The Detroit Red Wings spent most of the first six games of the 2025-26 season beating teams they weren't supposed to beat, including two wins over the Toronto Maple Leafs and convincing wins over the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers. That's the kind of start fans wanted to see, so facing a mediocre slate of opponents in the back half of the month should be a breeze, right?
Wrong. This is when teams that have recently found success can slip up. It's not like the Red Wings have been playing in the postseason lately, so to get the best of opponents who made deep playoff runs could make them feel like their upcoming slate of games will be simple.
But the last thing Wings fans need is to underestimate their upcoming opponents, starting with the Buffalo Sabres. Buffalo may be on the fast track to another losing record and potential contention for the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, but they also scored a big win over the Panthers. Florida might be banged up, but they're deep, so that was a momentum booster for Buffalo.
Red Wings can't afford to take any weaker opponent lightly
The New York Islanders also look like they're far from enjoying a playoff run. Their biggest game-changer is a rookie blueliner named Matthew Schaefer, and a rebuild could be in their future. But the Isles have been one of the league's hottest teams following a 0-3 start.
Detroit will face the St. Louis Blues twice, another team that looks like it's struggling to find consistency. But these are the same Blues that shocked the NHL and made the playoffs following a historical 12-game winning streak. That makes the Wings' former division rival the last team they need to underestimate.
West Coast trips are always rough for Eastern Conference teams
Injuries have struck the Los Angeles Kings and they're another team from the 2025 postseason that can't find consistency. But the Wings are heading to the Pacific Coast to face them, and those California road trips are never easy.
Finally, they'll skate into Orange County and face the Anaheim Ducks, another West Coast team and one that looks like they're a rung or two under the Wings. But the Ducks have been trending north, something John Gibson can attest to, as he was with the club last season.
The Red Wings may be hot, but there isn't a single team in the back half of the October slate they can afford to take lightly. This is where trap games lurk, and if the Wings want to climb another rung in their own rebuild, they would do well to avoid them.