Johansson has averaged 17:10 and posted an even plus-minus rating in 10 games under McLellan and assistant Trent Yawney, who coaches the defense. Prior to that, he averaged 13:02 and posted a minus-6 rating in 17 games while being shuffled in and out of the lineup.

But it's on the defensive end that, possibly, bad habits from early in the season are beginning to resurface. McLellan, who took over Dec. 26 and the Wings immediately went 7-2-0 afterward, wants to stomp out those habits before they hurt the Wings again.