Obviously, replacing Derek Lalonde with Todd McLellan as coach has had an enormous impact on the Red Wings.
It’s like night and day. It’s not only that the Red Wings have won five straight games, but how they are doing it.
They are outshooting the opposition. Their puck possession has been notably improved. So have special teams.
The Red Wings’ forecheck is better. They are cycling the puck more. Certainly they are winning more puck battles.
The Wings have been much better throughout the lineup. It hasn’t just been the top line and No. 1 defensive pairing straining to pull dead weight. Their goaltending has been sufficient.
If somebody could bottle what has occurred with the Red Wings, it’d be the top-selling energy drink in the world. But is it just a burst, which will wear off in time, or a genuine turnaround?
There is no question the Red Wings were underachieving. Whether you believe they have a playoff roster or not, they shouldn’t have been trending to be perhaps the NHL’s worst team.
Coaches don’t get themselves fired. It just happens. If anything, general manager Steve Yzerman waited too long. But it’s a misnomer to suggest McLellan is waving some sort of magic wand.
More than any other Detroit player, this has to be Dylan Larkin’s time. He is 28. He was named captain four years ago.
Hockey is unique. The 'C' on the sweater is more than symbolic, especially in Hockeytown. The best coaches establish the parameters. It’s the captain that imposes the will so that they are observed.
Larkin is no longer a kid. He is an $8 million-plus, 10-year veteran in his prime with nearly 700 NHL games under his belt. These are the seasons that will define his legacy, and it won’t necessarily be determined by goals and points as much as leadership and wins.
It will be ushering immensely talented youngsters Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider to greatness, and making sure the malaise that infected the team before the coaching change doesn’t happen again.
Being Red Wings’ captain isn’t just an honor, it’s a responsibility. It’s Dylan Larkin’s time.
And if it isn’t, you can almost guarantee it won’t be the Red Wings', either.