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NHL Notebook: The Red Wings fire head coach Derek Lalonde, hire Todd McLellan
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Photo credit: Sergei Belski/USA Today Sports
Ryley Delaney
Dec 26, 2024, 17:00 ESTUpdated: Dec 26, 2024, 16:51 EST
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The Detroit Red Wings made a long overdue coaching change.
On Thursday morning, the team announced that Derek Lalonde has been fired, with the team hiring Todd McLellan. Also departing the team is associate coach Bob Boughner, while they hired Trent Yawney as the assistant coach.
After the 2021-22 season, Lalonde was named the head coach of the Red Wings and steered them to an 89-86-23 record in the 198 games he coached. The team was in a Wild Card spot in Feb. 2023, before just missing out on the playoff in the 2023-24 season. However, the Wings are off to a 13-17-4 start, second last in the Atlantic Division and eight points out of a Wild Card spot.
McLellan was brought to the National Hockey League in 2005-06 and even won a Stanley Cup with the team in the 2008 postseason. Shortly after the Stanley Cup win, McLellan became the head coach of the San Jose Sharks, where he spent seven years. He spent another four years with the Edmonton Oilers, helping them break their 11-season playoff drought.
The coach’s most recent job was with the Los Angeles Kings, where he spent five seasons and had a 23-15-10 record before being fired partway through the 2023-24 season. For his 16-year coaching career, McLellan has a 598-412-134 record in 1,144 games.

Buffalo snap their 13-game losing streak

The Buffalo Sabres’ losing streak is finally over, as they defeated the New York Islanders 7-1 on Monday.
Before their win on Monday, it had been an entire month since the Sabres’ last win, as they defeated the San Jose Sharks 4-2 on Nov. 23. Since then, they’ve lost to the Minnesota Wild, Vancouver Canucks, Islanders, Colorado Avalanche, Winnipeg Jets, Utah Hockey Club, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, Washington Capitals, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montréal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Boston Bruins.
As of the Christmas break, the Sabres sit last in the Atlantic Division with a 12-19-4 record with 28 points. On Nov. 24, the day after their last win before Monday, the Sabres had an 11-0-1 record, third in the division.
It looks like their lengthy playoff drought will continue.

Sidney Crosby ties Mario Lemieux for most assists in franchise history

In the twilight of his career, Sidney Crosby continues to be excellent, as he matched Mario Lemieux for most assists in franchise history in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ game against the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday.
It was a three-assist game for Crosby, who also picked up his 10th goal of the season. The Penguins captain now has 1,033 assists in 1,308 games, matching Lemieux’s total in 915 games.
This isn’t the only historical marker Crosby has hit this season, as he scored his 600th career goal earlier this season as well as his 1,600th career point. Additionally, fellow Penguins icon Evgeni Malkin also scored his 500th goal earlier this season.
After a rough start to their year, the Penguins are back in postseason contention as they have a 13-8-4 record in their last 25 games. They now have a 16-15-5 record with 37 points, just one behind the Ottawa Senators.
Thanks for reading! You can follow me on Bluesky @ryleydelaney.bsky.social.

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