How Red Wings Coach Derek Lalonde is Like Jeff Blashill; and How he Isn't

Some Detroit Red Wings fans think Derek Lalonde is a virtual clone of Jeff Blashill. Both were head coaches in the NHL before. They are different.

Lalonde played college hockey at SUNY-Cortland State. He was the team's Red Letter Award winner. Blashill played goal at Ferris State and was a coach in Detroit.

Both Derek Lalonde and Jeff Blashill worked under Bob Daniels as NCAA Assistant Coaches at Ferris State. Lalonde was an assistant coach at the university from 2003-06. Blashesill was assistant at FSU from 1999-2002.

Jeff Blashill and Derek Lalonde both won Clark Cup titles. Steve Yzerman met Derek when he was a scout at a game in Green Bay.

Lalonde has been the right-hand man to Jon Cooper for the past four seasons in Tampa Bay. Tampa has won a Presidents’ Trophy, three Eastern Conference titles and two Stanley Cup championships.

Derek Lalonde is the new coach of the Detroit Red Wings. He won two Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The team won 62 games and lost in the first round of playoffs in 2018-19. He believes his experience in Tampa helped him prepare for the Red Wing's upcoming season.