NHL News: Todd McLellan issues harsh message to Red Wings after deflating loss vs Capitals

The Detroit Red Wings travelled to the nation’s capital, to take on the Washington Capitals, but they were unable to clear the bar in a pivotal test. Todd McLellan and his team discovered they are still well behind NHL powerhouses like the Caps, as they suffered a very harsh defeat at Capital One Arena.

The Red Wings managed to keep up with the Capitals’ pace for 40 minutes, but Washington ultimately blew the doors off Detroit in the third period. The Caps scored three goals in the final frame, sending the Wings back home with a crucial loss amid their playoff push.

Detroit entered the matchup with high expectations, hoping to build on their recent 3-0 win over the Vegas Golden Knights, yet they dropped the ball, squandering a golden opportunity to pull within one point of the wildcard spots in the NHL standings.

Words are wind, and after the lackluster performance, McLellan delivered a firm message to the locker room. If the franchise is serious about ending their eight-year playoff drought, they cannot fall short like they did against Washington.

Ben Chiarot #8 of the Detroit Red Wings warms up prior to 2025 NHL Stadium Series against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Ohio Stadium on March 01, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio.

“That has to get fixed” McLellan said, via The Detroit News. “That’s the only way we’re going to improve as a hockey club, rebound from things that don’t go our way and to have that happen is disappointing. That implosion didn’t make any sense to me.

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“This one, so they scored the second (goal), what are we going to do? It was a sneaky shot, fortunate, we’re still OK. So give your teammates a chance to use the six minutes to pull the goaltender and we’re going to overtime at 2-2 or losing 3-1. We look up with three minutes left and it’s 4-1. That can’t happen.“

Common sight

Red Wings key defenseman Ben Chiarot expressed his concerns about the team’s dull third period, stating it’s become a recurring theme throughout the 2024-25 NHL campaign.

“It’s frustrating, it’s been kind of happening too often where we put together a good 40 or so minutes together and have things come unraveled on us,” Ben Chiarot stated. “Guys have to learn from it and get better at it.“

Head coach Todd McLellan of the Detroit Red Wings reacts during practice at Ohio Stadium on February 28, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio.

Trending upwards, but it’s not enough

“We were way better this game than we were days ago,” McLellan added. “You still have to check for your chances, you can’t open it up and pout and get lazy. Perhaps we did that and maybe that’s the lesson we’re learning.”

There are no moral victories this late in the NHL season, especially with the Stanley Cup Playoffs approaching and Detroit eager to play their first postseason game in over eight seasons. McLellan and the Red Wings must right the ship and will have a chance to do so when visiting the Golden Knights on March 22.