction

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *