Coach Todd McLellan reacts to boos as Detroit Red Wings miss playoffs

The Detroit Red Wings saw their NHL playoff hopes end in disappointment, and head coach Todd McLellan did not shy away from the reaction inside the arena.

Detroit fell 5–3 to the New Jersey Devils on Saturday at Little Caesars Arena. The loss officially ended their playoff expectations and stretched the franchise’s drought to 10 straight seasons, now the longest active run in the NHL, after Buffalo qualified for the playoffs.

Fans made their frustration clear, as boos grew louder after Dawson Mercer’s empty-net goal, which sealed the result late in the third period. Even during Fan Appreciation Night, the mood turned sour as players gathered for the traditional salute.

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McLellan faced the situation directly. He said the team earned that response and called it a reflection of their season. He pointed to Detroit’s strong hockey culture and said fans expect effort and consistency every night.

“Well, this is Detroit, this is hockey town,” McLellan said. “I’ve been lucky enough to be on the other side of it when they couldn’t stop cheering for this team, and they’re dying for that. They crave that. That’s what they want. And I don’t even know if they want a Stanley Cup championship anymore. They just want a team that’s gonna come and give them something to cheer about.

“And this outside noise stuff or whatever, that’s inside noise. Those are our fans in our building, and they pay to watch us play, and we get paid well to perform for them. And they’re fully entitled to their opinion, and we deserve their opinion. Like, there’s no other way to sugarcoat it. That, that’s what we earned.”

McLellan’s message was blunt and honest, with no attempt to soften the moment.

On the ice, the result capped a painful collapse. Detroit led 3–2 in the third period before conceding three unanswered goals. Earlier in the season, the team had topped the Eastern Conference standings in January but struggled after the Olympic break.

Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin responds

Captain Dylan Larkin accepted responsibility for the boos, but said that it was difficult to hear it.

“It’s extremely difficult,” Larkin said, who registered two points in the game. “Our fans are great, they are passionate, they care about winning. There’s been some great years here, and they [fans] want us back to that, and that’s what they expect here.

“And to hear that it’s very difficult. I’m as down as I could be right now.”

Detroit holds a 41-30-9 record with 91 points, but could not close the gap late in the race. Poor game management and inconsistency cost them a return to the postseason.

For McLellan and the Red Wings, the boos were not surprising. They were a clear signal of expectations still unmet in a proud hockey city.