Yahoo Sports Red Wings Coach Calls Out Defender
"Sending a message? He sent himself a message."
Sometimes, a coach needs to call it as he sees it. New Detroit Red Wings bench boss Todd McLellan doesn't mince words. And he certainly didn't last night when speaking to the media after a 6-3 loss to the San Jose Sharks.
Going into last night's game, the Red Wings were riding high on a seven-game win streak. That high came crashing down to earth after exiting the first period down by two goals.
However, after the Sharks scored their fifth goal, McLellan stapled Justin Holl to the bench. The veteran defender didn't play for the game's last five minutes. He finished the loss with 13:26 of ice time.
After the game, the coach had a clear message for the player.
"I'm not going to sit up here and BS for him," McLellan revealed. "He had a terrible night and that's just the way it is.
"Wheither he got on in the last five minutes, it really doesn't matter. He knows he can play better."
Playing better, in this case being doing something other than watching the puck when two of the opponent's most dangerous players are around his own net. The net that is his job to defend and make life easier for his goalie.
"I'm telling you before I tell him, but I am going to tell him that tomorrow," McLellan said. "That's up to him to fix. I know he's a better player than that."
Holl's problem started when he skated in front of his own net with the puck, with two Sharks players hounding him. Instead of extinguishing the pressure, he threw a lighter into the fire.
He could have taken the puck behind the net to make the Sharks work a little harder for their goal. Instead, he put himself in a bad spot, and a great player made him pay.
Time will tell if Holl has received the message or not. Unfortunately for the fans and the player, they'll need to wait till the next game to find out.
Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features.
Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News favorites.
Related: Red Wings Need More From New Sniper
Red Wings Need To Answer Unique Trade Questions
Red Wings Fall Back To Earth Against Sharks
Revealing Red Wings Move Of The Year
Red Wings Can Make History Tonight
Red Wings Have Their New Future Shutdown Center
