The Detroit Red Wings are on the brink of elimination following a disappointing loss to the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday night, but fans should have hope for next season and the leadership skills of Todd McLellan.
Derek Lalonde wasn't a bad coach but was missing a few key ingredients that a high caliber needs at this level. For one, he's not a motivator. So when things got tough, and the players needed extra ebullience, Lalonde couldn't provide that. As a result, he was fired in December and replaced by Todd McLellan, who has made the playoffs nine times out of the 14 seasons he has been head coach, including six with the San Jose Sharks, one with the Edmonton Oilers, and two with the Los Angeles Kings.
Yes, this season is probably a no-go but had Steve Yzerman not fired Lalonde and assistant coach Bob Boughner, the playoffs would have been entirely out of the question. This change put them within reach of the playoffs.
Todd McLellan thrives around experience and motivation, which the Detroit Red Wings need
Maintaining that veteran presence will be crucial. McLellan is the type of guy who isn't timid when it comes to confronting players for their lack of quality play. When he called out Dylan Larkin last month, that was exactly the type of tough love that the younger players should have been paid close attention to.
Think about the New England Patriots when Bill Belichick was criticizing Tom Brady in front of the entire team. What message did that send? It didn't matter if you were the best player, the worst player, or the most average, everyone got treated the same. So, if Tyler Motte is getting criticized in the same fashion as J.T. Compher and Patrick Kane, everyone is on the same playing field.
However, there are potential caveats. The sport and the world have changed in various degrees. The confrontational style of a Herb Brooks or a Mike Babcock is no longer ubiquitous.
Look at Jon Cooper with the Tampa Bay Lightning or Jared Bednar with the Colorado Avalanche. In other words, the younger guys may not be entirely on board with the idea of being called out in the media or lambasted. But that's precisely why having people like Kane and Cam Talbot are very important. Kane, of course, won three Stanley Cups under the tutelage of Joel Quenneville and the Chicago Blackhawks, and Cam Talbot spent time with Alain Vigneault, a 19-year NHL veteran-turned-coach as a member of the New York Rangers.
If there are any battle wounds from an instance of tough love, it's on the experienced players to step in and assure the younger guys that it's just their way of trying to get the most out of their potential. The Wings can win. There's no doubt about that, but can they recover from years of adversity?
McLellan can teach them a thing or two. The Sharks fired him after they missed the playoffs for the first time under his leadership. He had a mixed bag of success with the Oilers, but he was given the pink slip. And despite making the playoffs twice with the Kings, he was also shown the door.
The players aren't the only ones with something to prove. McLellan does as well. And this group of players, or at least a majority of them, will find out what they're made of next season. Don't be surprised if the Red Wings finally break the playoff dry spell in 2026.
How Wings will make it happen
As aforementioned in our previous story, the Wings need to make some strategic adjustments on the penalty kill (PK). The PK is the worst in the league. Furthermore, depth scoring has been an issue all season. Translation: don't rely on one player to do all the magic. It's a team effort.
On the bright side, since bringing on McLellan, there is a renewed sense of urgency. The players are playing for each other, and they care about one another. That's the blueprint, and it's fantastic, but now it's about getting the right pieces in the proper places. And Coach McLellan should receive a vote of confidence from every Red Wings fan that next season will be much improved.