As the NHL regular season is coming down to the home stretch, there is a a big battle going on to secure the second wild card playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Several teams are locked in a tight race and the Detroit Red Wings are right in the thick of the chase. There are realistically 5-7 teams that could take the last spot if they get hot and other teams fall off. It's going to make an exciting end to the season.
We all know that it has been a long time since the Wings have made the playoffs. If they don't make it this season it will be the ninth straight time that they will be watching the postseason from the couch. This has been exceptionally painful for Wings fans since this follows the 25-season streak that was running when the team missed the playoffs in the 2016-2017 season. Steve Yzerman made a small move at the trade deadline with mixed reviews.
After a slow start to the season and a head coaching change to Todd McLellan, the Wings made a big push and were able to get into the first wild card spot before slipping back by losing six games straight. This left them back on the outside looking in again. It was heartbreaking to watch and sadly familiar after watching the Wings go on a losing streak right around the trade deadline the last two seasons. It was truly a missed opportunity to establish themselves as a playoff team.
According to tankathon.com, the Red Wings have the toughest remaining schedule in the entire league and have for a little while now. The teams around them in the playoff chase have easier schedules. Currently the Columbus Blue Jackets are around seventh toughest, the New York Rangers are around 12th toughtest, the Montreal Canadians are around 16th toughtest, and the Boston Bruins are around 28th toughtest. This may look like the end for the Wings but there is two sides to this coin.
A tough schedule could possibly help the Red Wings
Looking on the bright side, playing the toughest teams in the league to earn your way back into a playoff spot could actually work to the Red Wings advantage if they can stay mentally strong. Looking at the nine games that the Wings have scheduled in April, seven of them are against teams that have a pretty secure playoff spot.
My hope is that these teams aren't willing to push as hard as the Wings at the end of the season as they prepare for their playoff push. This may help them steal some games down the home stretch.
Teams like the Florida Panthers, Dallas Stars, and Carolina Hurricanes will likely be firmly in their playoff position by the time these late season games come around. The coaching staff of these teams will hopefully tell their players not to risk injury for a game that likely won't impact playoff position for them.
They might even leave some key players out of the lineup to rest them for the upcoming battles
It's hard to say exactly what happens between now and then in the league, but I'm trying to look on the bright side for the Wings. Winning games against tough teams could also help them build some momentum and belief in themselves.
Two of thier remaining games are against teams that they are fighting with for the playoff spot, the Canadiens and the Bruins. These are the must win games of the remaining season as this is where they can have the most affect on thier destiny.
Both of these contests are games that they can and must win. If they blow these it will likely be the end of the playoff dream. At this point, even after another loss to the Washington Capitals, I haven't stopped believing and hope that you haven't either!