The Detroit Red Wings are sticking with their current leadership behind the bench.
During his season-ending press conference on Thursday, general manager Steve Yzerman made it clear that head coach Todd McLellan and the entire coaching staff will return for the 2026-27 NHL season.
“We don’t plan on making any changes to the coaching staff,” Yzerman said.
Stability behind the bench
McLellan just wrapped up his first full season as Detroit’s head coach after taking over during the 2024-25 campaign following the dismissal of Derek Lalonde.
Since stepping behind the Red Wings bench, McLellan has posted a 67-49-14 record, showing steady progress as the team continues to push toward playoff contention.
While Detroit ultimately fell short of the postseason once again, Yzerman’s comments signal confidence in the direction of the coaching staff and the system currently in place.
A vote of confidence
The decision to retain McLellan comes after a season filled with both promise and frustration.
The Red Wings showed flashes of being a playoff-caliber team but were unable to sustain consistency down the stretch, leading to another missed postseason opportunity.
Despite that, Yzerman appears committed to continuity rather than change, at least behind the bench.
What’s next
With the coaching staff returning, the focus now shifts to roster decisions and offseason improvements.
Detroit’s front office faces pressure to build a team capable of finally ending its long playoff drought, and keeping the coaching staff intact suggests Yzerman believes the foundation is already in place.
Now, it’s about taking the next step.
Jeff Bilbrey
Founder of Detroit Sports Nation - Jeff Bilbrey manages the day to day operations of Detroit Sports Nation as well as all content delivery systems, ad networks and social platforms. Email him at [email protected]
