Todd McLellan is determined to turn the tide in Motor City. As he guides the Detroit Red Wings into the 2025-26 NHL season, he has put an end to one somewhat controversial “tradition” in place.
The Red Wings hear every one of McLellan’s messages loud and clear. The head coach in Detroit is not one to sugarcoat his thoughts nor mince his words. As he commands the group ahead of the NHL season opener, he made his stance clear on a recent trend in the organization.
“We’ll be an Original Six team,” coach Todd McLellan said, via Detroit Free Press. “We’ll have a captain and a couple of assistants, and that’s where we’ll be.”
For the past six seasons, the Red Wings have had rotating alternate captains who would wear the ‘A’ throughout the NHL season. Now, that tradition is being put to rest. For many fans, that rule of thumb going extinct is a good sign of order within the locker room.
Dylan Larkin at Little Caesars Arena on September 25, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan.
One too many
As McLellan noted, having alternate captains vary each and every night makes it confusing and difficult to keep track. It was a true case of jack of all trades, master of none. Having plenty of players eventually wearing the ‘A’ on their sweaters also diminished the true meaning of being named an alternate in the first place.
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“When I got here last year, I knew Larkin was the captain, but we had six, seven rotating A’s,” McLellan added. “I didn’t even know who wore them on any given night. We’re Original Six. All my years here [as an assistant coach], there was a clear definition of who was going to go.”
Moreover, for a team like the Red Wings, there was some inconsistency in having so many leaders on the team yet being unable to snap their 9-year postseason drought.
New Wings Order
Now, McLellan has put the pieces in place, and that’s where they’ll stay. Dylan Larkin will remain the captain, with Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond serving as the alternates.
