Red Wings name Derek Lalonde head coach

The storied Detroit Red Wings have their man behind the bench: Derek Lalonde.

He comes to the Red Wings after winning back-to-back Stanley Cups as an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Lalonde, 49, was first hired by the Lightning in 2018-19 when Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman worked as a senior advisor for Tampa Bay.

“I’m very pleased to announce Derek as our new head coach,” Yzerman said. “He has proven himself as an excellent coach at every level and has spent the last four seasons in the National Hockey League as part of a very successful program in Tampa Bay. We feel he is ready to take the next step in his career as the head coach of the Detroit Red Wings.”

Lalonde’s extensive coaching resume includes 16-years in the college ranks followed by stints in the USHL, ECHL, and AHL before joining the Lightning. He served as the head coach of the AHL’s Iowa Wild between 2016-17 and 2018-19 where the club went 69-58-17-8. In his first year, the Wild went 36-31-7-2 as he became the first coach in franchise history to produce a winning season.

Lalonde called the Red Wings’ future bright.

“I’m thrilled to be named head coach of the Red Wings,” said Lalonde. “I’d like to thank Chris Ilitch and the entire Ilitch family, as well as Steve Yzerman and the Red Wings management team for entrusting me with the opportunity to lead this historic franchise. I’m ready to get to work with our group. There’s a very bright future ahead in Detroit.”