The percentage of later round picks making the NHL is also much lower. You’d hope to better than what the Wings have done though. I think a 2nd rounder is like 50/50 to make the league.
Drafting and development are like B right now. I think a few later round picks are on the verge of popping — the problem is Yzerman tried to expedite the rebuild with free agents and most of those signings have been mediocre to terrible. Now we are organically tanking which isn’t acceptable this far into his tenure but it’s our reality.
McLellan is fine. The team needs a new voice, desperately and McLellan will get them to care. The roster needs a massive shakeup as well, though. I tend to think that might actually happen after this type of move.
McLellan runs a 1-3-1 which gives his team consistently good defensive structure but sometimes at the expense of offense (though not as much as you’d think). His teams constantly play hard; his teams just never breakthrough in the Playoffs.
Good write up on him when Devils considered him https://devilsontherush.substack.com/p/devils-coaching-vacancy-mclellan-checks-boxes
Interesting take from Shapiro here: https://www.shapshotshockey.com/p/after-a-coaching-change-todd-mclellan
Yzerman was super frustrated talking about this season as he should be. I’m not sure I trust him to fix this team but we will see.
If you needed more proof the locker room had quit on Lalonde, look at the captains comments on the move
Should be illegal to play the goal song when you’re getting smacked. Like Theo Gridiron singing forward down the field after a TD when the lions were getting their ass kicked 42-14
Something I wonder about is: DET trades: Rasmussen & Lyon BUF trades: Samuelsson The more I think about all the activity around these two teams, the more I think this trade makes sense. Samuelsson is talented, on a good deal but always hurt. His cap hit isn’t crippling though. The reason Buffalo would deal him is for financial flexibility. Teams around the league seem to love Rasmussen and Buffalo could use another goalie. It feels like this could make sense. You then have a long term partner for Seider or ASP.
Took the whole family to the game. 5 year old had an absolute blast. Felt like a home game with how many Wings fans were there. Someone started a Jared Goff chant which felt pretty fucking stupid.