The Detroit Red Wings are signing Todd McLellan after firing coach Derek Lalonde

The Detroit Red Wings fired coach Derek Lalonde on Thursday after more than two seasons and brought in veteran Todd McLellan to try to salvage the season.

The 57-year-old McLellan, who won a Stanley Cup as an assistant coach with the Red Wings in 2008, received a multi-year contract as the franchise’s 29th head coach. He has a 598-412-134 regular season record over 16 seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks, reaching the playoffs nine times. He was with the Red Wings from 2005 to 2008 and left the team after the championship season to join the Sharks.

Assistant coach Bob Boughner was also fired and Trent Yawney was hired as an assistant coach.

The coaching change followed two consecutive defeats against the Montreal Canadiens, which dropped the Red Wings to seventh place in the Atlantic Division, and a 4-0 home defeat against the St. Louis Blues, in which fans loudly booed. Detroit has lost nine of its last twelve games.

Lalonde was hired in 2022 to lead the Red Wings back to the playoffs as general manager Steve Yzerman brought in veterans to accomplish that goal after a years-long rebuild. The first-year NHL head coach was an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning for four seasons, reaching the Stanley Cup Final in his final three seasons there.

The Red Wings finished seventh in their first season, missed the playoffs last season due to a tiebreaker and are off to a 13-17-4 start this season.

Detroit lost four players who combined for 63 goals last offseason and couldn’t make up for it. Free agent signee Vladimir Tarasenko has four and 12 points. Newly signed Patrick Kane has five goals and 14 points. Injuries have also taken a toll on the team.

Breaking News

Dellupodisabato

The Detroit Red Wings are signing Todd McLellan after firing coach Derek Lalonde

Leave a Reply Cancel reply