Dean Evason: “Some guys were terrible tonight.”
Red Wings’ Playoff Hopes Fading Fast
In just over a month, the Detroit Red Wings have gone from one of the NHL’s hottest teams to enduring a six-game losing streak. Heading into the 4 Nations Face-Off break, they looked nearly unstoppable, stringing together two separate seven-game winning streaks and climbing the Eastern Conference standings.
Since returning, however, things have taken a turn for the worse. The Red Wings have managed only two wins, now stuck in their longest slump of the season. Their playoff chances, once above 50% according to moneypuck.com, have plummeted to just 7.3%.
It’s been eight years since Detroit last made the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and the likelihood of extending that drought to nine seasons is growing. After missing out last year due to a tiebreaker with Washington, expectations were higher.
While the 2024-25 season has had its ups and downs, the current situation is concerning. Just before their hot streak, Detroit replaced head coach Derek Lalonde with Todd McLellan, who initially made an immediate impact.
McLellan led the team to a 15-5-1 record in his first 21 games, but since the break, Detroit has struggled mightily, going 2-6-1 while being outscored 33-22.
To make matters worse, the Red Wings had a quiet trade deadline. Still firmly in the Eastern Conference playoff race, they opted not to make any major moves. Their biggest additions? Craig Smith and a reunion with Petr Mrazek—solid but not game-changing acquisitions.
Their most notable involvement at the deadline was acting as a salary broker in a trade between Tampa Bay and Seattle. The Lightning acquired Oliver Bjorkstrand and Yanni Gourde, sending Michael Eyssimont and draft picks to the Kraken, while Detroit took on $1,291,667 of Gourde’s remaining contract.
With just 18 games left in the season, time is running out for Detroit to climb back into the playoff picture. At 30-28-6, they sit four points out of the second wild-card spot, but the race is incredibly tight, with five teams within five points of Columbus, who currently hold that position.
The battle for the Eastern Conference playoffs will be fierce until the very end, and if the Red Wings don’t regain their momentum soon, their season could slip away.