What we learned Friday about Derek Lalonde's firing, Steve Yzerman, and the future with Todd McLellan

Some notes on a Friday at the rink where there were some major staff changes.

A lot of ink was spilled today about the staffing changes for the Detroit Red Wings, and at this point you’ve probably read a ton of colorful features and explanations from other scribes why Derek Lalonde is no longer the coach and Todd McLellan is.

I was there this morning when Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman spoke for nearly 30 minutes this morning, a rarity for him, while McLellan spoke for close to 20 minutes. I also spoke to some Red Wings players and others to try and get the best handle on the situation.

So more or less, this is what I’ve learned today about the Red Wings, Lalonde’s firing and where things go from here:

• The seeds of this coaching change had been planted roughly 10 days in advances, when Yzerman and McLellan first started speaking about the soon-to-be vacant position. Yzerman effectively confirmed McLellan’s interest in the role, and then gave Lalonde a handful of games to get things under control, which he did not.

• Lalonde never got a chance to say goodbye to the team, it’s a cruel business and the timing around Christmas was tough. He effectively was asked to clean out his things on Thursday before McLellan landed in Detroit that night to get a tour of the building.

• Part of the deal for McLellan was bringing in his own right-hand man, Trent Yawney, who has been his assistant at various prior NHL stops. This is why Bob Boughner was also fired, if McLellan was going to have his right-hand man someone else had to go.

• To be fair, Boughner was running the Red Wings awful penalty kill, so his track record wasn’t super strong.

• As far as that dynamic goes, from speaking to players that have played for McLellan before, Yawney is effectively the bridge that grounds the head coach and is more of the people person. It’s not that McLellan isn’t a people person, but he’s also more of the disciplinarian, while Yawney tends to deliver the message a bit lighter and can bridge some of the potential gaps to conflict.

• When it comes to the Red Wings roster, Yzerman effectively said it wasn’t living up to expectations and his expectations, at this point, where for the team to be contending for a wild card spot in the postseason. He was adamant, this is not a Stanley Cup contender, but wild card should have been realistic. Yzerman also got a bit defensive when asked about the length of the rebuild, and where things are now.

• Yzerman also indicated he hadn’t exactly agreed with the way certain players were utilized this season. While he noted it was a the coach’s decision, he also said he often gives his feedback on things, and he probably would have done some things differently.

• One of the reasons leaks rarely happen in Detroit is Yzerman is a big believer in a need-to-know basis for information. In fact, players didn’t know about the coaching change until they saw the news either via press release or social media on Thursday.
  
  Cam Talbot, for example, told me he was playing Yahtzee with his wife on Thursday when she looked at her phone and told her “Todd is your new coach.”

• Talbot and McLellan have worked together in Edmonton, Los Angeles, and now Detroit. When it comes to the team adapting to new leadership, the Red Wings goalie is going to play a huge role in helping that transition, especially as some minor tweaks in systems and schematics come into play.

• McLellan rather publicly called out the Red Wings lack of leadership in his opening presser, noting how he’s watched from afar as Larkin has handled the lowest of lows with the media and ideally others will step up to handle that burden.
  
  It was notable, with that in mind, that the Red Wings made Patrick Kane and Moritz Seider available with Larkin on Friday morning. Neither player, right now, where’s a letter as a leader, but it seems like only a matter of time for Seider.

• Yzerman said he doesn’t believe in a trade for the sake of a shakeup, while he also didn’t rule out anything — which is very much his modus operandi.

• There will be not tactical changes immediately for McLellan, who has already told players he wants six or seven games to get to know them. This is for two reasons: 1. there’s not a lot of time to practice in the NHL schedule, 2. McLellan is a big believer in allowing players to form their own opinion of him, which means he has to give that time.

• Someone from the goalie coaching community sent me a text about Red Wings goalie coach Alex Westlund, who still is employed after the staffing changes.
  
  ”He’s really impressed them I’ve heard, he’s dealt with some tough goalie situations the past couple years, guys who have gotten hurt and things like that. You should highlight what he’s done as one of the positive in Detroit right now.”

• McLellan had a lengthy chat with Vladimir Tarasenko and spent extended time with the winger during morning skate. One of the shortcomings for Lalonde was his inability to get Tarsenko going or find a fit for him in Detroit. For McLellan squeezing something out of Tarasenko will be an early challenge.