DETROIT – Eight straight seasons. That’s how long it has been since the Detroit Red Wings made the NHL playoffs, and they are at risk of making it even longer in a few days.
When J.T. Compher scored in the third period of Tuesday’s (April 1) game against St. Louis to give Detroit a 1-0 lead, it seemed almost certain it would not hold up as the game-winner.
Recommended Videos
Sure enough, the Red Wings began April, where they left off in March, picking up another demoralizing loss.
Granted, the setback came against one of the hottest teams in the league right now, but even then, the club looked as if they were playing not to lose rather than to win.
That’s something a team just can’t afford to have right now, especially one that currently sits four points out of the final wild-card spot in the NHL’s Eastern Conference entering Thursday (April 3).
When Detroit returned from the 4Nations Faceoff Break in late February, they had the toughest strength of schedule remaining in the entire league.
Their response was less than ideal, finishing the month of March with just four wins total, the second-fewest only behind the Boston Bruins.
During the 15 games played last month, the Red Wings also put forth the worst penalty kill in the league (64.5%), the second-to-worst points percentage (.300), and managed the score just 38 total goals, with 26 of those coming thanks to the help of playing with a man advantage.
Individual performances can also be part of the blame for this rough stretch.
Captain Dylan Larkin, usually the club’s most reliable scorer, has managed to post just three points in his last nine games played.
Vladimir Tarasenko, who has had multiple 30-goal seasons in his name and was Steve Yzerman’s marquee free agent pickup this past offseason, is on pace to score just 11 goals this campaign.
Defensemen have fallen victim to some subpar play as well recently.
Moritz Seider is getting heat on social media for his sometimes sloppy play, and Ben Chiarot has just five points and a plus/minus of -14 since the calendar flipped to 2025.
Those two often man the top defense pairing on a Red Wings team, averaging more than three goals allowed per game over that span.
It will take a lot and then some for Detroit to make the postseason. Of their remaining eight games, six come against teams that made the playoffs last year, and the remaining two will be played against squads in a position to make it this year.
Winning at least six of those contests may give the Red Wings a shot at qualifying for the chase for the Stanley Cup, but would it be worth it?
Would the organization be satisfied with squeezing into a wild card spot just to be potentially swept by a team like the Capitals?
The roster isn’t necessarily made up of young players who would benefit from playoff experience, and making it would mean not being a part of the draft lottery, so does it make sense to keep pursuing it?
Don’t expect the Wings to start tanking, but these are trying times again for an original six franchise with a fanbase that is losing its patience.
