Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde helped kids in Detroit learn how to play street hockey on Tuesday as part of the Red Wings’ “Street Hockey in the D: Summer Series.”
Coach Lalonde spoke with DetroitRedWings.com’s Jonathan Mills regarding both the importance of grassroots programs like the Wings’ “Learn, Play Score” program, as well as the state of the franchise as it appears after Steve Yzerman’s summertime moves:
“I love the offseason,” Lalonde said. “I just wanna be relevant as a team and there’s no doubt in my mind that we are. Where we take that is gonna be on us.”
One of the biggest signings Detroit made in free agency was a five-year deal for forward J.T. Compher on July 1.
“He’s diverse and can play on the wing,” Lalonde said about Compher. “I know in the free-agent process, that’s what we were sold on him. We’re just excited that he wanted to be here.”
Lalonde also said defenseman Justin Holl, who inked a three-year deal with Detroit on July 1, will help bolster the team’s back-end depth.
“I like Justin a lot,” Lalonde said. “We land these kids in free agency and then as coach, you go watch them. I really like, with Justin, he defends and is a first-pass guy.”
Then on July 9, Detroit made a splash for more offense by acquiring forward Alex DeBrincat via trade with the Ottawa Senators. Almost immediately after the trade, the Farmington Hills, Mich., native signed a four-year contract extension with the Red Wings.
“I felt there were a lot of hockey games we had a really good team game, the guys did exactly what we asked and we played really well, but we just couldn’t finish,” Lalonde said. “Some of those games in which we had a good team game we ended up not getting points. We need goals, and that’s something obviously (DeBrincat) can do.”
Continued; WDIV posted a video from the event as well:
