The Athletic issues “way too early” 2024-2025 season predictions this morning, and they do so by sharing a poll of their NHL writing staff, all 49 of ’em.
The Red Wings don’t get much of a mention until Shayna Goldman, Sean Gentille and Jesse Granger are asked which coach will be fired first: in The Athletic’s staff poll, 31.3% of the respondents said it will be Wings coach Derek Lalonde:
Gentille: I’m not sure the Red Wings got any better this offseason, and expectations are still high. Derek Lalonde is a good coach, but it’s easy to see him as a scapegoat.
Granger: It’s hard to argue with that explanation for Lalonde. I personally wonder how things go in Philadelphia if the Flyers don’t exceed expectations the way they did for most of last season.
Goldman: Lalonde definitely makes sense, but I actually went with Jim Montgomery here if the Bruins don’t look like a team ready to go on a deep run.
Continued (paywall); Gentille also complains when he finds that the Wings earn the last playoff spot in the East in the poll, but that’s it for the Wings.
As far as Lalonde is concerned, I don’t know whether he’s going to get the Wings back into the playoffs, but he’s the coach, and I believe that he’ll do a competent job this upcoming season.
The Red Wings’ GM may be overly patient and thoroughly methodical, but he’s not dumb–if the team struggles this season, Steve Yzerman won’t hesitate to make changes on the roster, both on and behind the bench.
And as far as the rest is concerned, the Wings are not going to have a lot of believers this upcoming season, just like last year, and they’ll have to prove people wrong. Again.
