from Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press,
So, Lalonde was asked, what is the next step?
“To improve,” he said. “We improved 11 points from last year. We had … six more wins than last year. We took a step. I think that next step is just improving on that.
“What does that look like? I don't know. But you see the growth in this group and the battle in this group. They pushed them. They push this group forward for sure.”
If Lalonde isn’t sure what improvement looks like for a team that missed the playoffs on a tiebreaker to an inferior Washington Capitals team they should have beaten a week ago at home, let me help him.
Improvement is one thing and one thing only next season: the playoffs.
Or put another way: the playoffs or bust.
Or put yet another way: If Lalonde can’t get this team over the hump in his third season and take the Wings to the postseason, it’s time to find his replacement because the rebuild has gone on long enough.
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