With the Detroit Red Wings fading fast from the playoff picture, new head coach Todd McLellanisn’t mincing words. After Thursday’s 4-1 loss to the Florida Panthers, the Wings’ second consecutive defeat, McLellan issued a very clear challenge to his locker room.
Now, individual reputations are on the line in my opinion,” McLellan said as quoted by the Detroit Free Press. “Coaches. Players. We talk about playing for the crest on the front, but our actions or inactions now are directly reflective of individuals.”
A Brutal Reality Check
Let’s not sugarcoat it. The Red Wings have lost two straight, and at 36-35-7, they’re now eight points behind the Montreal Canadiens with only four games left. The playoff dream? Basically gone.
The story for the playoffs is certainly written,” McLellan admitted. “But the season’s not done and the evaluation goes on. That’s what we’re writing now.”
That’s the tone of a coach who knows the postseason is out of reach but isn’t letting his team cruise to the finish line. McLellan, brought in with a reputation for accountability and intensity, is demanding effort, energy, and character — even if the stakes are no longer playoff games.
No Time to Mail It In
“You want to play a type of game that’s reflective of your individual character, then that’s great,” McLellan said. “Because you’ve got family, you’ve got fans, you’ve got teammates watching you. When you’re out, you have a tendency to say OK, we’re done, and you mail it in. That’s not acceptable in my opinion.”
