The Detroit Red Wings, who are in as advantageous a position as they've been in at this point in a season in over a decade, are being held accountable by head coach Todd McLellan.
There has been a new level of accountability for the Detroit Red Wings since the arrival of Todd McLellan as head coach in December of last season.
Not long after his arrival, the Red Wings rattled off a pair of separate seven-game winning streaks, and while they ultimately fell just short of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, they're currently in as advantageous a position as they've been since 2012
After picking up a point in their 4-3 overtime setback against the Minnesota Wild on Thursday evening, the Red Wings leapfrogged the idle Tampa Bay Lightning into the top spot in the Atlantic Division
They also managed to secure 30 victories in their first 50 games of a season since 2011-12, which also happened to be the last season in the career of Hall of Fame defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom.
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However, there's plenty of work to be done, and McLellan isn't going to let his club forget it.
"We have a lot of work that we need to still put in," McLellan explained. "Equate it to a boxing match: if you drop your guard and somebody throws a big punch at you, it will take you a while to get off the mat. That's not what we want. We want to build our game, day in and day out."
The resiliency in the group, and the belief is where it needs to be now," he continued. "You know, with that respect we've earned, it comes with responsibility, and that is a tough thing to hold up to. But I expect our guys to do it, night in and night out."
Multiple Red Wings players have openly spoken about the change in attitude the club has had since McLellan's return to the organization, where he helped bring their most recent Stanley Cup to date in 2008 as an assistant coach under Mike Babcock.
Patrick Kane, a three-time Stanley Cup champion with the Chicago Blackhawks, has repeatedly said he believes the Red Wings can accomplish something special this season, and he points to Todd McLellan’s emphasis on accountability as a major reason why.
"Not getting comfortable, that's one thing Todd has really done this year, is not letting the group get comfortable," Kane said. "He's staying on top of us every day, whether it's practice day or game day, and making sure we're as ready as possible.
"The team is playing so well, and that’s what I tell some of these guys. I'm like, 'I've been on good teams, and this is a good team.' We have a chance to do special things."
If the Red Wings ultimately secure a postseason berth this spring, it will mark the return of Stanley Cup Playoff hockey to Detroit since 2016.
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Category: General Sports
