Todd McLellan inherits Red Wings’ fight for playoffs amid struggles

The Detroit Red Wings announced the hiring of Todd McLellan as their new head coach Thursday following the dismissal of Derek Lalonde and associate coach Bob Bougher after a three-game losing streak.

With a 13-17-4 record, the Red Wings are second to last in the Eastern Conference, behind only the Ottawa Senators.

Eight teams are ahead of them for a potential wild-card spot, making the need for a turnaround even more pressing.

pic.twitter.com/qyzqDI30Ki McLellan, most recently the head coach of the Los Angeles Kings, brings a wealth of experience, including previous stints with the San Jose Sharks and Edmonton Oilers.

He served as an assistant coach with Detroit from 2005 to 2008.

Tren Yawney, who worked with McLellan in Los Angeles and Edmonton, will join the Red Wings as an assistant coach.

General manager Steve Yzerman remains focused on the team's long-term development, centered on a core of young players.

Dylan [Larkin]'s 28, the captain of this team, I still consider him a young hockey player, he's got a lot of time left, Yzerman said during Friday's news conference .

He also pointed to rising stars Simon Edvinsson and Albert Johansson as key pieces in the teams future.

We'll continue to build around that.

While the longtime rebuild is ongoing, Yzerman's vision is clear: develop young talent while incorporating leadership from established veterans like Larkin.

McLellan, known for his adaptive coaching style, emphasized that good coaches don't simply impose their system but instead focus on finding what works for their players.

You try to find something that works for the group, In his first meeting with Detroit media as the team's 29th head coach, McLellan noted that while the team's systems wouldnt change immediately, he would focus on making targeted improvements.

Systems arent changing tonight we have no chance to do that right away," said McLellan.

"But maybe as soon as tomorrow, youll see change in specific areas.

We need to focus on a few things, improve those, and build from there.

McLellan stressed that improving effort and team spirit would be central to his approach.

The spirit of the team needs to improve.

His first challenge as head coach will come Friday night when the Red Wings face the Toronto Maple Leafs.

McLellan's leadership will be tested immediately, and the team needs a strong push to climb into playoff contention.

The Red Wings hope that under his guidance, they can mount a turnaround and contend for a wild-card spot..

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