The Detroit Red Wings’ first month of the 2025-26 season has been much better than most would have anticipated. The Wings have a share of first place in the Atlantic Division and look poised to remain there, at least for the time being.
Yes, it’s only been a month. But the early returns are encouraging. The team is scoring, the defense is good, and the goaltending is meh.
So, plenty to be hopeful about, right? Well, yes and no.
Yes, the Red Wings have a young club that looks like it’s the real deal. There’s plenty of reason for optimism well beyond this season.
But does that mean Red Wings fans should be salivating at the thought of the Stanley Cup returning to Motown?
That’s where the “no” comes into view. The Red Wings ended a successful week, beating the Los Angeles Kings, San Jose Sharks, and St. Louis Blues. But the problem, as The Athletic’s Max Bultman pointed out in a Nov. 3 piece, the victories aren’t as encouraging as they seem:
“And though their wins over the last week haven’t exactly come over a murderer’s row in terms of competition — between St. Louis, Los Angeles, and San Jose, only the Los Angeles Kings are above .500 — there’s something to be said for taking care of business away from home, and across time zones.”
The Red Wings had to go the extra mile to beat the Sharks and Kings. That situation prompted Bultman to add the following thought:
“Now, should the Red Wings have needed shootouts to beat the Kings and Sharks, considering they led both games in the final minutes? Probably not. And that’s something to keep an eye on, as this young team will need to be able to slam the door.”
That comment underscores a critical point. The Red Wings, despite shortcomings, are doing what ultimately matters: Win games. But there’s one thing the club must figure out when it counts most.
Red Wings must lock games down the stretch
Bultman’s point comes on the heels of a tough win against the Sharks on Sunday night. The Red Wings led the game 2-1 in the third following Moritz Seider’s first goal of the season. However, Sam Dickinson got his first tally to tie the game with about three minutes to go.
The situation forced the game into overtime, with the shootout being needed to settle the score. So, a win is a win, right? Well, the Red Wings were able to get away with one just because it was against the Sharks.
But if we’re talking about top-flight teams like the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Florida Panthers, or Carolina Hurricanes, blowing third-period leads could be catastrophic.
So, should Red Wings fans fear what lies ahead? Hardly. Fans have to keep in mind that this is a young team. That situation means the club must grow into the roles that lead to holding leads in tough games.