The Detroit Red Wings are starting to look like a team that believes in itself again-and more importantly, a team that knows how to back it up on the ice. Since Todd McLellan took over behind the bench in December of last season, there’s been a noticeable shift in both mindset and performance. Accountability isn’t just a buzzword in Detroit anymore; it’s become part of the team’s DNA.
McLellan didn’t waste time making his presence felt. Not long after his arrival, the Red Wings strung together two separate seven-game winning streaks-a feat that speaks volumes about the culture shift underway. And while they ultimately came up just shy of the playoffs last season, they’ve carried that momentum into the current campaign.
After Thursday night’s 4-3 overtime loss to the Minnesota Wild, Detroit still managed to pick up a valuable point-enough to leapfrog the idle Tampa Bay Lightning and grab the top spot in the Atlantic Division. That’s not just a nice midseason stat-it’s the kind of positioning Detroit fans haven’t seen in a long time. In fact, this is the most advantageous spot the Red Wings have found themselves in since 2012.
Even more telling? Detroit just notched 30 wins in their first 50 games for the first time since the 2011-12 season.
That also happens to be the final year of Nicklas Lidstrom’s storied career. That’s not just a fun historical footnote-it’s a reminder of what Red Wings hockey used to look like: disciplined, confident, and consistently competitive.
But McLellan isn’t letting anyone get ahead of themselves. He’s keeping the message clear: don’t let your guard down.
“We have a lot of work that we need to still put in,” McLellan said. “Equate it to a boxing match: if you drop your guard and somebody throws a big punch at you, it will take you a while to get off the mat.
That’s not what we want. We want to build our game, day in and day out.”
That mindset has clearly resonated in the locker room. There’s a quiet confidence growing in this group-not arrogance, but belief. And McLellan knows that belief comes with a price.
“The resiliency in the group, and the belief, is where it needs to be now,” he continued. “You know, with that respect we’ve earned, it comes with responsibility, and that is a tough thing to hold up to. But I expect our guys to do it, night in and night out.”
That expectation isn’t just coming from the coach-it’s echoed by the veterans in the room. Patrick Kane, who knows a thing or two about winning after hoisting the Stanley Cup three times in Chicago, has been vocal about the shift in culture under McLellan. And he’s not just throwing around clichés-he’s seeing something real.
“Not getting comfortable, that’s one thing Todd has really done this year, is not letting the group get comfortable,” Kane said. “He’s staying on top of us every day, whether it’s practice day or game day, and making sure we’re as ready as possible.”
Kane’s not shy about what this team could become.
“The team is playing so well, and that’s what I tell some of these guys. I’m like, ‘I’ve been on good teams, and this is a good team.’ We have a chance to do special things.”
That kind of endorsement matters. When a player with Kane’s résumé says this team has what it takes, people listen. And in Detroit, where the Stanley Cup Playoffs haven’t been a part of the spring landscape since 2016, that kind of talk is more than just optimism-it’s fuel.
If the Red Wings can keep this pace, stay healthy, and continue buying into McLellan’s message, they’re not just a feel-good story-they're a legitimate threat. The accountability is there.
The talent is there. And for the first time in a long time, the belief is back in Hockeytown.