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Red Wings McLellan The Christmas Gift That Keeps on Giving

Red Wings move into playoff spot off latest hot streak

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Todd McLellan, Red Wings
Since Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman hired Todd McLellan as his coach on Christmas Day, Detroit is 14-4-1 and now in a playoff spot.

Among all the gifts that Detroit Red Wings fans were receiving on Christmas Day, the best one of all wasn’t found under the holiday tree.



Todd McLellan is the gift that keeps on giving. Those gifts encompass perseverence, belief hope . . . and as of today, a place in the NHL playoffs.

Following Detroit’s sixth win in a row, a 3-2 overtime verdict over the Vancouver Canucks, the Red Wings now occupy the first wild card postseason spot in the Eastern Conference.

“Tip our hat to all the players for crawling back into this thing, but all we’ve done is get back to the start line,” McLellan was saying after Sunday’s win.

Fair enough. That’s one of McLellan’s strengths, after all. Yes, he wants his team to keep their eyes on the prize. At the same time, he knows the best chance of completing that arduous journey is by embracing the challenge of every step along the way.

“I’m not changing how I approach it,” McLellan said. “A game at a time, a practice at a time. Find ways to get better.”

While we’re talking about doffing chapeaus of recognition, save some of those kudos for the new coach. Can a midseason replacement with the Jack Adams Trohpy as NHL coach of the year? McLellan is certainly doing his utmost to state his case.

It was Christmas Day when McLellan got the job offer from Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman. When he was arriving in town, the Red Wings were eight points out of the playoffs. Following a 14-4-1 run under their new coach, they’ve already completely erased that deficit.

Red Wings Do Complete 180

How has McLellan turned this team around? Let’s count the ways.

Expounding on some fine research first compiled by Ansar Khan of Mlive.com, the difference in Detroit under McLellan in comparison to predecessor Derek Lalonde is truly night and day.

Detroit went 13-17-4 under Lalonde. At the time of his dismissal, the Red Wings were deadlocked for 27th overall in the NHL. They were 29th in scoring (2.59 goals per game) and showed a 3.26 goals-against average. The power play was clicking at 22.4%, while the penalty kill was a dismal 68.8%. Most alarming of all, the Wings were displaying a shot disparity of -170. That was the worst in the NHL.

Since McLellan arrived, Detroit has the NHL’s No. 1 record. The Wings are scoring 3.37 goals per game, third for third in the NHL. The GAA is 2.63. Meanwhile, the power play is potting goals at an astonishing 35.1% rate. The PK is still not great, but getting better at 71.1%. And the shot differential is +14.

The level of commitment McLellan is getting from his team is evident in the sacrifice they’re willing to make in order to win. During Detroit’s current six-game win streak, the Red Wings are averaging 19 shot blocks per game. By comparison, the Philadelphia Flyers are the NHL leaders in shot blocks per 60 minutes. Philly is blocking 17.91 shots per game.

There’s a long way to go. However, as the Red Wings take a much-earned off day today, acknowledgement of how far they’ve come in such a short span is warranted.

“There’s a lot of hockey left in front of us,” McLellan said. “We’re confident that they can continue to get it done.”

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Steve B

Well I said the other day that I’d stopped thinking about the playoffs to concentrate on just enjoying games but I think I’m going to have to change my thinking. This was the christmas gift that was hidden under the bed, forgotten about, and found in february. I still cant believe McLellan has dragged this team back into the picture from where they’d dropped to. That and the Wings seem to have developed a road game lately. I’m walking around in a daze. Wings fans can dare to dream again.

RWHockey13

Yeah, a lot of nice things for sure. Really nice to also see the young players fitting in and growing and developing.

muttsy19

They played rather disciplined for a tired team, coming into a west coast back to back. 15 SOG with only 2 in the third told that tale. Lyon was the difference maker. They still need to work on starting the game better. It’s great to see them overcoming the adversity of playing from behind, but to fix that would put an exclamation point on their confidence. At some point, a confident team will not let them claw back. But it’s fun to be a Wings fan right now!

RWHockey13

Nice thoughts. I guess they stand still at the TDL? I am not sure. But as you stated… playing some good hockey.

RWHockey13

Glad for the win. Good effort. Season has been good under coach TM. Yutes growing and developing. I am sure we even see a further step in their game next season, especially, Johansson, Kasper and Soderblom. 

As a side note, I wonder if the Wings try and nab a Mikko R or Brock B in the off-season? Going to be interesting, eh? 

RWHockey13

Here we go again. The dole with the troll. I hope such a person does not consider themselves a Red Wings fan. Cannot be on any level.

Regardless, glad for the win. Good effort. Season has been good under coach TM. Yutes growing and developing. I am sure we even see a further step in their game next season, especially, Johansson, Kasper and Soderblom. 

Last edited 4 days ago by RWHockey13
RWHockey13

Regardless, glad for the win. Good effort. Season has been good under coach TM. Yutes growing and developing. I am sure we even see a further step in their game next season, especially, Johansson, Kasper and Soderblom. 

And thanks for the write-up, Mr. Bob Duff.

Last edited 3 days ago by RWHockey13
RWHockey 13

Sorry Bob. Hopefully, these are not members. I think what you wrote was good.

Regardless, nice stuff Bob and thanks.

RWHockey13

Huey and the crew. Regardless, glad for the win. Good effort. Season has been good under coach TM. Yutes growing and developing. I am sure we even see a further step in their game next season, especially, Johansson, Kasper and Soderblom. 

And thanks for the write-up, Mr. Bob Duff.

Last edited 3 days ago by RWHockey13
RWHockey 13

Sorry again Bob. People can be cruel. You wrote a very good article.

Tom Rady

Have to give up a lot? Are u giving up Edvinson or Kasper? That’s who they will want. Don’t think we are doing that.

RWHockey 13

You do not need to give up any players for UFA’s. It has always been that way. Thus, I am not sure what you mean. Even Kane did not cost the Wings a player. But you can go back for years. No team needs to give up players.

Last edited 3 days ago by RWHockey 13
Tom Rady

Dont believe you are getting those guys just for draft picks. You will have to do better than that. Its why I dont beieve Yzerman does anything.

Trevor L

Everyone complaining about the construction of the roster by SY can eat crow. No one said it was a perfect lineup but if everyone plays to their personal potential, they can win game. #Yzerplan

RWHockey13

Everyone? Hmmm. Most wanted a new coach.

RWHockey 13

lol, you can tell the trolls are out.

John P.

I agree. I think Yzerman built the best roster he could. Like all GMs he’s made mistakes but his options are limited. Yzerman knows what he’s doing.

John P.

McLellan kind of summed up what’s happened since his arrival in the Vancouver media scrum, “when you try and introduce new concepts to the players they’re either going to accept it and make it work or they’re going to poke holes in it and say it doesn’t work”. In my opinion, some of the players were just as much at fault as Lalonde for the failure earlier in the season. They never really gave Lalonde’s system a chance and were basically working against him.

Those guys knew they couldn’t do the same to McLellan and have bought in 100% from the beginning. I think McLellan is a great coach and an obvious upgrade over Lalonde, but a lot of this upsurge is due to the players just doing their job. It’s not as simple as Lalonde was horrible and McLellan is great.

Tom Rady

John fair enough bit for some t reason Coach Lalonde could not get them to do it his way. Or they just wouldn’t. It seems like Coach Mac has been better at making adjustments. It also seems like Coach Lalonde was maybe concerned about his job since last yr. I can’t blame him really, its been talked about for over a year. That would weigh on anybody. One last thing, he had odd quotes in the paper. That did not help him. I do wish him luck. Seemed like a good guy who tried hard.
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