The start of the 2025-26 season for the Detroit Red Wings has been a roller coaster ride. They got off to a horrific start in their first game against the Montreal Canadiens, but the Wings also picked up on the old saying, "It's not where you start, it's where you finish."
That led to a five-game winning streak until turbulence struck again with big losses to the Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders. Detroit then forged another three-game winning streak before losing four of its next five, looking like a team at a crossroads with a 9-7 record.
In their final four games before the quarter-season mark, Detroit is on a four-game point streak and has won three of its last four, finding themselves leading the Atlantic Division. Should they keep up this trajectory, they will be more than just wild card contenders when the playoff race heats up in the coming months.
Detroit Red Wings 2025-26 season looks promising at the quarter-way mark
The Red Wings' numbers aren't phenomenal, ranking 16th in goals scored with 62 and 19th in goals allowed with 62. That puts them at a zero goal differential through 20 games, but they're winning, and that's the only stat that matters in sports.
Despite their pedestrian goal-scoring, players like Dylan Larkin, Alex DeBrincat, and Lucas Raymond have carried them offensively. All three forwards are on pace to finish the year with over a point per game, and if they keep producing at a high-octane level, the Wings will be competitive over the next 62 contests.
At 12-7-1, the Wings have 25 points and are on pace to finish the season with between 102 and 103, which could easily land them in the Atlantic Division's top three. If the 2024-25 season's numbers are anything to go by, the Tampa Bay Lightning took second in the division with 102 points, so that could be a good omen for the Wings.
How can the Red Wings sustain their early-season success?
This time two seasons ago, they were 11-6-3 good for 25 points. The Red Wings were well on their way to breaking what was then a seven-year playoff drought, and you know what happened next. They ended up missing the playoffs by a tiebreaker, and failed to improve in 2024-25.
The Red Wings have been in this position before, but if they want to show true improvement then there is no other option than making the playoffs. For that to happen, they need to stay healthy, as Dylan Larkin's injury late in 2023-24 stagnated the Red Wings.
Larkin needs to stay healthy no matter what. As their leading scorer with 24 points and 12 goals in 20 games, it's non-negotiable. If he goes down, then it will put pressure on Lucas Raymond, Alex DeBrincat, Moritz Seider, and Patrick Kane to keep things going smoothly.
The Wings also need Cam Talbot to be their guy. On Tuesday night, he once again looked good, making 20 saves on 22 shots and finishing with a 0.909 save percentage. Currently, Talbot has a 0.667 quality starts percentage, a 0.897 save percentage, a 2.64 GAA, and a 8-2 record.
Detroit also needs its special teams to keep playing well. Their power play is converting 21.74 percent of their chances, while their penalty kill has rebounded, stopping opposing power plays 80.36 percent of the time. Both numbers are above the league averages of 20.65 and 79.35, respectively.
It's a positive outlook for the Red Wings
It's okay for Red Wings fans to be optimistic. Next to Patrick Kane and Lucas Raymond missing time, the team has been healthy, and they have been gelling as a unit, showing that they're capable of putting together five-game winning streaks and four-game point streaks.
Another sign that they're a good team is that they have found ways to win close games, especially on the road against teams like the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks. Both contests went to a shootout.
While there is always room for improvement, if the Wings keep playing with the same urgency and escape with wins when games are close, they will be in the playoffs come April. Their play at the quarter-season mark has been mostly up, and as this relatively young hockey team keeps building chemistry, they will only create more nightmares for opponents.