The Detroit Red Wings have fallen out of a wildcard playoff spot with just 12 games left to play. Detroit blew a 2-1 lead in the third period against the Boston Bruins, consequently losing in regulation. Furthermore, a win by the New York Islanders pushed Detroit outside of the playoffs. The Red Wings’ season is on the line, and it will not get easier.
Detroit had just pulled off of a big regulation win against the Montreal Canadiens last week. However, the team let careless mistakes push them to the brink with the loss against Boston. The Red Wings face another divisional opponent next, the Ottawa Senators. Detroit needs to win, and they need to win badly.
The Red Wings are still without captain Dylan Larkin, however Andrew Copp returned earlier than expected. Still, the team’s lack of depth is being exposed throughout the lineup. Competition in the East is far more intense this year for the final wild card spot. Thus, Detroit may need to get as many as 16 points in their next 12 games for a shot at the playoffs.
An Inexperienced roster has become costly
The Red Wings began the season with three rookies on the roster. Axel Sandin-Pellikka, Emmitt Finnie and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard all made the team out of camp. MBN was demoted to Grand Rapids after just 9 games, however Nate Danielson was given an opportunity in his absence. Unfortunately, the excitement for nearly every rookie has fallen off quite a bit at this point.
ASP is routinely a healthy scratch since the acquisition of veteran Justin Faulk. Nate Danielson was returned to Grand Rapids, and now is out with injury. Emmitt Finnie has stayed in the lineup, but with lengthy stretches struggling to contribute offensively. MBN is back, but again seems to struggle making an impact at the NHL level. The excitement that started the season has become a deficit for the Red Wings roster.
The upside, of course, is the experience gained by each of the players. However, as the team struggles down the stretch, it’s difficult to ignore the issues. This is a team that stands on the brink of missing the playoffs for a 10th straight season. The need for experience and leadership may be a major factor if that indeed becomes the case.
Injuries piling up at the wrong time
The Red Wings’ lack of depth at center has been an ongoing challenge for the club. Thus, when both Larkin and Copp were unavailable the result was fairly predictable. However, the issues were made worse as even young players like Danielson and Amadeus Lombardi also fell to injury. Detroit lost their two top NHL centers, and simultaneously lost their two top prospect centers in the AHL. Four centermen gone at the same time with the season on the line.
Michael Rasmussen has since joined the injured reserves as well, however Larkin is nearing a return. Still, time is working against the Red Wings at this late point in the season. A regulation loss to Ottawa could make the post season all but impossible to achieve. However, a win may not guarantee that the club can get back into the hunt either. Detroit’s “March Meltdown” has struck again, and the team may not be able to recover in time.
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