It was a year ago today that the Detroit Red Wings said goodbye to Derek Lalonde and welcomed Todd McLellan as the club’s new coach.

On December 26, 2024, the Red Wings were 13-17-14. They were seventh in the Atlantic Division, 15th in the Eastern Conference, and 28th overall in the NHL.

The Red Wings are buzzing. Is this the year they take the next step?👀 pic.twitter.com/P2HDofxW5W

— BarDown (@BarDown) December 25, 2025

This season on the same date, the Red Wings are 22-13-3. They are first in the Atlantic Division, second in the Eastern Conference, and fifth overall in the NHL.

Can a coach really make that much difference to a team?

Captain Dylan Larkin certainly thinks it’s been one of the major factors in the team’s turnaround.

“I think a combination of Todd coming in and his first practice, yelling to play hockey, and his intensity,” Larkin said. “His willingness to give guys opportunities, and if you can play, you’re going to play.”

Larkin also points to the offseason additions of goalie John Gibson and forward James van Riemsdyk as helping to key the club’s success.

Also, some of the pickups, the additions we made with Gibby, and shoring up some holes that we had,” Larkin said. “So I think there’s a combination.”

Red Wings More Resilient Under McLellan

There can be no denying that this is a different team under McLellan’s tutelage. The Red Wings play a more resilient game. Ten of the club’s 22 wins have been earned with game-winning goals in either the third period or overtime. That’s the most in the NHL.

Ten of the @DetroitRedWings’ 22 wins this season saw Detroit score the game-winning goal in either the third period or overtime, which marks the most among all teams.#NHLStats: https://t.co/C7cExvczPD pic.twitter.com/OwXKO6jOHd

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) December 24, 2025

Are the Red Wings really a different team? Crunching the numbers over the year with McLellan in charge, the numbers don’t lie.

In 86 games with him as coach, they are 48-31-7. That’s a .599 points percentage, which ranks Detroit 11th overall in the NHL over the past year. Detroit is sixth overall among Eastern Conference clubs during McLellan’s year in charge.

The Wings are 11th in goals scored per game (3.09) and 11th in goals allowed per game (3.12).

Detroit’s power play is an NHL-best 27.7%. The Red Wings are sixth in the NHL with 15.92 shot blocks per 60 minutes.

That’s the good news.

Detroit is 19th in faceoff win percentage (49.6%) and five-on-five goals scored (160), 20th in hits per 60 minutes (19.17), and 22nd in team save percentage (.887). The penalty kill, at 76.2%, ranks 26th in the league.

The reality is that there’s still work to be done, areas in which this team must shore up its game.

“It’s got to feel really good for the franchise, the fans,” McLellan said of the turnaround in the standings. “We’re winning more than we’re losing, but again, we got a lot of runway in front of us, a lot of road work that we have to do.

“We’ve got to improve as a group.”

At least they know that they have a coach who will demand more of them and hold them accountable.

Clearly, it’s making a difference.