Todd McLellan’s warning goes unheard as the Detroit Red Wings continue to struggle with defensive lapses, leaving offensive flashes overshadowed in Tuesday's win.
Detroit Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan hasn’t been shy about criticizing his team this season, and his latest remarks underscore a growing frustration with inconsistent play. Last week, McLellan said, “It’s not a sign of a good team. Good teams hold their lessons and they build off of them,” highlighting the team’s struggle to translate practice lessons into consistent results on the ice.
The Red Wings’ challenges have been prominent over their last 14 games, posting just five wins while ranking fifth-worst in the league defensively, allowing an average of 3.64 goals per game. Offensively, the team has leaned heavily on its top scorers, averaging only 2.71 goals per game, which sits 19th in the NHL.
On Tuesday night, the Red Wings edged out a 5-4 win over the Boston Bruins, scoring five goals but still surrendering four. Defensive breakdowns and inconsistent play continue to kill confidence, while offensive struggles provide little momentum.
Tuesday’s game did provide some bright spots as defensemen Moritz Seider and Ben Chiarot both found the back of the net, and veteran James van Riemsdyk scored his third goal in four games. This helped take some of the scoring burden off main offensive threats Dylan Larkin, Alex DeBrincat, and Lucas Raymond, though DeBrincat and Raymond still managed to score.
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Despite these flashes of offensive success, defensive lapses remained glaring on the Bruins’ second goal when forward Alex Steeves was left uncovered in the low slot, picking up a rebound off goalie John Gibson’s pad. The third goal saw Marat Khusnutdinov alone in front of the net for an easy redirect from a pass by Hampus Lindholm.
Gibson’s play has also raised concerns with the Bruins’ opening goal. Rookie defenseman Jonathan Aspirot’s point shot slipped through Gibson’s arm with no traffic hindering his vision to see the shooter or the puck. Later, Steeves scored his second goal of the night through an open five-hole on a sliding save attempt, a play Gibson likely should have stopped.
The Red Wings’ defensive problems continue to overshadow any offensive gains. Even after McLellan’s comments about the importance of holding onto lessons from practice, the team appears unable to consistently do so, leaving fans and coaches alike searching for solutions.
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