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OCTOBER 2023 USAHOCKEYMAGAZINE.COM // 41 A LONG-AWAITED OPPORTUNITY & A NEW FACE IN THE BIG APPLE k After more than 36 years, Greg Cronin, a former head coach at USA Hockey's National Team Development Program, is getting his first opportunity to be a head coach in the NHL after the Anaheim Ducks named him its 11th head coach in fran- chise history in June. "This is right (in) my wheelhouse as a coach," Cronin said. "I've worked my tail off to get to this point, and I can't emphasize enough how happy I am to be here." Meanwhile, Peter Laviolette, who is first among U.S.-born head coaches with 752 wins, is set to lead the New York Rangers this season after being named the 37th head coach in franchise history. During his introductory press conference, Laviolette touched on how coaching has changed during his 22-year career. He stressed on how important it is for coaches to continue to educate themselves, evolve and embrace new technologies. "The staffs have gotten bigger, the technology has gotten so much better," Laviolette said. "The game continually changes. And I think you have to change with all that and you have to be up to speed on all that." In total, there will be seven American- born, head coaches in the NHL looking to lead their respective teams to a Stanley Cup championship this season. 2023-24 American-born NHL Head Coaches Greg Cronin – Anaheim Ducks Don Granato – Buffalo Sabres Derek Lalonde – Detroit Red Wings Peter Laviolette – New York Rangers John Tortorella – Philadelphia Flyers Mike Sullivan – Pittsburgh Penguins David Quinn – San Jose Sharks one of the most storied NHL franchises and charged with leading the Winged Wheels back to prominence. All told, Lalonde, who is beginning his second season as head coach of the Red Wings, made three stops in Division III hockey, two in Division I, one in junior hockey, and two in the minor leagues. Then there was a four-year stint as a Tampa assistant coach before reaching the Mt. Everest of hockey coaching. If you got in a car in Brasher Falls and took a road trip to all of Lalonde's stops along the way, you'd be at the wheel for 7,023 miles. "There's a value in experiencing all those levels because you have to wear so many hats," Lalonde said. "I have run every system, power play, penalty kill." It wasn't just on-ice matters he had to concern himself with. In college and at lower-level leagues, many coaches often must sharpen skates and repair equipment. "I never had a goal of getting to the NHL," Lalonde admitted. "I had a goal of getting to the next level, but I was happy where I was at the time. And that made me successful wherever I was, and the phone just kept ringing." W h e r e v e r h e 's g o n e , o n e t h i n g h a s a l w a y s st a y e d t h e same—Lalonde's nickname. Over one hundred years ago, the Montreal Canadiens were captained by a prolific scorer by the name of Edward "Newsy" Lalonde. He won a Stanley Cup in 1916 and is enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame. "Everybody calls me Newsy," the mod- ern-day Lalonde, who has no relation to Edward Lalonde, laughed. "Some people in the NHL don't know who Derek is." As a guy who's pulled himself up the ranks, he's learned the i m p o r t a n c e o f k e e p i n g i n t o u c h w i t h t h e g r a s s r o o t s and giving back to the game. That mindset was on display t h i s s u m m e r w h e n L a l o n d e dropped in to offer encourage- ment and pointers at Street Hockey in the D, a series of free clinics organized by the Red Wings designed to give Detroit kids a chance to get into hockey. More than 300 kids participated at eight differ- ent locations throughout Detroit. "It was just very rewarding working with the kids. A lot of smiles, a lot of enthusiasm," Lalonde said. "You have to give back to the community to develop a brand and a fan base. I like doing these things. Whenever they ask, I say yes." Lalonde grew up in a modest home in Brasher Falls with an older sister, Jazan. His father, Jack, worked at a local elec- tric power facility while his mother, Donna, ran a hair salon out of their home. While it's a small town, Brasher Falls has a rink, Tri- Town Arena, and there the young Derek began p l a y i n g h o c k e y. "You have to give back to the community to develop a brand and a fan base. I like doing these things. Whenever they ask, I say yes." –Derek Lalonde VIDEO: GETTING TO KNOW NEW RED WINGS COACH DEREK LALONDE