Red Wings 2 Truths and a Lie: New Year’s Edition

Truth: New Coach, New Wings

Derek Lalonde’s time was at an end in Detroit, and it was obvious for many. General Manager Steve Yzerman broke from organizational norms and let go of the coach mid-season, something the Red Wings haven’t done since 1982. The change has reinvigorated the team, and they are playing a style of hockey that seems better suited to the current roster. 

After his first game, Coach Todd McLellan said of the group, “I think right now, I would call the group kind of mechanical, and you can’t play that way.”

In his five games with the Wings, McLellan has totally remade the team. While the sample size is limited, Detroit is now 4-1 under its new coach. 

 “Obviously it’s a lot more fun,” Defenseman Moritz Seider said. “All the forwards want to play with the puck, we don’t want to be in the d-zone.” 

McLellan has shaken up the lineup significantly as well. Joe Veleno is on the top line now, and Jonatan Berggren has seen an uptick in ice time. Of late, the young winger has been on a bit of a goal scoring heater. The players seem to be buying into the new message, and as a result have “play[ed] (expletive) hockey” at a seemingly higher level, at least according to the eye test. While none of the names except the one at the top have changed, the team definitely feels different, at least for now.

Truth: Blue Line Change for the Better

Detroit’s “Twin Towers”, as Mickey Redmond has affectionately named Seider and Simon Edvinsson were one of hockey’s best blue line pairings this season. As a result, they were taking on some of the hardest defensive minutes in hockey.Despite their success however, the second and third pairings have been struggling this season. Splitting the two up takes some of the pressure off the second pairing. Even if it puts more pressure on Seider. 

For his part, Seider has proven time and time again throughout his career that he’s one of the best workhorse defensemen in the league. The former Calder Trophy winner signed a 7-year extension this last offseason, and he’s more than living up to it. The young blue-liner is top 5 on the team for points. And according to his new coach, he’s only going to be getting better. If this team ever makes the “A” a permanent patch, Seider’s more than earned it.

On the other hand, the massive Edvinsson has been more than pulling his weight. Edvinsson is proving to be one of the better players on the roster. Prior to this season, he had 25 total NHL games under his belt. He has 14 points (4 G, 10A) so far in his first full season in Detroit. Spreading out the top two defenseman on the team isn’t ideal, but it allows for a shutdown defender to be on ice for two of the three defensive pairings. 

Lie: Lalonde Acted Alone on Team’s Underperformance

 Lalonde took a lot of heat for how poorly this team performed under him this season. However, Yzerman certainly didn’t set him up for success in free agency. This past offseason was a major step back for the organization on the roster. Beyond the 100 goals lost in free agency, Yzerman made a few moves that at the time were questionable and with hindsight are even more puzzling.

Jake Walman was a top pairing defenseman last year with Mo Seider. 

Now, he’s setting franchise records with San Jose. He and a second round pick were traded for “future considerations” to the Sharks.

Yzerman himself said, “You don’t just trade two bad players for a good player.”

Why then, did he trade a good player for no return?

Detroit has struggled so heavily on that side of the ice this season the move seems even more shortsighted now than it did then. Walman and Justin Holl, who has been rotating in and out of the lineup all season, have practically identical contracts. Both were signed through the 25/26 season with an AAV of $3.4M for a total of $10.2M.

Eric Gustafsson, brought in to replace Shayne Gostisbehere, is -11 on the season. His first goal came after Coach McLellan was hired. Both Holl and Gustafsson have been rotating in and out of the lineup with rookie Albert Johansson.

This team was bad under Lalonde. But it shouldn’t have ever been that bad.