Elliotte Friedman shares Derek Lalonde's statement after Red Wings firing (Source: Imagn)
The Detroit Red Wings fired coach Derek Lalonde on Thursday and hired Todd McLellan as his replacement. The move comes after the Red Wings had lost nine of their last 12 games and are languishing near the bottom of the standings. General manager Steve Yzerman made the change as the team endures a playoff drought.
Derek Lalonde was in his third season with Detroit. Before coaching the Red Wings, he was an assistant coach with Tampa Bay, where he won two Stanley Cups. Despite signing big-name players like Patrick Kane, success eluded the Red Wings.
On the Dec. 28 episode of Saturday Headlines on Sportsnet, Elliotte Friedman read a statement from Derek Lalonde. It said (2:14):
“I’m very appreciative of the opportunity. Incredibly thankful Steve Yzerman gave me a chance to coach a team like the Detroit Red Wings.”
