Oct 15, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Red Wings goaltender Cam Talbot (39) and left wing James van Riemsdyk (21) celebrate after defeating the Florida Panthers at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Red Wings Showing Early Signs of Progress

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI | By Jacob Punturi | Last updated Oct 16, 2025 1:00 PM ET

The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Florida Panthers at home by a final score of 4-1, giving the Wings their third straight victory. After losing a stinker of a game against the Montreal Canadiens in their season opener, they are showing some early signs of progress.

Could this be the year the Red Wings finally snap their playoff drought? In a crowded Atlantic Division, the Red Wings are showing they might just have what it takes to climb the rankings.

Stepping Up

Something that stood out during their win over the Panthers was how players were stepping up when needed. Star winger Lucas Raymond missed the contest due to an upper-body injury, but that didn’t limit the offense in any way.

Veteran Mason Appleton was elevated to the top line, and he responded with two goals playing over 15 minutes for the first time this season.

Veteran Patrick Kane has also been huge to begin the year. The former Stanley Cup winner has five points in four games as he tries to secure one final run with the United States Olympics Team and return to the postseason with Detroit. He scored the game-winner against the Panthers in their most recent victory.

Two-Headed Approach

Speaking of stepping up, the goaltending looks vastly improved in Detroit. The addition of John Gibson alongside the returning Cam Talbot has given the team more stability and confidence in net.

Talbot has rattled off three straight wins, including back-to-back games allowing two or fewer goals. He's 3-0 on the season, with a 1.78 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage.

The combination of Talbot and Gibson is a huge reason why the Red Wings believe they can take that next step. Captain Dylan Larkin spoke about the lift the tandem has given the team after defeating the Panthers.

“When we picked up (Gibson) in the summer, I was really excited about having those two guys back there,” he said. “We’re going to need both of them this year, but Cam has been huge the last three nights.”

The good news for Detroit is that they have two goalies they can depend. Talbot can continue to occupy the crease while he’s on this hot run. When they need someone else to step up, however, the team now has a proven and reliable veteran to turn to in Gibson. That’s a stark departure from how things have felt for the Red Wings the past few seasons, and the difference is already quite noticeable.

The Red Wings will try to take the good parts of their game through the first four contests and keep pushing. Early signs point to this team progressing during the 2025-2026 campaign. If they succeed, they have the chance to climb the ranks of the Atlantic Division.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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