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Todd McLellan defends Dylan Larkin from Steve Yzerman's press conference call out


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Jack Sutherland
April 30, 2025  (6:05 PM)
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Red Wings coach Todd McLellan
Photo credit: Facebook

Todd McLellan appeared to defend Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin after being all but officially called out by Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman.

The Detroit Red Wings are once again watching the Stanley Cup Playoffs from home, having failed to secure a berth for the 9th straight year.
It marks the longest postseason drought in team history, which included a notably dark period that began in the late 1960s and extended through the 70s, which became known as the "Dead Wings" era.
Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin made no secret of being unhappy that there weren't more substantial additions to the Detroit lineup at the Trade Deadline
Todd McLellan expressed his belief that the Red Wings could have made the playoffs as constructed, but they unfortunately gave away too many points down the stretch in winnable games.
There's enough points right there in games that we had control of that we gave away. It's not about who wasn't here, in my opinion; it's about who is here, and who is here has to do a better job.

McLellan regretted the missed opportunities in games during March that resulted in missing the postseason, but reiterated that he thinks they could have qualified with the team as it was constructed.
This team in my opinion was good enough to play in the playoffs. You look at some of the teams that made it, we were good enough, the way we were constructed, to make the playoffs. We didn't play well enough, and when it got (difficult) for us, we went deeper into it instead of pulling ourselves out of it. That's on us. It doesn't matter who (general manager) Steve (Yzerman) drops in or who walks into the locker room.
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Todd McLellan defends Dylan Larkin from Steve Yzerman's press conference call out

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