Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff posted a morning article in which he discusses the Red Wings’ adaptation to coach Derek Lalonde’s new systems of play:
“It’s very impressive,” Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin said of the type of game Lalonde desires for the Red Wings to play this season. “Obviously, he’s coming from Tampa, so it’s a lot of things they’ve done. It’s kind of eye opening. We play against them quite a bit and they’re always very difficult nights.”
Many nights under Blashill’s tutelage were difficult nights for the Red Wings, and that’s not to suggest it was entirely of his doing. There was a lot wrong, a number of holes in the lineup that he was often left to put out on the ice.
In Lalonde, though, the players are seeing someone who’s coming in with a resume of success. He’s arriving from an organization with three consecutive Stanley Cup final appearances. That span saw the Lightning earning two championships.
It’s certainly lending a lot of gravitas to what he’s telling them. It lends credence to the ways he’s showing them how to be a more effective and efficient hockey team.
“There’s been great communication and he’s very organized,” Larkin said. “He believes in what he’s preaching, which I think is great walking into a new locker room. He’s made a great impression on the guys.”
