The Detroit Red Wings’ playoff hopes took critical damage past weekend. Detroit was riding high after a rousing win over the Philadelphia Flyers. However, back to back losses pushed Detroit further out of the playoff picture. Time is running out. The Red Wings now stand on the brink of missing the playoffs for a 10th straight season.
The New York Rangers and the Minnesota Wild both beat Detroit in regulation. Consequently, the Red Wings are two points outside of the playoffs with just five games left to play. The Ottawa Senators hold the tie breaker, thus Detroit would likely need to win all five of their final games. Still, that may not be enough if the Senators don’t lose at least two games in the process.
Furthermore, with the Buffalo Sabres clinched a playoff spot for the first time in 14 years. Therefore Detroit will now hold the longest active streak of missing the playoffs. The Red Wings are still mathematically in the race, however that feels like a mere technicality at this point. The body language of the team seems to indicate that they have run out of steam as the season winds down.
The March Meltdown strikes again
Once again, the month of March has been incredibly difficult for the Red Wings. The team entered into the Olympic Break with a solid chance to make the playoffs for the first time in nearly a decade. Detroit needed to play just over .500 hockey to secure that position, but they weren’t able to do it.
Dylan Larkin and Andrew Copp both suffered injuries and the team consequently fell on hard times. Both players have returned, however Larkin in particular is clearly not at 100%. Additionally, John Gibson hasn’t been able to replicate the amazing performance that carried the team for so long. The break saw Detroit’s momentum come to an end, and the team was unable to recapture it.
The acquisition of Justin Faulk at the trade deadline hasn’t panned out as the team had hoped. Faulk has also missed a couple of games recently due to injury. Additionally, Simon Edvinsson once again seems to be battling injury in the final stretch. Much of the roster seems to be playing at less than 100%, and it’s become too much for the team to battle through.
The future is still bright for Detroit
The Red Wings’ AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, are in a much different place right now. The Griffins sit second in the AHL in points, and have clinched both their division as well as the Western Conference. Thus, Grand Rapids could enjoy home ice advantage for almost the entire post season at this point.
Michael Brandsegg-Nygard is sitting at 19 goals with five games left to play. Rookie Eddie Genborg, 18, just scored his first AHL goal. Goalie Trey Augustine will be joining the team after finishing his junior year in the NCAA. There are so many young players thriving in Grand Rapids, giving fans hope for the coming years. The present may be painful, but the future looks bright for Detroit.
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