LaLonde Fired. McLellan Hired in DET

[Dr Quincy]

Todd McLellan once said the reason for an afternoon loss on the east coast on “we’re basically playing a 10:00 AM game” when he was with the Sharks.

Despite the fact the team had been in the time zone for days and had already played multiple games in it on that trip before that one.

Did he say it while biting his nails? I don't know if he was a longterm smoker who quit or what, but the dude is always chomping on his fingers.

 

[DaveG]

They couldn’t wait for Laviolette ?

literally who I was expecting them to hire if this got to the off-season. Detroit being the first of the two to pull the trigger is kinda shocking to be honest.

 

[JohanFranzenstein]

People did say that when Florida(!) hired him. However, he guided them to a Cup. TMac has done what?

Since taking over the bench in Detroit, nothing. Granted, he's only been coach for about 45 minutes.

 

[Geezer WC]

Sabotka's firing screamed that he had either done something worse and they no longer wanted association, or he was a pain in their ass and they wanted to get rid of him.

Seriously doubt they care about him pissing in a drain. If they gave two shits about public opinion, they wouldn't have signed Reimer or Watson.

What did Watson do?

 

[Rcknrollkillnmachine]

Lalonde had to go and Koala will steady the ship, water will find it's level and nothing more come 2026/27. Then fired.

I still remember reading a hockey book in Harvard where TMac was seen as new age visionary coach. Turned out he was useless with
McDrai, Kopitar and Doughty, etc.

I have a feeling even Queeneville and Gallant snubbed this chance if Todd was the answer. Also interesting that Woodcroft wasn't considered since he seems desperate to get a HC post and worked there.

 

[chris kontos]

As a kings fan who endured this guy: maccllelan is a total martinet who will refuse to adjust when things go wrong as they inevitably will. He does not run a merit based playing time allotment; playing time is rewarded as a popularity contest. His system is a proven 3 time loser running anextremely talented sj sharks team into the ground with early playoff exits including a kings comback series win from being down 3-0.
Also this dude sent leon drysaital to the minors. Saddened to see him with a beloved org 6 team.
Yzerman has truly given up in hiring this bozo.

 

[GrumpyKoala]

McLellan is a much better coach than some want to give him credit for

 

[VeteranPresence]

Blashill, Lalonde, now TMac lol. Surely hiring a coach only to fire him two years later was part of the Yzerplan and not a sign Steve is bad at his job, right?

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

What did Watson do?

Well despite being a career enforcer, his most famous fight was with his girlfriend...

 

[kingsholygrail]

Thing with Todd is he will make the team better, but only to a point and you will still be disappointed with the results.

When is a good time to fire someone?
Grow up

On a Friday.

 

[Satan]

pretty gutless to fire a man the day after X-mas.. but this is the Yserplan after all

 

[TheOrganist]

I get they wanted experience to stabilize the ship but a boring coach for a boring team.

 

[Realgud]

Blashill, Lalonde, now TMac lol. Surely hiring a coach only to fire him two years later was part of the Yzerplan and not a sign Steve is bad at his job, right?

Blashill wasn't hired by Yzerman. Nice try.

 

[Oilslick941611]

He had to get approval from ownership which is what caused the delay.
Christmas was yesterday, get over it.

you seem triggered over me calling out the poor timing, why?

 

[VeteranPresence]

Blashill wasn't hired by Yzerman. Nice try.

But Yzerman thought it prudent to fire him for his own hand-picked coach from his time in Tampa. Now he's gone two years later. Which decision was the wrong one?

 

[Cloned]

When you were a legendary player in the organization you get a long leash... The leash gets even longer when you realize he started with Anthony Mantha as his 2nd best player and Zadina and Veleno as his top prospects.

The roster will be going through a massive overhaul and youth movement in the next two years. Yzerman knows that, which is why he signed plugs to nothing deals.

Now, if they still suck after that, he'll have run out of excuses to ownership.

Far be it for me to say what a Wings fan should be hoping for.

I know as an Oilers fan going through ten years of absolute darkness, it hurts the soul.

 

[Coffee]

@NyQuil called it !!!!

 

[Realgud]

But Yzerman thought it prudent to fire him for his own hand-picked coach from his time in Tampa. Now he's gone two years later. Which decision was the wrong one?

Yeah hiring Lalonde was a mistake. That's it (for now).

 

[bellringer77]

do the gm next

If he wasn’t Steve Yzerman, fans would be calling for his job. Honestly don’t see much of a difference between him and Holland.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Paul Maurice could've resigned from Florida and came to Detroit, and I'm sure mouth breathers like this and the rest of the YDS crowd would say shit like this.

Todd McLellan Coaching Record, Awards and Honors | Hockey-Reference.com

598 wins in 1144 games. That is not a bum of a coach.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Far be it for me to say what a Wings fan should be hoping for.

I know as an Oilers fan going through ten years of absolute darkness, it hurts the soul.

I get it. But I also dunno how you're supposed to turn around the shitshow Holland left Yzerman with in 5 years, with zero lottery picks.

 

[ScoreZeGoals]

McLellan is great if your end goal is mediocrity

 

[Rcknrollkillnmachine]

Starting to think BriseBois was the brains behind those cups in Tampa and not Yzerman.

 

[FriendlyGhost92]

Todd McLellan Coaching Record, Awards and Honors | Hockey-Reference.com

598 wins in 1144 games. That is not a bum of a coach.

A barely .500 win percentage doesn't exactly signal anything positive...

 

[EdmFlyersfan]

The "Yzerplan" is in full effect...lol