Todd McLellan Faces an Early Test as Red Wings Look for Answers

The Detroit Red Wings entered the 2026-27 season hoping to finally end one of the longest playoff droughts in franchise history. Instead, the early results have provided more questions than answers. With the Red Wings struggling to establish consistency, head coach Todd McLellan faces the challenge of getting his team back on track before another promising season slips away.

The Red Wings have managed two victories through their first seven games, a disappointing beginning for an organization that has spent the past several years attempting to return to postseason contention. However, the struggles haven't been entirely unexpected.

Injuries have already forced McLellan to make adjustments to his lineup. Dylan Larkin missed the first two games of the season after a roller coaster of a summer, while Marco Kasper, Mason Appleton and J.T. Compher have also dealt with injuries.

On top of that, restricted free agent defenseman Simon Edvinsson is engaged in a contract standoff with the Red Wings and has demanded a trade. The absences have created additional responsibilities for some of Detroit's younger players while forcing McLellan to experiment with different line combinations. Nevertheless, injuries and holdouts cannot explain everything.

The Red Wings' penalty killing has been a concern, and they have struggled to generate enough offense to consistently overcome their defensive mistakes. These issues have contributed to a recurring challenge for a franchise that hasn't participated in the Stanley Cup Playoffs since 2016.

Detroit Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan walks across the ice. Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

McLellan was hired in December 2024 to help change that narrative. The veteran coach arrived in Detroit with considerable experience, having previously served behind the benches of the San Jose Sharks, Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings. His coaching career includes numerous postseason appearances, including a trip to the Western Conference Final with San Jose in 2010 and 2011. That experience was expected to help the Red Wings' younger players develop while establishing a more disciplined approach throughout the lineup.

Now McLellan must find a way to translate those expectations into victories. The Red Wings possess several players capable of making a difference, like Larkin, Lucas Raymond, Alex DeBrincat, and Moritz Seider. But having talented players and developing a winning team are two entirely different challenges. The Red Wings must find ways to produce more consistently, particularly when facing opponents that can capitalize on mistakes.

The Red Wings also need to establish themselves as a difficult team to play against at Little Caesars Arena. That becomes especially important during the current homestand, when the Red Wings have an opportunity to build momentum. Of course, seven games hardly determine the outcome of an 84-game season. There is plenty of time for the Red Wings to recover, especially as injured players return to the lineup. But the margin for error can disappear quickly in the competitive Atlantic Division.

For McLellan, the immediate objective isn't necessarily to transform the Red Wings into a Stanley Cup contender overnight. It's to establish consistency, improve the team's execution and prevent another season from becoming an uphill battle. The Red Wings have spent a decade searching for the postseason and McLellan's biggest challenge is ensuring that search doesn't continue for another year.

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