Despite the doom and gloom surrounding Tuesday's loss to the Blue Jackets, the Detroit Red Wings aren't out of this yet. Sure, the likelihood of the team making the playoffs isn't what it was in February, but it isn't impossible. A lot of things will need to go right in order for the team to qualify, but it's still possible.
Per MoneyPuck, the Red Wings have about a 6% chance to make the playoffs. While these odds might seem staggeringly low, this wouldn't be the first time a Detroit team pulled something near-impossible off. In 2024, the Detroit Tigers surged their way into the playoffs despite a 0.2% chance of making it. Hockey and baseball are different sports, of course, but, like baseball, anything can happen in hockey.
Why not have a little hope?
Scenario 1: Ottawa misses the playoffs
The first (and likelier) of the two scenarios can occur if the Ottawa Senators lose at least two of their three final games. If they lose two, the Red Wings will need to win all three of their final games to qualify for the playoffs. If the Senators go 0-2-1, however, the Red Wings will only need to win two out of their three to qualify.
Ottawa's next three opponents are the New York Islanders, New Jersey Devils and the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Islanders are still vying for a playoff spot, so this game is as much a must-win as it is for Detroit. The Devils and Maple Leafs, however, have nothing to play for at this point in the season besides pride. There's a chance they decide to play spoiler against a team like Ottawa, thus pushing Detroit into the picture.
Clinching scenarios:
- Red Wings finish 3-0-0, Ottawa finishes 1-2-0.
- Red Wings finish 3-0-0, Ottawa finishes 0-3-0.
- Red Wings finish 2-1-0, Ottawa finishes 1-2-0.
- Red Wings finish 2-1-0, Ottawa finishes 0-1-2.
Scenario 2: Boston loses out
When looking at current standings, this one might seem a little more unrealistic. After all, the Boston Bruins have 96 points on the season -- a five point lead on Detroit as opposed to Ottawa's three point lead. Having said that, the Bruins have a 5-3-2 record in their last 10 games with a 1-2-2 record in their last five. They allowed 16 goals in that span for an average of around three goals per game.
Boston's next three opponents are the Tampa Bay Lightning, Columbus Blue Jackets and the New Jersey Devils. There's a chance the Lightning rest their star players in preparation for the playoffs. But, if they haven't secured home ice by that point, they may keep the team in check. The Blue Jackets, while five points out of the Wild Card race, still have a chance to leapfrog the Philadelphia Flyers.
It's entirely possible the slumping Bruins collapse at the end of the season to give away their Wild Card spot.
Clinching scenarios:
- Red Wings finish 3-0-0, Bruins finish 0-3-0.
- Red Wings finish 3-0-0, Bruins finish 0-2-1.*
*Detroit will need two regulation wins or one regulation win and one overtime win to secure the tiebreaker against the Bruins.