DYLAN LARKIN SPEAKS OUT: THE DETROIT RED WINGS HAVE NEW LIFE

[@dannik9932]

Lalonde and Blash we're all about process. The wings of them stopped doing basic things like making good passes and taking available shots. Last month the Red Wings idea of offense was to dump the puck in and go for a line change because they've been hemmed in their zone for so long. Their idea of defense was to chip it to the middle and then wait for the other team to attack again. Todd comes in and suddenly possession is a thing. They quickly outlet it and if there's nothing there they pass back and try again. Instead of chipping every Puck into the zone, they try to skate it in. The difference is Todd is coaching a bunch of world-class players that got where they are because they have good hockey sense whereas the last two coaches were trying to coach a bunch of robots into a process.

[@irvinepoker3187]

17-6 were t he shots for det at end of first.

[@jeffcurran7452]

Agree with everything said. No panic thru all 3 zones no matter who is on the ice. Consistent! So much more fun to play like this.

[@swayz0r5000]

Honestly dead-on

[@richierich398]

Well said

[@dannantais7336]

Great analysis!

[@jimmynoo]

DBoss approves of McLellan.

[@Shroomer47]

The biggest change is they have just settled down. We were playing panic hockey nonstop. Unnecessary chips up the board, afraid to get into board battles, turnovers incessantly, lack of forecheck, etc. etc. Todd has settled them down and reminded them they are in this league because they are among the best. Turned them loose.

[@Knards]

Seider and Lyon are both beasts right now

[@kurodon8533]

Beat leaders of both conferences pretty handily and in regulation, making 'em sweat. Totally different team. Can't wait for them to play a few blowout candidates. Ottawa will still be tough though, but very interested to see how Mclellan handles this new rivalry ;)

[@mrckzy7220]

So far, they've been great at backchecking, forechecking passing, blocking shots, getting shots on goal, having control of the puck, playing fast when they need to, and holding a lead. The defense looks better than before. I think gus, holl, and ras have actually looked better under TM.

[@derekhand7904]

Dereks system was a square peg round hole, the Todd father is like let’s try the round peg.

[@mysticone1798]

I hope Dylan is right. Question is, can they keep up the improved performance? Remains to be seen.

[@krimsonshadow94]

The narrative this seasons been. "Who's to blame", between Newsy and SY? Man its to early to tell but Newsys really looking bad here. Given we just beat two playoff teams and ah really strong home team in Columbus

[@swen1208]

SY only criticism should be that he should have fired Newsy earlier back in Nov.

[@DefectiveSquash]

​@swen1208 Newsy should've been canned after last seasons slide.

[@krimsonshadow94]

@@swen1208 This is true, when Larkin was hurt and the team went on HUGE losing streaks, without him. That tells ya who actually was running the team.

[@swen1208]

​@@krimsonshadow94 The moment the Captain of all players loses hope in the coach. That's when the change should happen. I could see in November that he's done with Voldemort.

[@swen1208]

@@krimsonshadow94 He's one of the most uninspiring coaches I've ever seen. Even Jeff Blashill was more inspiring than him.

[@ryansylvester1993]

It’s not about what was said, but more so about how it was said and who said it. Todd McLellan presents himself well. He doesn’t put himself above the players and is there to support them, but he also seems to be straight forward. Also, it’s hard to say whether or not the coach change would have been this effective if it was done sooner. Maybe they really had to hit rock bottom with DL to feel this drastic of a difference. DL seems like he’s fine as an assistant coach but you can see a big difference how he and McLellan presented themselves in post-game interviews.

[@jimsingleton2589]

tbh I don't think i've seen Kane skate this hard the entire time hes been with us. That backcheck he did the other night would have not happened in november. And overall the team looks better controlling the puck.

[@paulwt9783]

Kane led the Wings in points per 60 and 5v5 goals per 60 last year. While playing most of the time with JT Compher at center. He's +5 at 5v5 w the Wings, Raymond is -14 at 5v5 in that time.

[@TBTasher]

This roster by no means is a cup contender but they’re not nearly as bad as a bottom 5 NHL team. Lalonde was the problem. He was too soft. Players gave up on him and his systems. Wings have a real shot to get a wild card spot under Mclellan

[@thestifmyster1]

I think this ends the debate as to whether the problem was GM or Coaching.

[@woodsideguitars1187]

Maybe they needed to go through the Lalonde months in order to feel the "lightness of being" under the new coach McLellan. They look like a team with the wind at their back now. LGRW!

[@terry5477-h6k]

the issue is shots. wings have alot of smallish forwards that really lacked defensive. so now they are posessing the pick more . defense is still not great but if you have the puck in the offensive zone then that helps the D.

[@a.N.....]

Debrincat 5,8 Raymond 5,11 and bergers 5,11, that's all the small forwards. How is that alot?? Explain that to me?

[@paulwt9783]

@@a.N..... DeBrincat and Kane are tiny. Raymond is extremely light.

[@workshoptelescope]

A buncha "small skilled guys" lacking 200ft worth of skill. Berggren, DeBrincat and Kane are almost non-options on the defensive end.

[@paulwt9783]

@@workshoptelescope No one ever names Raymond in those kinds of comments, yet he is the one always on the ice giving up tons of goals. Weird. He's -14 at 5v5 the last 2 years, -5 this year. Kane is +3 this year, +5 the last 2 years. Cat is +14 at 5v5 the last 2 years. Maybe Ray is the defensive non-option?

[@workshoptelescope]

@ I think the hope, however misplaced, he’s still capable of figuring it out. Given +/- is a team stat, not individual stat, it reflects something about how those players are deployed. Raymond is getting PK assignments and plays on the first line, which hasn’t been scoring across the board for weeks now. Those other players aren’t even considered for defensive assignments unless absolutely necessary.

[@WellWellWellIfItIsntBill]

I think Stevie was hesitant on firing Lalonde cause he was Yzermans coach he hand picked for the job and admitting that he was a bad pick implies that Stevie makes bad choices so in order to not make himself look bad he dragged him along for as long as he did.

[@RC-tm8jo]

My exact thoughts. I think Lalonde would have been gone last March if it wasn't his decision to hire him in the first place.

[@workshoptelescope]

every GM gets about three different "Please don't fire me" bullets to fire when the team is bad (make a trade for a skater, fire the coach, trade for a goalie). Stevie's got none left. This is what the team is and mostly will be. The ceiling on the team isn't Cup contender high but they might eventually make the playoffs.

[@CRlMZlN]

Lalonde lost the room.

[@workshoptelescope]

Or the team quit on the coach

[@CRlMZlN]

@workshoptelescope Same thing. The team only quits a coach if he loses their respect. Fester was a bust, and the boys knew it long before any of us did.

[@thefamilymans2545]

Mo started the season like he didn't really care. At the red carpet he speed walked right past everyone! He was playing like that attitude. He even cost us a few goals in 3rd periods. Now, he is playing like he wants to.

[@paulwt9783]

They will eventually need some line other than the 2nd line to score at least a couple goals occasionally at 5v5. The power play honestly has the talent to be league best the rest of the year, but it is hard to see it staying as blazing as it's been. Other lines will need to score. Almost all Larkin and Raymond's scoring is power play and empty net.

[@Monster-o1q]

They are still in the Honeymoon stage.

[@richhogg8074]

Who needs Cozens when you got burga boi

[@firewerk66]

The Smiths FTW

[@Rob-uc8zr]

PLAN THE PARADE!!!!!

[@johngolfer9244]

Wish I had a dollar for every time Lalonde said "play simple predictable hockey". So you could scheme against this (predictable) team pretty easily. Duh

[@markusk1015]

Honestly I can see Detroit being a wild card team. They don’t have the roster to be even remotely competitive in the postseason but at least it’s an improvement on Gru.

[@paulwt9783]

lol