Detroit, MI
New Coach, Same Outcome for Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings announced the inevitable with the firing of head coach Derek Lalonde. The team showed life at the start of his tenure and even improved to 41 wins last season. But this year was a noticeable plateau under Lalonde, and Detroit made the only call they could.
In Lalonde’s place, the Red Wings hired Todd McLellan. The former San Jose Sharks, Edmonton Oilers, and Los Angeles Kings coach has over 15 years of NHL head coaching experience, and Detroit is hoping he can bring the team back to the postseason. It’s a gamble worth taking for the Red Wings organization, but the outcome won’t change as long as the roster construction remains the same.
McLellan is a good coach. He’s certainly an improvement over Lalonde, bringing more career wins and nine playoff appearances across three organizations, but he’s a band-aid. The wound in the Red Wings organization runs much deeper than who is behind the bench, and McLellan will be the next bench boss to fall victim to the lack of talent in Detroit
The Red Wings haven’t made the postseason since the 2015-2016 campaign. Long gone is the 30 year stretch where they were basically a perennial playoff team, capturing four Stanley Cups since 1996. The organization has been attempting to rebuild that dynasty for the last decade, with repeated failures along the way.
The current attempt to build the right core is another one of those missteps. They have good players. Captain Dylan Larkin will be a member of the United States roster for the 4 Nations Face-Off and is a talented point producer. Lucas Raymond continues to improve and become the team’s best offensive player. Alex DeBrincat has speed and scoring capabilities. Top defensemen Moritz Seider and Simon Edvinsson give them quality minutes every night.
Beyond them, though, the roster is so far from a playoff one, let alone a championship one. They lack depth across every position and they’ve consistently failed with their analysis of goaltenders. For several seasons now, the organization has been banking on their overflow of young prospects breaking through to the NHL, but it’s still a waiting game.
That won’t help McLellan take this middling team to the postseason. He has some weapons to work with and his arrival is sure to reinvigorate the Red Wings players. It ultimately won’t matter though. It won’t change the outcome this year or next year or even the year after until their NHL lineup improves drastically.
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Detroit, MI
School Closings: List of closures across metro Detroit
(WXYZ) — Hundreds of schools will be closed on Thursday due to winter weather in metro Detroit.
>> See the full list here.
On Wednesday, winter weather advisories were issued in Southeast Michigan as several inches of snow fell across the area, creating challenges on the roads.
On Thursday, we’re expecting more snow chances and colder air.
Detroit, MI
Winners: 2026 North American Car, Truck and Utility of the Year
Detroit — The envelope, please. . .
The North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY) awards unveiled the 2026 model year winners Wednesday to open the Detroit Auto Show.
Winner of Car of Year went to the Dodge Charger. Truck of the Year honors went to the Ford Maverick Lobo. And the Hyundai Palisade took home the Utility of the Year crown.
The awards were presented on stage at the soaring Atrium space in Huntington Place Convention Center.
Fifty jurors (including the author of this article) from U.S. and Canadian media outlets selected the finalists after testing 30 nominees across all categories, 19 of them SUVs. Of the nine finalists, two were electric with an average price of $46,248 across the three categories. The $96.5k Gravity was the most expensive nominee, the $23.4k Sentra the cheapest.
In the car category, the Charger and Prelude marked the return of sexy, legendary badges. Detroit’s sentimental favorite was the $51,990 Charger Sixpack (so named for its inline-6 cylinder engine), reborn for ‘26 after the previous, V8-powered generation exited the market in 2023 dogged by federal emissions regulations. The gas-powered Charger shares a stable with the electric Charger Daytona EV. Dressed in a throwback, 1960s coke-bottle wardrobe, the hatchback Charger Sixpack boasts a more refined chassis and interior over predecessors.
For the first time since 2001, Prelude is back with a different mission. As its badge implies, the sporty, $43,195 coupe is a prelude to Honda’s future. The Japanese automaker is leaning into gas-electric hybrids and hatchback Prelude is a Civic-based, hybrid halo as the brand moves to full electrification next decade.
The $23,645 compact Sentra sedan is an affordable option at a time when the average price for a new vehicle is over 50 grand. With twin, hoodless digital screens and wireless Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, Sentra has premium looks for its budget price.
Ram had two nominees for the Truck Wars with its refreshed, light-duty 1500 and heavy-duty 2500 pickups.
Like sister Stellantis brand Dodge, Ram had spiked its best-selling Hemi V-8 to assuage regulators in 2025. The V-8 (officially the eTorque V-8) is back by popular demand. Ram has stamped every V-8 model’s fender with the “Symbol of Protest” protest badge featuring a ram’s head atop a Hemi engine. The Heavy Duty never lost its V-8 or diesel engines (spared by separate federal emissions rules) and brings Ram’s interior refinement to big trucks.
The $37,625 Lobo added a street performance trim to the Maverick’s popular XL, XLT, Lariat and Tremor lineup. The trucklet is a sports car with a bed with its lowered chassis, stiffer springs, and drift-happy, torque-vectoring, rear twin-clutch.
The SUV category was a horse race between the three-row Hyundai Palisade, wee Nissan Leaf EV and sci-fi Gravity.
The latter is Lucid’s first SUV after the elegant Air sedan. At half the price of the six-figure Gravity, the Hyundai comes with major upgrades for 2026 including head-turning style, a hoodless, digital display and an XRT Pro off-road trim complete with all-terrain tires.
The Nissan Leaf went from nerd to swan with its stylin’ 2026 model. Still affordably priced at $29,990, the Nissan is the only EV available for under $30k.
Awarded by a geographically diverse, independent jury of automotive journalists (not a single publication), NACTOY is recognized as one of the industry’s most prestigious baubles. Vehicles are judged as benchmarks for their segments based on factors including innovation, design, handling, user experience and value.
Henry Payne is auto critic for The Detroit News. Find him at hpayne@detroitnews.com or @HenryEPayne.
Detroit, MI
Iconic Detroit store, Dittrich Furs, to close after 132 years, sparking lines during liquidation sale
DETROIT – After 132 years of business, Detroit institution Dittrich Furs is closing its doors for good.
The owners announced their retirement on the store’s website, sparking an overwhelming response from customers eager for one last purchase.
On Tuesday, (Jan. 13), the store reported lines stretching down the street, with so many customers calling that Dittrich Furs had to temporarily stop answering phones.
While a final day of operation has not been announced, the store remains open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The liquidation sale runs through April 30, with prices up to 70% off as everything must go.
Lisa Wright, a longtime customer, shared her connection to the store.
“It’s iconic in its 136 years, so that is the reason that I stood in that line for almost six hours. I grew up in this area. I remember Dittrich because my mother bought a coat from Dittrich. In fact, I still have that coat.”
Wright added, “When I told my brother and them, ‘Hey, remember mom had Dittrich furs?’ I still have that fur even though she’s passed on. I’m the only daughter, so it went to me. Now it’s going to go from me to my daughter. That’s what my memories are, because she bought a fur. It was beautiful.”
She expressed mixed emotions about the closing.
“I’m going to miss them. Just the idea of advertisement, and I’m getting of age, and I’m seeing a lot of things going away that I’m used to. Congrats. They’re probably tired. They probably need a break, too,” Wright concluded.
Customers and community members recognize Dittrich Furs as a stronghold in Detroit.
“They are such a stronghold in Detroit for so many years. I think they’ll have some wonderful memories, as Detroit loved them. It’s being shown by people coming out,” said customer LaVerne Sommerville.
Eugene McCulloch, browsing the sale, said, “I think I might buy this jacket. I kind of like it. I like the color. It looks pretty good.”
As Dittrich Furs prepares to close, the store’s legacy lives on through the memories of its customers and the final rush of shoppers eager to own a piece of Detroit history.
Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit – All rights reserved.
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