Detroit Red Wings Week Ahead: Schedule & Storylines: Playoff Drought Continues, Offseason Outlook & More – The Hockey Writers – Detroit Red Wings

As the Detroit Red Wings head into the final two games of the 2025-26 regular season, the two games may not mean much when it comes to the playoff race, as they were eliminated from playoff contention in their loss to the New Jersey Devils on April 11. There are still plenty of headlines heading into the last week of the season for fans, though.

The Anatomy of a Historic Collapse

What makes this particular failure sting is how much of the work had already been done. For 148 days this season—nearly 80% of the calendar—the Red Wings held a playoff spot. They were, by almost every metric, a lock. In the history of the NHL, only one other team has managed to miss the postseason after securing as many points as Detroit had through its first 53 games.

The elimination game against the Devils served as a perfect, painful summary of why this team is heading home early. Detroit held three separate leads and blew all of them. The go-ahead goal for New Jersey came off an odd-man rush triggered by a defensive lapse from captain Dylan Larkin. While Larkin was hampered by a knee injury down the stretch, his post-game admission of guilt was a heavy moment for a leader who has spent his entire prime waiting for a meaningful April game.

The Faulk Trade: A Calculated Risk Gone Wrong

While the players answer for the on-ice lapses, the spotlight has shifted harshly toward the front office. General manager Steve Yzerman has enjoyed a long leash in Detroit, buoyed by his legendary status as a player and his successful track record in Tampa Bay. However, the “Yzer-plan” is currently facing its first real crisis of confidence.

The primary catalyst for this scrutiny is the trade Yzerman orchestrated to acquire veteran defenseman Justin Faulk. In an aggressive push to snap the drought, the Red Wings sent an unprotected first-round pick, a third-rounder, Justin Holl, and prospect Dmitri Buchelnikov to the St. Louis Blues.

The logic was simple: Faulk provided veteran stability for a playoff push. But the cost was catastrophic. Because the pick was unprotected and Detroit missed the playoffs, the St. Louis Blues now own Detroit’s lottery pick for the upcoming draft. Regardless of how the balls bounce on May 5, the Red Wings have no chance at a top-tier prospect to help the rebuild. Combined with the memory of the Jake Walman trade—where Detroit essentially paid San Jose to take a top-four defenseman off their hands—the front office’s recent asset management has left many wondering if the desperation to end the drought has compromised the long-term health of the roster.

The 5-on-5 Drought and the Veteran Value Gap

As the team prepares for a meaningless season finale against the Tampa Bay Lightning this Monday, the internal audit must begin immediately. The most glaring issue is the team’s inability to score when playing at even strength. While the power play has been a bright spot under Alex Tanguay, the Red Wings were among the league’s worst at generating offense during 5-on-5 play.

This brings the roster construction into question. Detroit has invested heavily in a “veteran core” meant to provide stability and leadership. Players like Andrew Copp, J.T. Compher, Ben Chiarot, James van Riemsdyk, and David Perron carry significant cap hits and were brought in to be the “grown-ups in the room.” Yet, when the season was on the line in March and April, that veteran floor collapsed.

Related: Red Wings Face Franchise-Defining Offseason After Collapse

The notable exception has been Patrick Kane, who has played at a high level since the Olympic break. But a team cannot rely on a single veteran winger to carry the offensive load, and the organization will need to decide if they want to bring Kane back next season or not. The lack of secondary scoring from the middle of the lineup has left the Red Wings predictable and easy to defend. Could there be an influx of youth to the bottom six come next season to help provide a spark? Only time will tell, but fixing the forward grouping will be a big task for the organization this offseason.

A Summer of Hard Truths

This upcoming offseason will define the next five years of Detroit hockey. The organization is at a crossroads where “staying the course” may no longer be a viable strategy.

There is already talk of changing Todd McLellan’s coaching staff. While McLellan has the respect of the locker room, the team needs a fresh tactical approach to their offensive systems. Finding a specialist to fix the 5-on-5 scoring woes will likely be a priority.

However, the bigger questions remain at the top. The fan base is no longer content with the “trust the process” rhetoric. A decade without playoff hockey in a city that calls itself “Hockeytown” is an objective failure. Yzerman now faces the most difficult task of his executive career: navigating a summer where he has fewer draft assets, a frustrated core of players, and a ticking clock.

The Red Wings spent 80% of the season looking like a playoff team, only to prove over the final 20% that they weren’t ready for the bright lights. Now, they face a long summer of looking in the mirror, wondering how a sure thing turned into a historic disappointment.

Red Wings Schedule April 13-19

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