Todd McLellan isn’t wasting any time as he takes over the Detroit Red Wings, making it clear he’s ready to start fixing things right away.
“You’ll see change in specific areas as soon as tomorrow,” McLellan told Detroit media Friday in his first appearance as the team’s 29th head coach.
He’s stepping into a tough situation. The Red Wings are struggling badly, sitting second-to-last in the Eastern Conference with a disappointing 13-17-4 record.
McLellan’s arrival comes after the team fired Derek Lalonde and associate coach Bob Bougher following a frustrating three-game losing streak.
The playoffs feel like a distant dream right now. Eight teams stand between the Red Wings and a wild-card spot.
But McLellan’s not planning to overhaul everything at once. Instead, he’s taking a targeted approach.
“We need to focus on a few things, improve those and build from there,” he explained. One of his top priorities? Getting the team’s spirit back on track.
His first test comes quickly – he’ll be behind the bench Friday night when Detroit faces off against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
