Toronto Maple Leafs rival fires head coach just one day before game against each other
The Detroit Red Wings are playing the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday night, and just one day before the game, the legendary franchise is making a coaching change.
Derek Lalonde has not been the best head coach for the Red Wings over these past few seasons, and after coaching the team to a 13-17-4 record to start the season, the man has been let go from his position.
Detroit Red Wings fire head coach Derek Lalonde
The Red Wings were a team that was supposed to make the playoffs this season, or at least that is what Steve Yzerman had in mind.
Lalonde was given a short leash to start the year, and with the team failing to get results, this recent move felt pretty inevitable.
Now, it is going to be Todd McLellan taking over as the team's head coach, which is probably for the best, all things considered.
McLellan has a wealth of experience at the NHL level and he is a coach that some Red Wings fans have been clamoring ever.
Trent Yawney will be coming in as an assistant coach for McLellan, which is a nice added bonus to all of this.
As for the Toronto Maple Leafs, they will be the first team the Red Wings face under this new leadership.
This could either be a good thing for the Leafs or a bad thing, depending on how you look at things.
Either way, the Detroit Red Wings are a team that is vulnerable right now, and Toronto Maple Leafs fans are expecting a big win or some sort.
The Leafs come into this game having lost two in a row at the hands of the New York Islanders and the Winnipeg Jets.
Needless to say, this is a game that they have to win.
| POLL | ||
DECEMBRE 26 | 101 ANSWERS Toronto Maple Leafs rival fires head coach just one day before game against each other Do you believe the Detroit Red Wings were right to fire Derek Lalonde? | ||
| YES | 72 | 71.3 % |
| NO | 29 | 28.7 % |
| List of polls | ||
