Should Detroit Red Wings Coach Todd McLellan Be on the Hot Seat in 2026/27?

Todd McLellan was hired by the Detroit Red Wings during the 2024/25, but after two failed post-season pushes, could he be a coach on the hot seat?

Todd McLellan, Head Coach of the Detroit Red Wings / USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Dating back to the 2015/16 season, the Detroit Red Wings are the only team in the National Hockey League to not make the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and after the Buffalo Sabres broke their drought this past season, the Red Wings hold the distinction of the longest playoff drought.

When Head Coach Todd McLellan took over in 2024/25, the Red Wings went on a major run, as they finished the year 28-18-4, and while they weren't able to reach the post-season in a crowded Eastern Conference, there was optimism again in the Motor City.

Unfortunately, the 2025/26 season saw them fall back to earth, as the team dealt with injuries and inconsistencies to go 41-31-10, and while they were at .500 on the year, they finished sixth in the Atlantic Division, extending their post-season drought to 10 years.

Should Todd McLellan be on the Hot Seat in Detroit?

Todd McLellan, Head Coach of the Detroit Red Wings / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Overall, that gives McLellan a record of 69-59-14 in Detroit, and given what failed hockey they'd seen in the years pre dating him, that seems like a very successful run for a coach that took over mid-way through a season just two years ago.

On top of that, this roster isn't one that screams genuine Stanley Cup contender, as the team is relying on players in their early 20s alongside Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Larkin, and while that's a good starting point for a roster, this is a team that's severely lacking star power.

Then, this off-season, Detroit made very few moves to improve the roster, and with the front office now missing a General Manager and President of Hockey Operations, there are plenty of holes for the organization to fill.

All of this heaps more and more pressure on McLellan, and while the Red Wings should likely be moving towards another rebuild, the higher-ups in the front office and the fanbase are running out of patience, and that may, unfairly at that, force McLellan and the team towards a Stanley Cup Playoffs push in 2026/27.

What Direction are the Red Wings Headed in This Season?

Todd McLellan, Head Coach of the Detroit Red Wings / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Clearly, there are enough holes on this roster and in the current front office that putting the pressure on McLellan is very unfair, but in the NHL, teams demand success, and after a decade in the post-season wilderness, and at 58 years old, McLellan is the type of coach that's experienced enough to get the best out of his teams.

Realistically, given the state of this roster, McLellan should be given extended reign to see if he can lead this young core led by Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider towards future success, but given the vacancies in the front office, this could all change in an instant once a new hire or two become official.

As of right now, there are many different factors that go into McLellan's future from the new hire to Dylan Larkin's trade situation, but if he can't have this team looking like one that has potential to be a Stanley Cup Playoffs contender with this core, 2026/27 could be his last.