Todd McLellan is entering his first full season as head coach of the Detroit Red Wings. Since he made the most of a bad situation when taking over last December, there is excitement around what McLellan can do with a full training camp and offseason with the team.
A key goal for the head coach will be to mold the Red Wings in his image and one way to do that is through free agency or trades. These five players have past connections with McLellan and may be targets for Detroit.
Brent Burns
A Norris Trophy winner and future Hall-of-Famer, Burns hits the market following three mostly successful seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes.
After a 61-point debut season in Carolina and a tenth-place finish in Norris voting, Burns’ production dipped in each subsequent season. He is 40 years old and is not the superstar he used to be, but is still a more than serviceable defenseman and a great leader in the locker room.
Burns is as reliable as they come, playing in 925 consecutive games. His streak is the fourth-longest in National Hockey League (NHL) history, and he has not missed a game since 2013.
McLellan coached Burns with the San Jose Sharks from 2011 to 2015, and the defenseman began to develop into a star during this time. However, it is worth noting that Burns was given more offensive freedom and fully broke out only after McLellan left.
Despite his age, Burns would be a strong addition to the Red Wings both on and off the ice. While still producing, Burns also gives a strong model for Detroit’s prospects to look up to. Between him and fellow ironman Moritz Seider, they would be one of the most reliable defensive units in the NHL regarding games played.
At this stage of his career, Burns has achieved everything in the NHL except winning a Stanley Cup. Because of that, he is not likely to join a young and developing Red Wings team unless Detroit makes significant upgrades or gives Burns a hefty contract.
Vladislav Gavrikov
Gavrikov is both connected with McLellan and has been linked to the Red Wings this offseason. The player and coach worked together for the Los Angeles Kings from 2023 to 2024.
Gavrikov’s offensive production does not leap off the page. He had 30 points this season and his career-high is 33 in 2021-22.
The Wings' interest stems from Gavrikov’s ability on the defensive end. In 82 games at 23:05 minutes per night, he blocked 140 shots, was a plus-26, and took 28 penalty minutes. He consistently limited the opposition’s best lines and emerged as one of the best defensive defensemen in the NHL.
If Detroit were to add Gavrikov, the consequences would be immense. Not only would the Wings improve in their own end and have multiple strong defensive pairings, but Gavrikov would also lighten the load on Seider and allow him to use his offensive talents more.
The main obstacle the Red Wings face in their pursuit of Gavrikov is that he is a very hot commodity. The New York Rangers, Utah Mammoth, and Boston Bruins have also been linked to the defenseman. The Kings have expressed their hope of re-signing him as well.
In spite of the stiff competition, the Red Wings should still put most of their resources towards reconnecting Gavrikov and McLellan because it would instantly revolutionize Detroit’s D-core.
Trevor Moore
Moore may not be the most attractive name, but he could be a sneaky good signing and fill a direct need for the Red Wings.
It is no secret that the bottom two forward lines in Detroit struggled last season. Moore is a relatively steady two-way player that could provide scoring, energy, and competitiveness to Detroit’s depth. He is also quite versatile, spending time on scoring lines along with penalty killing units.
There may be more scoring punch in Moore’s repertoire if given a larger opportunity. He had 31 goals and 57 points in 2023-24 when in a more featured role, but regressed a bit this season with 18 goals and 40 points.
McLellan coached Moore from 2020 to 2024 with the Kings and often complimented the forward’s capabilities on both sides of the ice.
Moore is a perfect fit for McLellan and the Wings, although he is still under contract with the Kings until 2028 at $4.2 million per year. Considering Moore’s down 2024-25 season and the Kings losing in the playoffs yet again, Los Angeles appears interested in a shake-up, so there may be an opportunity for the Wings to swoop in and steal a forward with clear upside.
Alex Laferriere
Rarely, a 23-year-old coming off a career year is already a restricted free agent, but as is the case with Laferriere.
In his second full season in the NHL, Laferriere had 19 goals and 42 points. They may not seem like spectacular numbers, but it is nearly double the production he had in his rookie year. With his young age, the sky is still the limit for what Laferriere could become.
McLellan only coached Laferriere for three quarters of a season in Los Angeles before he was fired. In that short period of time, McLellan gave the rookie high praise and consistent opportunities. This is especially significant as McLellan is a bit of an old-school coach who requires young players to prove themselves before getting playing time.
The implications of the Red Wings acquiring a player of Laferriere’s potential and giving him an expanded role are obvious. Even if Laferriere does not fully blossom into a superstar, 30 goals seems very likely and it would be a welcome addition to Detroit’s offense.
Laferriere’s RFA status complicates things a bit for the Red Wings. Detroit could likely get a contract between $3 and $5 million per year, but that is only if Los Angeles is forced to trade Laferriere and the team is currently bullish on re-signing him.
Hopefully for the Red Wings, the chaos currently surrounding the Kings continues into the offseason, and McLellan has an opportunity to reunite with one of his favorite prospects.
Connor McDavid
Let’s have some fun with this last one. Obviously, McDavid is the greatest player of his generation and is already one of the best of all time. He is likely never going to leave the Edmonton Oilers, but they said the same about Wayne Gretzky, and we all know how that ended.
The Oilers and McDavid have currently not agreed to a contract extension, and the MVP is due to hit free agency in 2026. If Edmonton somehow lets another all-time player leave, it seems more likely that McDavid would return home to Ontario and play for the Toronto Maple Leafs than anywhere else.
But, what if McDavid instead goes to a different Original Six team and reunites with the coach who broke him into the NHL? McLellan coached the Oilers for the first three seasons of his career from 2015 to 2018. The coach is often credited with giving McDavid opportunities to grow and develop, eventually evolving into the player he is today.
Although it is very improbable, there are legitimate connections between McDavid and the Red Wings, and it is not completely impossible for him to be acquired by Detroit. It only makes sense that perhaps the greatest hockey player ever winds up in a place called Hockeytown.
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