The Detroit Red Wings announced Thursday that Derek Lalonde, formerly an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning, has been named the 28th head coach in franchise history.
The Michigan Club was looking for a new driver after cutting ties with Jeff Blashill on April 30. The Ontarian has been at the helm of the team since 2015.
Lalonde, he’ll be in his first job as a head coach in the National Hockey League, he who won two Stanley Cups second to Jon Cooper. The American has notably led in the USHL, the ECHL and the American League.
“He has proven to be an excellent coach at all levels and spent four seasons in the National Hockey League in a very successful program in Tampa Bay. We believe he is ready to take this next step in his career as head coach of the Detroit Red Wings,” general manager Steve Yzerman said in a statement.
The latter and Lalonde met the Lightning in 2018-2019 when Yzerman became special adviser to GM after several campaigns.
Lalonde, a native of upstate New York, coached the Toledo Walleye, a Wings-affiliated team in the ECHL, from 2014-2016. He then joined the Iowa Wild for two seasons and helped the Minnesota Wild Farm maintain a 69-58-17-8 record.
In 2021-22, Detroit missed the playoffs for the sixth year in a row. The Red Wings finished sixth in the Atlantic Division, 26 points from a spot in jumpball.
“I am willing to work with our group. The future in Detroit is very bright,” said Lalonde.