The Detroit Red Wings finished the month of December without suffering back to back losses. However, the new year has already seen that trend broken. The Pittsburgh Penguins swept Detroit in their recent home and away series. Consequently, 2026 has already been a rough year for the Wings.
In the first game, Detroit was able to overcome a two goal deficit early on to get the overtime point. However, the team was not able to replicate that, as Pittsburgh one again scored twice in the opening frame. The first game saw Detroit battle back, conversely the second game was dominated by Pittsburgh from start to finish. Detroit was outplayed from beginning to end as the Penguins grabbed a 4-1 win in game two.
However, players like Moritz Seider seemed confident in the post game interviews that the team will recover. Still, while Seider acknowledged the concerning performance, belief in the locker room remains high. This Red Wings team is preaching resilience as they seek a return to the post season.
Detroit has little room for error
Consequently, Detroit’s losses resulted in a fall in the standings as the Tampa Bay Lightning take first place in the division. Even at the halfway point of the season, only 10 points separate the top and bottom teams in the Atlantic Division. Therefore, the Red Wings can ill afford a lengthy losing streak.
Fortunately, Detroit never has to wait long for a chance to redeem a poor performance. The team will play nearly every other day from now until the Olympic break in February. Therefore, the team will be looking for redemption as they face the Ottawa Senators after a day off. The intra-divisional games weigh even more heavily, thus the team has to be ready to get back on track. Five of Detroit’s next eight games are against teams in the Atlantic division.
Three Red Wings are heading to the Olympics
This past week saw the announcement of Olympic rosters, and three Red Wings have made the cut. Dylan Larkin will be part of Team USA this year. Likewise, Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider were selected to represent Sweden and Germany.
Larkin, Seider and Raymond have established themselves as clear leaders for Detroit. The play of all three have been a significant part of the Red Wings’ success this season. Raymond leads the team in points, with 44 (11 goals, 33 assists) in 41 games played. Larkin is well on his way to a fifth straight 30 goal season, having scored 21 in 42 games. Moritz Seider has an impressive 34 points through 42 games, on pace to eclipse his previous career high of 50.
