Red Wings hire Lightning assistant Derek Lalonde as new head coach

EDMONTON, ALBERTA - SEPTEMBER 21: Assistant coach Derek Lalonde of the Tampa Bay Lightning handles bench duties during the game against the Dallas Stars in Game Two of the 2020 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Rogers Place on September 21, 2020 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) (Bruce Bennett, 2020 Getty Images)

DETROIT – Steve Yzerman has his man.

The Detroit Red Wings announced the hiring of Tampa Bay Lightning assistant Derek Lalonde as their new head coach, the team and Yzerman confirmed on Thursday.

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“I’m very pleased to announce Derek as our new head coach,” Yzerman said. “He has proven himself as an excellent coach at every level and has spent the last four seasons in the National Hockey League as part of a very successful program in Tampa Bay. We feel he is ready to take the next step in his career as the head coach of the Detroit Red Wings.”

Lalonde, 49, joins the organization after spending the last four seasons as an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning. During his tenure with the Lightning, Lalonde helped the team clinch four-straight postseason berths, highlighted by back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2019-20 and 2020-21.

“I’m thrilled to be named head coach of the Red Wings,” said Lalonde. “I’d like to thank Chris Ilitch and the entire Ilitch family, as well as Steve Yzerman and the Red Wings management team for entrusting me with the opportunity to lead this historic franchise. I’m ready to get to work with our group. There’s a very bright future ahead in Detroit.”

The Red Wings fired their head coach Jeff Blashill at the end of the regular season. The team finished with a 32-40-10 record, and a -82 goal differential, one of the highest in the league.

Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman served as GM for the Lightning from 2010 to 2018, before leaving Tampa for Detroit.

The NHL Draft is scheduled to take place July 7-8 in Montreal. The Red Wings own the No. 8 overall pick.


About the Author:

Ken Haddad has proudly been with WDIV/ClickOnDetroit since 2013. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters, and helps lead the WDIV Insider team. He's a big sports fan and is constantly sipping Lions Kool-Aid.