Derek Lalonde Firing Puts Pressure On Peter Laviolette

The Detroit Red Wings have fired Derek Lalonde and named Todd McLellan as his replacement.

This comes after the Red Wings lost 21 of their first 34 games.

The firing of Lalonde should come as a warning for Peter Laviolette.

The Rangers have lost 13 out of their last 17 games as things seem to be getting worse and worse in The Big Apple.

Larry Brooks of The New York Post reported the Rangers hierarchy has no stomach to fire Laviolette after firing Gerard Gallant two years ago and David Quinn four years ago.

However, if the Rangers continue to struggle, Laviolette could be the team’s scapegoat, putting his job in jeopardy.

Aside from Luke Richardson with the Chicago Blackhawks, Derek Lalonde is the first coaching domino to fall.

Laviolette is in his second season of a three-year contract with the Rangers.

He’s coming off of a year where he helped propel New York to win the Presidents’ Trophy while going all the way to the Eastern Conference Final.

There is no serious indication at the moment that the Rangers are looking to cut ties with Laviolette, but the firing of Lalonde draws more attention to Laviolette’s future in New York.