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The Detroit Red Wings appeared to be playoff contenders just a week ago.
Currently, the Wings occupied the last position in the Eastern Conference standings.
Nevertheless, due to a lackluster quartet of games and unexpected trades, the Wings now appear to be another year away.
Where the Red Wings sit in the NHL playoff chase
Until recently, Detroit had not been actively involved in the playoff race.
The Red Wings embarked on a winning streak on Feb. 9, emerging victorious in seven out of eight games, enabling them to enter the Wild Card race.
Nevertheless, they have suffered a consecutive series of defeats, losing four games in a row. One of those losses was a thrilling 5-4 overtime defeat against Seattle on Thursday night. Regrettably, Thursday’s loss marked the sole occasion in which Detroit managed to secure a point in these four games.
The Red Wings have accumulated a total of 65 points this season, with a record of 28 wins, 24 losses, and 9 overtime losses.
As of Friday morning, this is the current status of the Eastern Conference Wild Card.
- Pittsburgh has accumulated 71 points over the course of 61 games.
- The N.Y. Islanders have scored 70 points in 64 games.
- Buffalo: 66 (60 games)
- Ottawa: 66 (61 games)
- Florida: 66 (63 games)
- Washington: 66 (63 games)
- Detroit: 65 (61 games)
The Red Wings are currently trailing Tampa by 14 points (79) in the Atlantic division, putting them outside the top-3 spots that guarantee a playoff berth.
Busy week for Steve Yzerman
This week, Steve Yzerman, the General Manager of the Red Wings, has been actively engaged in making various moves.
The journey began with the signing of captain Dylan Larkin to a lucrative 8-year, $69.6 million contract, ensuring that the Waterford native will continue leading the team for many years to come.
The following four trades in succession might have taken the fans by surprise.
Yzerman made a trade on Wednesday, sending defenseman Filip Hronek and a 2025 4th-round draft pick to Vancouver. In exchange, the Wings acquired a 1st-round pick and a 2nd-round pick in the 2025 draft.
Later in the week, Yzerman made a deal with Boston, sending left winger Tyler Bertuzzi in exchange for a 2025 1st-round pick and a 2025 4th-round pick.
On Friday morning, Yzerman made a trade by sending left winger Jakob Vrana to St. Louis. In exchange, Detroit acquired a 2025 7th-round pick and Dylan McLaughlin, who was promptly loaned back to the Springfield Thunderbirds of the AHL.
Right before the trade deadline at 3 p.m. on Friday, Yzerman made a deal to send defenseman Oskar Sundqvist to Minnesota in exchange for a 2025 4th-round draft pick.
Hronek has been with the Detroit team for five seasons, and during this season, he secured the third-highest number of points with 38 (9 goals, 29 assists).
Since the 2016-17 season, Betuzzi had been a part of the Detroit team. He showcased his skills with 30 goals and 32 assists in the previous season, securing the second-highest number of points for the team. Unfortunately, this year Betuzzi’s appearances were limited to only 29 games due to an injury.
Last season, Sundqvist became a member of the Wings and tallied 29 points in 70 games.
Despite spending three seasons with Detroit, Vrana’s time with the team has been marred by injuries. Although he was placed on waivers earlier this season, he went unclaimed. Unfortunately, Vrana only managed to make an appearance in five games for Detroit this season.
Despite acquiring several 1st-round picks, Yzerman made it evident that Detroit was not prepared for a playoff contention this season.
Michigan sportsbooks see Red Wings as longshot for NHL playoffs
Detroit pro sports fans and those who placed futures bets on the Red Wings must be feeling disappointed this week.
A ray of hope emerged for the Wings, as they had a chance to make their first playoff appearance since 2016. This was evident in the odds offered at Michigan sportsbooks, where their chances of qualifying for the postseason had significantly reduced to +350 just a week ago.
At present, DraftKings Sportsbook MI is offering odds of +750 for the Red Wings to qualify for the NHL playoffs.
It has been two years since a Detroit team last made a playoff appearance, and the fans of Detroit have not experienced the joy of celebrating a playoff victory in a span of seven years.
The championship victory of the Red Wings took place on June 4, 2008, making them the most recent Detroit team to have accomplished this feat.
Will next season be the year for the Red Wings?
Yzerman’s history speaks volumes of triumph. He played a pivotal role in molding the Tampa Bay Lightning into a formidable force, consistently challenging for the Stanley Cup.
After four seasons as GM of the Red Wings, his tenure has been marked by less than stellar results.
- In the 2019-20 NHL season, the team had a record of 17 wins, 49 losses, and 5 overtime losses, earning a total of 39 points. They finished last in the league standings.
- In the 2020-21 season, the team had a record of 19 wins, 27 losses, and 10 ties, accumulating a total of 48 points. This placed them in a tie for last position in the Central division.
- In the 2021-22 season, our team achieved a record of 32 wins, 40 losses, and 10 ties, accumulating a total of 74 points. This performance placed us in the 12th position in the Eastern Conference.
- As of now, in the 2022-23 season, the team has achieved a record of 28 wins, 24 losses, and 9 ties, accumulating a total of 65 points. In the Eastern Conference standings, they currently hold the 13th position.
Although Red Wings fans have been understanding of Yzerman’s process, it is highly anticipated that Detroit will emerge as a playoff team in the upcoming season. The span of five seasons should provide ample time to construct a team capable of reaching the playoffs.
Even though he is considered one of the greatest Red Wings players of all time, Detroit fans have a limited amount of patience, as Joe Dumars can attest to.
