Detroit Red Wings Celebrate Holidays By Firing Coach

The Detroit Red Wings celebrated Boxing Day (by the way, I'm almost 30 years old and still have no idea what the hell you're supposed to do on Boxing Day, Box things?) by making a major change.

The team announced Thursday that they had fired head coach Derek Lalonde and assistant coach Bob Boughner.

But the Red Wings didn't just promote someone from within the organization and slap them with an "interim" label, they had their guy ready to go and announced Todd McLellan as their new bench boss.

"Detroit Red Wings Executive Vice President and General Manager Steve Yzerman today announced that the team has named Todd McLellan the 29th Head Coach in franchise history and signed him to a multi-year contract," the team's statement reads. "Additionally, the Red Wings have hired Trent Yawney as an Assistant Coach.

"Head Coach Derek Lalonde and Associate Coach Bob Boughner have been relieved of their coaching duties, effective immediately."

I feel bad for Derek Lalonde because he is a solid coach who was tasked with trying to get the Red Wings back to their old winning ways. It's a tall order and at times it looked like he was doing it, but things really stalled this season, with the Red Wings currently seventh in the Atlantic Division.

McLellan is a nice hire and was an assistant for the Red Wings from 2005 to 2008. He went on to coach the Sharks, Oilers, and most recently Kings.

He brings a lot of experience, and that's big as this is a crucial hiring, not just for the Red Wings but specifically for GM Steve Yzerman.

The Red Wings franchise great took over the front office after the team was no longer a perennial juggernaut and he was tasked with bringing them back to their former glory.

So far, it hasn't happened.

This is only Yzerman's second head coaching hire in Detroit, but if the team flounders under McLellan, you've got to think that Yzerman's seat — despite being one of the best players in franchise history — might start getting a bit toasty.

It'll be fascinating to watch because the Red Wings have a solid mix of veteran leadership from the likes of Dylan Larkin, Patrick Kane, and Vladimir Tarsenko, as well as young talent like Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond.

They've got the personnel, they just need to put it together.