Mike Valenti blasts what he described as “loser talk” from Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde.
After the most recent defeat of the Detroit Red Wings, head coach Derek Lalonde‘s comments have ignited criticism from outspoken 97.1 The Ticket host Mike Valenti. Valenti is publicly calling out the second-year bench boss, accusing him of “loser talk” for his comments made after the 4-1 loss to the basement-dwelling Arizona Coyotes.
Mike Valenti blasts the comments made by Derek Lalonde
The downward spiral of the Red Wings from their season-high six-game winning streak persisted last night, as they faltered against the Coyotes once again. While Arizona’s two points did little to improve their standings and perhaps only affected their draft lottery odds, the Red Wings’ failure to secure two points was significant.
During this afternoon’s opening segment, Valenti criticized Lalonde, alleging a significant neglect of duty on the coach’s part.
“If I owned the team, I’d be livid,” Valenti said of Lalonde’s comments.
The audio was subsequently played for the listeners in case they had missed last night’s postgame press conference. Lalonde’s remarks were as follows:
“No one had us in the playoffs,” he said. “We had an 8% chance to be in the playoffs. If someone told us with 17 games left we’d be tied point-wise in the last playoff spot, of course, we’d have taken that. We’ve earned that with some really good stretches in our seasons, but there have been some moments in our season where we’ve slid. We’re in one of those moments and we’ve gotta get it back.”
Valenti expressed strong outrage at Lalonde’s remarks, going as far as to declare that if he were the owner of the Red Wings, Lalonde would no longer hold the position of head coach.
“While I am not qualified to fire this man based on X’s and O’s, I can tell you that if I owned the team and I just lost my 7th straight game and got dump-trucked by the Coyotes again, and I’m getting my ass kicked every night, do you know what I don’t want to hear from the leader from my locker room?” Valenti opined.
“I would launch him out of a cannon if I owned this team.…If I was an owner and heard that comment last night, he wouldn’t have seen daylight. We’d be done. That’s loser talk, and you’re the guy who leads my room. This team isn’t fighting or trying.”
TL;DR (too long didn’t read)
- The Detroit Red Wings were once again bested by the Arizona Coyotes, losing a 4-1 final score at Little Caesars Arena
- Head coach Derek Lalonde’s comments drew the fury of outspoken 97.1 The Ticket host Mike Valenti during this afternoon’s show
- Valenti took Lalonde to task, saying that he would have immediately fired him for his comments if he were running the Red Wings
Bottom Line: Valenti’s frustration is relatable
There would have been hardly any significant portion of the Red Wings fan base who could have anticipated the current team’s sudden downturn, losing seven consecutive games in regulation after the euphoria of a six-game winning streak and a previous playoff position.
Valenti’s frustration voiced this afternoon undoubtedly mirrors the feelings of many in the Detroit fan community regarding recent developments. This has led to widespread questioning of Lalonde’s suitability as head coach of the Red Wings. If this slump persists, the doubts surrounding Lalonde’s leadership will only intensify, becoming more prevalent and vocal.
