Red Wings coach Todd McLellan speaks bluntly about coaching bump Detroit has received
The Detroit Red Wings have won 4 consecutive games under new head coach Todd McLellan, but he's well aware of the "honeymoon" period that comes with taking over.
On December 26, the Detroit Red Wings made a major change behind the bench, as they parted ways with head coach Derek Lalonde and assistant Bob Boughner; the team was 13-17-4 and near the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
Taking their place was former Stanley Cup-winning assistant coach Todd McLellan along with assistant Trent Yawney. And while the Red Wings were defeated 5-2 by the Maple Leafs in McLellan's 1st game back, they've since won 4 straight.
McLellan is well aware of the "honeymoon" phase that often comes with the boost that NHL clubs typically receive when a coaching change is made, and he's determined to make sure his club doesn't stop working.
I think a marriage is when you get home from the honeymoon and the real world kicks in and it becomes work every day. We're probably in that phase now. We're in the work phase where we have to trust that the map or the path we're laying out for the players is the right one and we have to trust that they're willing to accept some of the guidance that we're giving them. We're counting on them playing faster, harder and smarter.
Accountability comes into play a little bit now. Catching them when they get a little bit sloppy or they start to slip. Catching them doing it right is important, too, because there are some good things that happen, too, you can't just harp on the negative. I think that's where we're at. I don't know for sure but we'll see where this week takes us.
Tonight, McLellan hopes to earn his 5th straight win as head coach when the Red Wings host the divisional foe Ottawa Senators at Little Caesars Arena (7:00 PM, FanDuel Sports Detroit, 97.1 The Ticket).
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21 HOURS AGO | 55 ANSWERS Red Wings coach Todd McLellan speaks bluntly about coaching bump Detroit has received Will the Red Wings be able to keep their minds focused on the work ahead of them even after the coaching change "bump"? |
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