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Red Wings Desperately in Need of a Dose of Dan Campbell

Lalonde talks frequently about getting Lions coach to address his team

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2 months ago

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Dan Campbell, Lions
Could Lions coach Dan Campbell pull the Red Wings out of their skid? Hey, it's worth a shot.

In the nearly two years since he became coach of the Detroit Red Wings, Derek Lalonde has been talking about getting his Detroit Lions counterpart Dan Campbell in to speak to his players.

Much like a Red Wings playoff appearance, it hasn’t happened yet. It needs to happen. Right now.

“I’ve got the bat signal out,” Lalonde said recently about getting Campbell in to address his club.

Back then, it was a cute anecdote. The Red Wings were rolling, eight points clear of any rival for an NHL playoff spot. Life was good.

That’s no longer the case. Suddenly following six straight losses, Detroit is no longer a playoff team. The Red Wings season is looking somewhat less buoyant than the Titanic after it hit the iceberg.

Lalonde needs to get Commissioner Gordon, Chief O’Hara and whatever duly deputized officers of the law are necessary to round up Campbell and get him in front of his team, stat.

There’s plenty of blame being assigned for this sudden turn of events. It’s Lalonde’s fault for not motivating his players. Dylan Larkin’s injury absence is another culprit, as is the Priority patch on the Red Wings jersey. Detroit is 0-6 since it was affixed.

Even GM Steve Yzerman, once bulletproof in the eyes of the faithful, is facing criticism for not moving to bolster the squad at the trade deadline.

Lions Karma Works For Red Wings

You know who could fix all that ails this team? Dan Campbell, that’s who.

The man is a motivator. Some would even say a miracle worker. After all, his work has taken an NFL laughingstock in the Lions and turned them into a powerhouse franchise. They were one win away from going to the Super Bowl.

“I love Dan Campbell,” Red Wings goalie Alex Lyon said. “He’s everything that I want to be as far as emotional. I love the way that he articulates himself, put his emotions out there. I think it’s amazing. Tough thing to do.”

Is Lalonde a motivator? The slow starts that continue to plague his club would suggest that he is not.

Whenever a member of the Lions organization is on hand this season to sound the goal horn pre-game at Little Caesars Arena, the Red Wings are unbeaten. If anyone can get the Wings out of their doldrums and filled with fire and brimstone, Campbell is the guy.

With four of the next five games at home, including a key March 21 showdown with the New York Islanders, Lalonde needs to end the talk, step up and take action.

It’s time to pull out all the stops. Getting Campbell on board could be the difference between playoffs for the Red Wings, or another early spring.

Lalonde must put Campbell in front of his team ASAP.

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