Derek Lalonde is returning to coaching in the NHL.
On Friday, the Toronto Maple Leafs announced they have hired Lalonde as an assistant coach. This move fills the spot on the coaching staff left open when Lane Lambert departed.
Lambert was recently named head coach of the Seattle Kraken on May 29th. He had previously served for one season as an associate coach under Craig Berube.
The 52-year-old Lalonde previously spent three seasons as the head coach of the Detroit Red Wings, where he compiled a record of 89-86-23.
Before his tenure in Detroit, Lalonde served as an assistant coach for the Tampa Bay Lightning from 2018 to 2022. During this period, he was part of the staff that guided the Lightning to consecutive Stanley Cup championships in 2020 and 2021.
His coaching career also includes head coaching roles in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Iowa Wild and the ECHL with the Toledo Walleye before entering the NHL.
Additionally, Lalonde has international coaching experience as an assistant coach for Team USA at the IIHF World Championships in both 2023 and 2024.
Duncan Priestley