Detroit Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat detailed the major change for the Red Wings since the arrival of Todd McLellan, and how it's showing in their record.
Throughout Training Camp and the pre-season, the Detroit Red Wings have been reminded of the importance of mental fortitude by head coach Todd McLellan, who is now coaching his first full season behind the Detroit bench.
McLellan arrived as head coach of the Red Wings just over a full calendar year ago and has gone 49-32-7 since then. Currently, Detroit leads the Atlantic Division while also trailing by just two points for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.
As forward Alex DeBrincat put it on Wednesday following practice, the club's mental prowess is far stronger - and it shows in their record and their habits.
"For sure, it's something we talked about in Training Camp is to not let the stuff pile up and create a bigger problem," he said. "I think last year, we'd go on these five-game losing streaks, and you're on the outside looking in at the playoffs. This year, we've been able to bounce back a lot quicker and not let things pile up too much."
Things have not gone perfectly for the Red Wings so far in their centennial campaign, but unlike in years past, they've refused to allow the bad habits and feelings to fester and snowball.
"We've been addressing things quicker, and I think while we've had a couple tough games, we've come back stronger and better," DeBrincat said.
McLellan directly challenged the Red Wings following their Opening Night setback against the Montreal Canadiens, and they responded by rattling off five straight victories, including two straight over the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Detroit is now 7-3 in its last 10 total games, and would be in a favorable playoff position if the annual dance were to begin today.
"Very Difficult": Todd McLellan On Decision To Send John Leonard Back To Griffins
The Detroit Red Wings announced that John Leonard has been reassigned to the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins, where he continues to lead in scoring with 19 goals; the decision was described as "very difficult" by head coach Todd McLellan.
However, McLellan was sure to point out that there is still plenty of road ahead and lots more work to do.
“When you improve two percent in one area, one percent in another, and you start putting it all together, the curve goes up,” McLellan said. “It’s not a steep curve, but we’ve slowly been getting better."
I think the stuff that’s not measurable, the mental part of it, and the game management stuff that doesn’t show up on a stat sheet," he continued. "Analytics are really hard to evaluate, so probably in those areas more than anything.”
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites!
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.