Analyst Darren Dreger shared worrying news for the head coach of the Detroit Red Wings, Derek Lalonde , in yesterday’s edition of TSN’s ’Insider Trading ’. Dreger highlighted Detroit’s three-game homestand, which begins tonight, as the last chance for Lalonde to continue in his role behind the Red Wings bench.
Lalonde is in the final year of his contract originally signed before the 2022-23 NHL season. He’s compiled an 85-79-21 record as head coach of the Red Wings and has missed the playoffs in his two full seasons behind the bench. General manager Steve Yzerman has typically stayed patient with his head coaches since his time with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Still, it’s seemingly growing thin with Detroit’s lack of competitiveness.
The firing of Lalonde would mark a significant shift in how the Red Wings have approached coaching in the recent past. Detroit has not fired a coach in-season since the late Mike Illitch purchased the organization in 1982.