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The Detroit Red Wings are off to a rough start to another season. With 20 points in 21 games, Detroit's playoff chances are dwindling with every loss. Their rebuild has not gone to plan, as they have missed the playoffs in eight consecutive seasons. Insider Darren Dreger put Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde on the hot seat in a recent report.
“If they have a good homestand, everything should be fine,” Dreger said on TSN's Insider Trading. “If they don't, that might force [general manager Steve] Yzerman to make a decision. And the sense is that they would go with an interim, internal candidate and then hope that a top coach eventually becomes available.”
The Red Wings start that important homestand on Wednesday night against the Calgary Flames. Following the Thanksgiving holiday, they host the New Jersey Devils on Friday and Vancouver Canucks on Sunday. Dreger said that if they only escape that stretch with one win, Lalonde's job could be in trouble.
The “Yzerplan” has not produced any sustained success. While it is disappointing, the Red Wings are in the toughest division in the league with the Panthers, Lightning, Maple Leafs, and Bruins. Still, not making the playoffs is a failure that could cost Lalonde his job.
Red Wings must return to playoffs soon
Yzerman is one of the greatest Red Wings of all time. The former captain has his number retired, won multiple Stanley Cups, and is in the Hall of Fame. As a second career, he laid the groundwork for the Lightning's back-to-back Stanley Cup titles. Just before they won their first title, Yzerman left the organization to join the Red Wings.
The Red Wings had some lean years in the early years of Yzerman's tenure. While that was part of the plan, it was tough for Hockeytown to open a new building in the throws of a rebuild. They have tried to fill Little Ceaser's Arena with new memories but bad lottery luck and head-scratching free-agency signings have prevented that.
Lalonde can be blamed for parts of the regular season failures of the Red Wings. He has not developed Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond into the stars the team needs them to be. Their goalies have been brutal in recent seasons, and their veterans have not exploded.
The Red Wings must get at least four points to keep Lalonde and start the postseason run. This homestand will create no guarantees on either side but could save his job at least for the time being.
