The Detroit Red Wings just had to keep up their pace from before the Olympic break to ensure they ended their playoff drought. It looked like that was going to happen, but since March, the Red Wings have had a disastrous downward spiral.
On Sunday, the Red Wings lost 5-4 to the Minnesota Wild, where they overcame a 4-1 deficit only to surrender a late power play goal thanks to a brutal tripping penalty by Patrick Kane. They followed it up with another heartbreaking loss on Tuesday night. Facing off against the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Red Wings blew a late 3-2 lead with 17 seconds left. Then, the Red Wings lost in a shootout, clinching the 4-3 defeat.
Red Wings fans are understandably frustrated, considering they looked like playoff locks for most of this season. Now, they are on back-to-back brutal losses. So, they'd want to hear from their captain, Dylan Larkin. When talking about the shootout loss, Larkin says he hopes it's not the reason they miss out on the playoffs.
Dylan Larkin on Red Wings’ shootout loss to Columbus: “I hope that’s not the one, and I hope the Minnesota one is not the one that’s the final nail in the coffin. … That’s a letdown, in tough fashion again.” pic.twitter.com/u9lnezd3H5
— 97.1 The Ticket: (@971theticketxyt) April 8, 2026
"I hope that’s not the one, and I hope the Minnesota one is not the one that’s the final nail in the coffin," said Larkin. "I hope we get some help and we have something to play for to get in."
Dylan Larkin hopes loss vs. Blue Jackets isn't 'final nail in the coffin' for Red Wings' playoff chances
Just imagine if the Red Wings had been able to reverse the result of these past two games against the Blue Jackets and Wild. They'd have 91 points and be just one point back of the Ottawa Senators for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. Instead, they sit at 89 points, with the Blue Jackets ahead of them with 90 points.
The Red Wings have had bad luck in March in recent years. Entering March 1, the Red Wings had 74 points through 60 games, sitting in the top Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference. Since then, the Red Wings have gone 6-9-3, with five of those losses coming in one-score fashion. It's not ideal, and with hindsight, flipping those one-score losses would have helped the Red Wings stay in a playoff spot.
Detroit is now in a position where they will need some extra help to get into the playoffs. The Red Wings remaining four games on the schedule are against the Philadelphia Flyers (Thursday), New Jersey Devils (Saturday), Tampa Bay Lightning (Monday), and Florida Panthers (Wednesday). Two of those opponents are well out of playoff contention, so those are must-win games.
The Red Wings looked like they would contend for the Stanley Cup. They bought at the trade deadline a year after playing it safe and not making a single move. That's because they thought it would not only help them make the playoffs, but help them go on a run. But the team has put themselves in a position to miss the playoffs for the 10th consecutive season. If that were to happen, one has to wonder if significant changes will be made.