In 16 games since McLellan took over, the Red Wings are 11-4-1, riding a three-game win streak as they prepare to head to western Canada on Wednesday. It’s not unusual to see a midseason coaching change bring better results in the NHL, but now more than 30 days in, the Red Wings’ surge has lasted longer than a simple adrenaline rush.

The first thing Todd McLellan felt needed changing when he took over the Wings was the mood. Thanks to an 11-4-1 record since arriving, it has.

The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Los Angeles Kings 5-2 thanks to a sensational night from young star Lucas Raymond, after the game head coach Todd McLellan sent the 22-year-old a bold statement.

The Red Wings (24-21-5, 53 points) would tie Tampa Bay and Columbus for the final wild card spot with a win over the Oilers and a regulation loss by the Blue Jackets at Vegas, though technically Detroit would still trail based on points percentage and tiebreakers.

Last season was a coming out party for Detroit Red Wings star forward Lucas Raymond. This season is about Raymond establishing his credentials among the elite performers in the NHL.

Certainly coach Todd McLellan did not have much positive to say after ... "From the first goal, that kind of set the tone for us," said Lucas Raymond, who scored on a power play. "It’s a huge part of our game and didn’t get it done.

The Kings take a two-goal lead in the first period before losing, 5-2, against their former head coach and dropping to 2-5-1 over their last eight games.

Veteran forward Andrew Copp said the Detroit Red Wings have a togetherness they lacked before head coach Todd McLellan was hired in late December.

In the Red Wings’ ongoing build, the biggest question can be found at the base: Do they have elite talent? Lucas Raymond is starting to answer it.

The Detroit Red Wings begin a four-game Western swing when they face the host Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night. The Red Wings and the Oilers, playing the penultimate game of a six-game homestand, have each won three consecutive games.

The Red Wings practiced at Little Caesars Arena’s BELFOR Training Center on Wednesday morning before departing for Edmonton. Patrick Kane (upper body) and Vladimir Tarasenko (illness) both participated, but J.T. Compher (upper body) and Jeff Petry (undisclosed) did not.