The Detroit Red Wings on Thursday fired head coach Derek Lalonde following a 13-17-4 begin to the season, together with a stretch of 9 losses of their previous 12 video games.
Lalonde, employed to take over following the lengthy and tough tenure of Jeff Blashill, completed with a file of 89-86-23 in two-plus seasons. The Pink Wings rank twenty eighth within the NHL by factors share popping out of the vacation break and are seventh within the Atlantic Division, so the transfer is not shocking.
Former Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks head coach Todd McLellan is changing Lalonde.
McLellan, who rose up the teaching ranks as an assistant in Detroit within the 2000s, is thought for the defensive acumen. In 16 seasons as a coach, he has three 50-win finishes, 5 100-point seasons and 9 journeys to the playoffs.
However McLellan has not gained a playoff sequence as a head coach since 2016-17 with Edmonton. He additionally drew some criticism for player development issues in Los Angeles, although he did successfully shepherd the Kings out of a rebuild and again into the playoffs for 2 consecutive seasons.
Detroit, one of many NHL’s Authentic Six groups, has not made the playoffs since 2015-16 and is doubtlessly staring down a ninth consecutive season with out making the postseason. That will be the longest playoff drought for an Authentic Six group in league historical past.
Lalonde’s tenure included a close to miss final season. Detroit, mathematically alive for a playoff spot on the ultimate day of the season, in the end missed the playoffs in a tiebreaker with the Washington Capitals.
Outcomes have been usually blended throughout Lalonde’s tenure. Former No. 4 total choose Lucas Raymond made large strides as a top-six winger in Detroit. The group was additionally getting large minutes and offensive upside from 21-year-old rookie defenseman Simon Edvinsson earlier than he suffered an harm earlier in December.
Nevertheless, there was a drop-off amongst veteran gamers akin to winger Patrick Kane. The longer term Corridor of Famer has struggled (14 factors in 29 video games) and graded out poorly by Pure Stat Trick’s anticipated objectives mannequin at 40.15 %.
The Pink Wings struggled in quite a few areas this season, significantly scoring at 5-on-5 and on the penalty kill. They’re thirty first within the NHL in objectives for per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 (1.94), final in photographs for per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 (23.55) and last in Pure Stat Trick’s anticipated objectives for per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 (2.07).
In the meantime, on the penalty kill they’re thirty first in effectivity (68.8) and thirty first in objectives in opposition to per 60 minutes (11.85). Solely the New York Islanders penalty kill has been worse in these metrics.
Detroit will resume play following the vacation break Friday at residence in opposition to Toronto.
