DENVER Those who are not involved in speculations, such as Detroit Red Wings players, may find the week leading up to the NHL trade deadline worrying.
About 48 hours before Friday’s 3 p.m. deadline, coach Derek Lalonde stated on Wednesday, “I got off social media about a year ago when I started to get, you’re the worst coach I’ve ever seen in the history of earth DMs.” “This is the one time I wish I was on it, because you kind of get the inside scoops and everything.”
With the Wings (33-22-6 heading into their game against the Colorado Avalanche on Wednesday) in the Eastern Conference postseason picture, general manager Steve Yzerman may choose to be a buyer or remain put.
“We fully trust Steve,” stated Lalonde. “When I was in Tampa, the circumstances were comparable. When you have faith in your manager’s actions, I believe it to be genuine. Knowing that he will act now and in the future in the best interests of the company helps me sleep much better at night.”
FIT: The reasons behind Steve Yzerman’s advantageous position at the NHL trade deadline
This marks the first time Yzerman hasn’t been a clear seller since he was appointed general manager in 2019. Veteran David Perron is among the guys in the locker room who has spoken the most opinions about how difficult it should be for Yzerman to break up the connection.
Lalonde remarked, “He is a very valuable emotional leader.” It’s one of those things where his contribution to our room is probably incalculable. Even though he can be difficult to control at times, you want it to happen when you can get him under control.
“He hasn’t allowed this team to accept defeat in many circumstances. He is a crucial component of our efforts in this regard.”
Perron was the one who first projected the Wings would score 18 points before the All-Star break back in January (they ended up with 20).
“You have to manifest what you want a little bit,” Perron stated. “I think it basically makes you aware of the urgency of every action you take and what you need to accomplish in order to make it happen. You’re attempting to establish a winning culture and winning habit by implying that winning and competing for a postseason berth are commonplace. It has, in my opinion, been the most thrilling aspect of our season.
“We have accomplished our goal of playing to be in a favorable place. In fact, I believe that despite some of our recent victories, we haven’t played flawlessly, and that’s typically a positive indicator. We’ve kind of reached that point now. You have to be able to win games even when you don’t play flawlessly, but you also have to acknowledge that and figure out how to improve.”
