Todd McLellan and the Detroit Red Wings have their work cut out for them in the 2025-26 NHL season. Pressure is mounting to an all-time high in Motor City—the postseason drought cannot extend any longer. Hoping to inspire change, Hockey town is welcoming a former Chicago Blackhawks‘ teammate of Patrick Kane to help out in a different role.
The upcoming NHL season will mark the Red Wings‘ 100th anniversary. Fans in Detroit are undoubtedly hoping the centenary will be celebrated with on-ice victories and proud performances night after night. It might be optimistic thinking—especially for a franchise that has grown accustomed to heartbreak and unmet expectations in recent years.
If the postseason skid isn’t snapped, one thing is certain: heads will roll. Steve Yzerman has more than earned the benefit of the doubt for his ‘Yzerplan’ thanks to his success as a player. But since taking over as vice president and general manager, the results simply haven’t been there.
Reunion
After extending Kane to yet another one-year contract, McLellan and the Red Wings have welcomed a former Blackhawks draft pick as their new goaltending coach. Detroit’s netminding has been a headache in recent years, but with this new addition and Josh Gibson’s trade, the Red Wings are hoping to wipe the slate clean.
Michael Leighton #49 of the Philadelphia Flyers looks on in Game Four of the 2010 NHL Stanley Cup Final against the Chicago Blackhawks at Wachovia Center on June 4, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
“Detroit Red Wings Executive Vice President and General Manager Steve Yzerman today announced that the team has hired Michael Leighton as Goaltending Coach,” the team’s official statement read.
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Background
A sixth-round pick in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, Leighton joined the Blackhawks and made immediate history by becoming the first goalie in Chicago to record a shutout in his debut. However, his time there was short-lived, as he was traded after two seasons in 2005. What followed was a career marked by constant movement—shuffling between organizations and repeated cycles of being placed on and claimed off waivers.
It always comes back to Chicago
Leighton played some of the best hockey of his career during the 2009-10 season with the Philadelphia Flyers. As it turned out, he would guide his team to the Stanley Cup Final. Of course, it was Kane and the Blackhawks who would break Leighton and Philly’s hearts with a 4-2 series win.
Patrick Kane #88 of the Detroit Red Wings looks on against the Chicago Blackhawks during the first period at the United Center on November 06, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois.
Somehow, someway, Leighton found his way back to the Windy City in 2015. After signing as a free agent, the Blackhawks goalie appeared in just one game during the 2015-16 season, joining Kane and the team fresh off their third championship in six years. Leighton never managed to establish himself in the NHL. Yet, he found lots of success in the AHL, where he has been inducted into the Hall of Fame.
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Now, Leighton joins the Red Wings for his first coaching role in the NHL. He gained valuable experience in the OHL as the goaltending coach for the Windsor Spitfires. He will now oversee a goaltending room initially led by Josh Gibson and Cam Talbot, aiming to bring more stability and success to a crease that has struggled in recent years.
