In 16 games since McLellan took over, the Red Wings are 11-4-1, riding a three-game win streak as they prepare to head to western Canada on Wednesday. It’s not unusual to see a midseason coaching change bring better results in the NHL, but now more than 30 days in, the Red Wings’ surge has lasted longer than a simple adrenaline rush.
Lucas Raymond is on fire, and is the third Red Wings player to hit the 20-goal mark this season. Todd McLellan compared him to Red Wings great Henrik Zetterberg. Brad Galli has more.
The Kings take a two-goal lead in the first period before losing, 5-2, against their former head coach and dropping to 2-5-1 over their last eight games.
The Red Wings showed they're learning how to win after falling behind against a great defensive team like the Kings and scoring five straight goals.
Certainly coach Todd McLellan did not have much positive to say after ... "From the first goal, that kind of set the tone for us," said Lucas Raymond, who scored on a power play. "It’s a huge part of our game and didn’t get it done.
McLellan has put his stamp on the Red Wings a month into his tenure. They’re playing faster. They’re scoring more. They’re outshooting opponents most nights because of better puck possession and a newfound shot mentality.
Detroit — Sunday marked the one-month anniversary of Todd McLellan taking over as head coach of the Red Wings. McLellan replaced Derek Lalonde on Dec. 26, with the Wings in seventh place in the Atlantic Division and eight points out of an Eastern Conference playoff spot.
The Detroit Red Wings begin a four-game Western swing when they face the host Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night. The Red Wings and the Oilers, playing the penultimate game of a six-game homestand, have each won three consecutive games.
Last season was a coming out party for Detroit Red Wings star forward Lucas Raymond. This season is about Raymond establishing his credentials among the elite performers in the NHL.
It is fascinating to look at the NHL over the same period of time. Kasper is right behind Martin Necas and Nathan MacKinnon in scoring (both have 12 points). Following behind him are Quinn Hughes (11), Mark Stone (11), and Connor McDavid (11).
Said Lucas Raymond: “When you’re winning, it makes things a lot easier and makes you even more focused to keep it that way. You don’t want to let that go. I think it’s the way we’ve been playing, which is probably the nicest feeling. It hasn’t been a coincidence. We worked really hard for it and we continue to do so every day.”