It’s been a long, long time since the Detroit Red Wings have made the playoffs – too long, if you’re a Hockeytown resident who grew up with Stanley Cup parades and division titles.
While the Wings have come close a number of times in recent years, they haven’t quite sealed the deal.
With NHL training camps open, hope springs eternal, and the Motor City is not immune. Last year, GM Steve Yzerman dismissed coach Derek Lalonde after a 13-17-4 start, replacing him with veteran bench boss Todd McLellan. Detroit went 26-18-4 the rest of the way, which, hypothetically, means they could have been a playoff team had they played at that pace all year. Coming into this season, Detroit’s stars are excited about what a full year of McLellan could mean for their fortunes.
“I played a lot better under him when we made the switch,” said future Hall of Famer Patrick Kane. “The team started playing more aggressive and playing better. As you get older you want to win, and I think we can do that there. That’s the goal, to get into the playoffs. We really feel we’re on the verge, and we should do it this year.”
The Detroit job brings McLellan’s NHL journey full circle. His first gig in the league was as an assistant coach with the Red Wings, where he won a Stanley Cup under Mike Babcock. After that, he got the head coaching job in San Jose, where he guided the Sharks to back-to-back conference finals. Most recently, he was in Los Angeles, where his Kings ran into Connor McDavid and the Oilers twice in a row (before that, he coached McDavid himself in Edmonton).
And while he hasn’t even been in Detroit for a whole season yet, the Red Wings have faith in McLellan.
“Todd really preaches details a lot,” said right winger Alex DeBrincat. “You can make mistakes, but if you work hard, you’re gonna be on his good side. He wants 100 percent out of everyone at all times. He’ll hold you accountable for mistakes, so don’t do it again.”
Explaining the methods behind certain strategies is also a strength, DeBrincat noted.
“Some guys don’t like dumping the puck in, but if a certain play calls for it, he’s going to tell you what happens next that can really improve the team game,” he said. “He thinks the game really well, which is fun to be a part of. You’re not just skating around and getting nothing accomplished. He’s got a plan for you.”
With the likes of Kane, DeBrincat, Lucas Raymond and Dylan Larkin up front, the Wings have weapons. Moritz Seider and Simon Edvinsson continue to grow on the blueline, while veteran John Gibson arrives from Anaheim with a ton of experience and a chip on his shoulder to prove he can still be a top-flight NHL netminder. The Wings play in the toughest division in hockey, and even a wild-card spot in the East will take a strong effort, but it’s not outside the realm of possibility – the drought could certainly end this season.
“We feel good,” DeBrincat said. “We made a couple moves this summer that should help us out, and overall, we’ve been doing this, at least in my time, two years in a row and a year prior to that where we just missed, so it’s time for us to step up.”
Red Wings fans could not agree more.
For
action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue,
subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by
subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on
THN.com.
Read the full article here
