Detroit Hockey Now’s Kevin Allen took note of Red Wings coach Todd McLellan’s take on his new alternate captains’ statuses as part of a larger leadership group:
Todd McLellan has learned on his coaching journey that leadership is not always spelled out by the letters sewn onto players’ jerseys.
“Kris Draper and Kirk Maltby, they didn’t wear A’s,” said McLellan who was assistant coach with the Red Wings back then. “But they led. And that’s what we’re going with.”
On the day Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond were named permanent alternate captains, McLellan made it clear that his hope, perhaps his expectation, is that every player sees himself as a leader. The NHL tradition is to celebrate the idea that winning is always a collective process. This a sport that believes role players contribute mightily.
When McLellan was asked how he saw his leadership group, he said: “It will be 23 men.”
While McLellan respects and likes the NHL tradition of a captain and two alternates, he finds success comes more frequently when everyone is involved.
He said coaches always have a difficult time limiting the leadership group. “Inevitably, you just keep (thinking)… Well, we can’t leave him out. So you add another guy in, and pretty soon three quarters of your team is in the leadership group.”
