Red Wings hire two-time Stanley Cup winning assistant as next head coach

DETROIT — Steve Yzerman turned the Tampa Bay Lightning into one of the NHL's most dominant teams as an executive.

As the Detroit Red Wings executive vice president and general manager rebuilds the franchise, Yzerman is turning to an assistant coach he hired in 2018 to take the Lightning to next level, when Yzerman was the general manger there.

The Detroit Red Wings have hired Derek Lalonde away from the Lightning to become the 28th head coach in franchise history, according to a tweet Thursday.

• Previous coach: Detroit Red Wings fire coach Jeff Blashill after 7 seasons

Lalonde has never been a head coach at the NHL level, but Yzerman believes he has the right guy.

"He has proven himself as an excellent coach at every level and has spent the last four seasons in the National Hockey League as part of a very successful program in Tampa Bay," Yzerman said. "We feel he is ready to take the next step in his career as the head coach of the Detroit Red Wings."

Tampa Bay never missed the playoffs in Lalonde's four seasons behind the bench.

The Lightning won the Stanley Cup in Lalonde's second and third years, and were just defeated by the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday.

"Derek has an impressive resume, particularly the work he's done with young players and prospects throughout his career," Christopher Ilitch, Detroit Red Wings Governor, President and CEO said. "We're excited to have him leading the charge behind the Red Wings bench."

Prior to joining the Lightning, Lalonde was the head coach of the American Hockey League's Iowa Wild. He posted a 69-58-17-8 record with the Wild, the primary affiliate for the Minnesota Wild.

Lalonde also served as head coach for the ECHL's Toledo Walleye for two seasons. The Walleye were back-to-back regular season champions in those years, where they went 97-35-7-5.

Lalonde started his head coaching career with the United States Hockey League's Green Bay Gamblers.

He started as an assistant coach at the University of Denver from 2006 to 2011.

"I'm thrilled to be named head coach of the Red Wings," said Lalonde. "I'd like to thank Chris Ilitch and the entire Ilitch family, as well as Steve Yzerman and the Red Wings management team for entrusting me with the opportunity to lead this historic franchise."

The Detroit Red Wings fired their previous coach, Jeff Blashill, after 7 seasons on April 30.

"I'm ready to get to work with our group. There's a very bright future ahead in Detroit," Lalonde said.