The Detroit Red Wings have announced a coaching change, with Todd McLellan taking over as head coach, replacing Derek Lalonde. This decision comes as the Red Wings currently hold 30 points, the second-fewest in the Eastern Conference, after 34 games. The team is on pace to finish significantly worse than the previous season, during which they narrowly missed the playoffs with 91 points, losing the final wild-card spot to the Washington Capitals due to a tiebreaker.

Entering the 2023-24 season, expectations for the Red Wings were tempered, although the arrival of notable players like Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko on a two-year deal raised some hopes. These moves were viewed as attempts to break an eight-year postseason drought. However, the Red Wings have struggled, currently sitting near the bottom of the standings. The team is averaging only 2.56 goals per game and ranks 25th in goals-against average at 3.27. Lalonde's dismissal follows a notably poor defensive stretch, during which the team has allowed four or more goals in five of their last seven games.

Fan frustration became evident during the Red Wings' recent matchup against the St. Louis Blues, where the team was booed off the ice following a 4-0 loss at Little Caesars Arena. This dissatisfaction reflects the collective sentiment regarding the team's performance and the perceived shortcomings in the roster assembled by general manager Steve Yzerman, who has faced increasing pressure since joining the organization in 2019 without substantial progress to show. McLellan's appointment represents a significant moment for both the coach and Yzerman, as their success or failure will likely be intertwined moving forward. McLellan, with prior experience coaching the San Jose Sharks and a history of playoff success, faces a challenging task to reverse the fortunes of a floundering franchise.