McLellan a Win Away From Fastest Start Ever By Red Wings Coach

The news keeps getting better and better for the Detroit Red Wings since the club was opting to name Todd McLellan coach.

The team his back home from its first four-game sweep of a road trip since 1996. Holding down an Eastern Conference wild card playoff spot, the Red Wings are a point out of third place in the Atlantic Division, five points out of second and what the heck, just six points away from top spot in the group.

SEVEN STRAIGHT WINS FOR THE RED WINGS!! pic.twitter.com/I4AHLIfuar

— NHL (@NHL) February 5, 2025

Not even the most optimistic of winged wheel supporters could’ve envisioned this development at Christmas when the club was plummetting toward the bottom of the conference.

“Just ever since Todd came in we proved we’re a good hockey team,” Detroit defenseman Moritz Seider said on the team’s web page. “We knew we had it in our locker room and we obviously couldn’t find a spark and obviously he brought that extra spark, brought us back to life.”

Red Wings McLellan On Unprecedented Pace

What McLellan is achieving behind the Detroit bench is not only impressive. With a home-ice win on Saturday afternoon against the Tampa Bay Lightning, it would become unprecdented.

Currently, McLellan and Mike Babcock are sharing the mark for the fastest start to a career by a Red Wings coach. Both sat with 15-4-1 records following their 20th game behind the Detroit bench.

How 'bout them #RedWings? pic.twitter.com/vDBa7mVz5L

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) February 6, 2025

In his 21st game in charge to launch the 2005-06 NHL season, Babcock and Detroit fell 6-5 in overtime to the Edmonton Oilers, dropping to 15-4-2 on the season. Oddly enough, that setback would conclude a winless (0-2-1) Western Canada trip for the team. McLellan and his Red Wings just went 3-0 on the same trip.

“Seeing how the team is playing with this much confidence is fun to be a part of,” Detroit forward Patrick Kane said.

Coach Has Team Believing

McLellan doesn’t need to be given a reminder of how the season went for the 2005-06 Red Wings. He was right there, serving as an assistant coach on Babcock’s staff.

To be honest, he’s more interested in how responsive his team continues to be. The coach has no concern about his place in history, other than the fact he wants his team to keep it going.

As the song they play after every home win at Little Caesars Arena proclaims, these Red Wings just don’t stop believing.

“The belief, and I keep using that word, the spirit, the belief has gone up,” McLellan said. “They’re playing to the structure that we put in. It’s easy when you’re winning, you can get people to believe in things, simpler than if you’re losing.

“They’ve been attentive, they work hard in practice, they want to win. They’re a hungry group.”

And they want so much more.

“Obviously, there’s still a long way to go and we’re right in the picture where we want to be,” Seider said.