Seider, Raymond Wear Letters, But McLellan Likes 23 Guys in His Leadership Group

Todd McLellan has learned on his coaching journey that leadership is not always spelled out by the letters sewn onto players’ jerseys.

“Kris Draper and Kirk Maltby, they didn’t wear A’s,” said McLellan who was assistant coach with the Red Wings back then. “But they led. And that’s what we’re going with.”

On the day Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond were named permanent alternate captains, McLellan made it clear that his hope, perhaps his expectation, is that every player sees himself as a leader. The NHL tradition is to celebrate the idea that winning is always a collective process. This a sport that believes role players contribute mightily.

When McLellan was asked how he saw his leadership group, he said: “It will be 23 men.”

Everyone On the Oars

While McLellan respects and likes the NHL tradition of a captain and two alternates, he finds success comes more frequently when everyone is involved.

He said coaches always have a difficult time limiting the leadership group. “Inevitably, you just keep (thinking)… Well, we can’t leave him out. So you add another guy in, and pretty soon three quarters of your team is in the leadership group.”

A roster is 23 players. That’s why he says 23 guys are in his leadership group.

The group mentality also makes it easier for Seider, 24, and Raymond, 23, to wear letters on a team that has older, more experienced players who could serve in that role.

“Those younger players are still evolving in that role and that they’ve got a lot of help around them, guys that have worn those letters for a long, long time,” McLellan said. “I expect our younger letter wearers to lean on Patrick Kane and (Andrew) Copp and (JT) Compher and (Ben) Chiarot… Who who else had them last year? Like, there was multiple guys. Lean on them… So I think we’re in a good spot.”