Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff discusses the Red Wings players’ belief that they have more freedom to simply play hockey under new coach Todd McLellan:
McLellan is asking his club to push the tempo. He wants them to compartmentalize any fear of mistakes. Go for it and learn from failure.
“It’s more like don’t be afraid to like maybe do mistakes,” Berggren said of McLellan’s message to the team.
That’s a novel approach in today’s NHL, which has turned the blocked shot into a work of art. And it’s a complete 180 from Lalonde’s messaging.
“Like I feel like maybe I was thinking a little bit too much about don’t make mistakes in the beginning,” Berggren said of the start of the season. “I’m feeling like Todd and I have a kind of the same, like, mindset about the game, how we want to play.”
It’s working. Berggren has scored breakaway goals in successive games. Patrick Kane has goals in each game during this winning streak. He is also appreciating how McLellan is simplifying the game for the Red Wings and encouraging players to bring to the ice the skills that are unique to them.
“You just want to play off your instinct and obviously have a few things in your mind that you want to abide to,” Kane said.
