NHL rumors: Insider speculates Detroit Red Wings will be 'forced' to fire Derek Lalonde unless certain objectives are met

NHL insider Darren Dreger has speculated that the Detroit Red Wings may be "forced" to fire coach Derek Lalonde if the team doesn't meet certain objectives. Lalonde is in the final year of his contract with Detroit.

The Red Wings are coming off a 4-2 win against the New York Islanders on Monday, but have lost four out of their last six games. They now have a 9-10-2 record this season.

While talking on TSN's Insider Trading, Dreger said:

"They've got a crucial three game home stand happening this week.What happens if they go 1-for-3 or 0-for-3? Now the upside is they could go 3-off-3 or win two of three, and Derek Lalonde stays on the Red Wings bench."

Dreger notes that the Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman Yzerman is typically loyal to his coaches, but the team needs to remain competitive.

"So if they have a good home stand, everything should be fine. If they don't, that might force Yzerman to make a decision. The sense is that they would go with an interim internal candidate and then hope that a top coach eventually becomes available."

The next three games are critical for Lalonde and the Red Wings. They face the Calgary Flames, New Jersey Devils and the Vancouver Canucks at home this week.

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Another coach on hot seat besides Derek Lalonde

Another NHL coach potentially on the hot seat besides Detroit's Derek Lalonde is Nashville Predators' Andrew Brunette. Despite significant offseason moves, the Predators have stumbled to a 7-12-3 start.

Analyst Luke Gazdic pointed to Brunette as someone who could be in trouble if Nashville's struggles continue. He noted the team's lackluster start despite heavy offseason investments:

“I’m going to Nashville, Tennessee, and Andrew Brunette. With the amount of money that they spent this summer and the start that they are having, you already got Barry Trotz talking about, you know, tearing this thing down into a rebuild," said Gazdic last week to Sportsnet.

"I think Andrew Brunette is a heck of a coach, but something and something fast needs to happen.”

If the team continues to underperform, Andrew Brunette could get fired, as per Gazdic. The Predators next face the Philadelhpia Flyers on Wednesday at Bridgestone Arena.