Detroit Red Wings reportedly eyeing veteran coach to pair with Todd McLellan
Photo credit: TSN
The Detroit Red Wings aren't finished building, as it appears they need more help behind the bench, and that could be Todd McLellan's protégé, Jay Woodcroft.
Since Todd McLellan arrived in Hockeytown, the Detroit Red Wings have improved slightly on the ice.
From a bump up in goals scored per game, with (2.95) compared to Derek Lalonde's (2.56), the Red Wings want to fill out the team behind the bench to keep improving.
That talent could come from ex-Edmonton Oilers Head Coach and Todd McLellan's pupil, Jay Woodcroft.
It would make sense for the Red Wings to utilize McLellan's connections in order to hire Woodcroft. He turned a struggling Edmonton Oilers team around after getting rid of Dave Tippett, and could help revitalize the offense here in Detroit.
McLellan and Woodcroft have a decade-long relationship as mentor and pupil, and his recent success in the NHL, though short-lived, makes him a great resource for the Red Wings to tap into.
Though he was fired after a short two years, he will be a free agent at the end of 2024-2025 and could be part of the Yzerplan.
Woodcroft has some history with the Red Wings already before hitching onto the McLellan wagon, as he served as video coach for Mike Babcock from 2005-2008.
While Woodcroft's Oilers 5v5 offense was great, his teams were defensively weak and didn't produce the results GM Ken Holland desired.
Could a new voice in the Red Wings locker room help push the needle?
Woodcroft's record with the Oilers was 133-79-41-13, 171 points, and a.643 winning percentage in the regular season.
Previously on Red Wings Insider
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 11 | 218 ANSWERS Detroit Red Wings reportedly eyeing veteran coach to pair with Todd McLellan Should GM Steve Yzerman of the Detroit Red Wings hire former Head Coach Jay Woodcroft as an assistant to Head Coach Todd McLellan? | ||
| Yes | 154 | 70.6 % |
| No | 64 | 29.4 % |
| List of polls | ||
