BREAKING: Red Wings Fire Lalonde, Name New Head Coach

As Detroit Red Wings bench boss Derek Lalonde has just found out, the holiday roster freeze around the NHL doesn't apply to head coaches. But hey, at least they waited until after Christmas. The Wings have fired Lalonde and replaced him with NHL coaching veteran Todd McLellan.

pic.twitter.com/qyzqDI30Ki
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) December 26, 2024

McLellan has posted a career .581 points percentage, in 16 years as an NHL head coach, with the San Jose Sharks, Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings.

Detroit is a disappointing 13-17-4 this season, in 7th place in the Atlantic Division, after coming into the season hoping to snap an eight-year playoff drought.

The final straw for Lalonde came in the Wings' last game before the Christmas break, on Monday, when they were booed off the ice in a 4-0 loss to the St. Louis Blues. The fans sent the coach off with chants of "Fire Derek."

Lalonde has spent 2 1/2 seasons behind the Red Wings bench, recording a record of 89-86-23 for a .508 pts percentage.

McLellan, 57, last coached in the 2023-24 season with the Kings, before he was fired after 48 games with a 23-15-10 record. He had led the team to 104 points and 99 points the previous two seasons in LA, though they lost in the first round both years.

This isn't his first time behind the bench in the Motor City, as he is also a former assistant coach with Detroit from 2005-2008.