Red Wings Face Crucial Stretch in Playoff Push

As the rest of the Eastern Conference has surged, the Red Wings have taken a step back at the most inopportune time. Sure, the injuries don’t help, but it would’ve been nice if the team could have rallied instead of faltered. Nonetheless, the situation is this: If Detroit doesn’t get its act together over the next 12 games, then it will be sitting at home while the rest of the good teams party it up in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the 11th consecutive season.

So, who do the Red Wings need to beat down the stretch in order to make the playoffs? Put simply, Detroit must take down the teams around it in the standings. It has a crucial matchup with the Ottawa Senators on March 24 that could very well end up being the deciding factor between which of those two teams makes it into the playoffs, as well as other big-time contests against squads like the Buffalo Sabres (March 27), Philadelphia Flyers (March 28, April 2, April 9), Pittsburgh Penguins (March 31) and Columbus Blue Jackets (April 7). Of course, every single game, not just the ones against teams that are close to it in the standings, is important for Detroit at this stage of the season. Winning, and winning a lot, is mandatory should the Red Wings want to accomplish their goals.

Could the Red Wings End Their Playoff Drought?

Let’s stop dillydallying around the important question in the room. Can the Red Wings make the playoffs for the first time since 2016? Absolutely. With how tight the Eastern Conference is, there’s no telling which teams come out of the rubble, and Detroit could absolutely be the last one standing. As of March 24, it still controls its own destiny, too. If it can put up some good performances, then everything should be OK.

There is definitely potential for everything to go off the rails, though. The Red Wings are 4-6 in March, including some unfortunate losses at the hands of the Florida Panthers and Boston Bruins, and that trend could certainly continue heading into the rest of the season.

Either way, the fact of the matter is that the Red Wings still have the ability to break the drought. While that’s not necessarily cause for celebration, it should be encouraging that their fate is still in their own hands.