Red Wings fans need to circle these 3 April matchups

The good news for the Detroit Red Wings and their fans is that the seemingly cursed month of March is over. The bad news is the Red Wings went 5-7-2 and now find themselves two points out of the playoff picture as the calendar flips to April. 

With eight games remaining in the regular season, the Red Wings need to start stacking wins if they want to break their current nine-year playoff drought. 

Red Wings visit Philadelphia for revenge

The Red Wings and Flyers currently sit tied at 86 points through 74 games apiece. Last Saturday, the Flyers came into Little Caesars Arena and beat the Red Wings 5-3 in a game where the home club looked lifeless until a late third-period surge.  

These two clubs will meet twice in April, in what could be the difference between who finishes higher and gets an edge on the playoff outlook. The two teams have put together very similar statistics in 2026. The Red Wings have scored 216 goals compared to the Flyers’ 220, and have allowed 223, whereas the Flyers have allowed 225. 

Both teams made goaltending additions prior to the 2025-26 season, with the Red Wings trading for John Gibson and the Flyers signing Dan Vladar. Whichever goaltender puts together a better April could be the difference in which team finishes higher and snags a highly coveted playoff spot. 

Road trip rumble vs. Rangers

The final game of the Red Wings’ current three-game road trip is borderline must-win territory. The Rangers are in the midst of an incredibly disappointing campaign and find themselves last place in the Eastern Conference with 71 points. The Red Wings, on the other hand, need every point they can get to ensure a playoff spot.

This will be the third meeting between the two clubs during the 2025-26 campaign. The Rangers took the first matchup in November at Little Caesars Arena 4-1 before the Red Wings won 2-1 at Madison Square Garden. 

The Rangers have a record of 12-18-7 at home and currently hold a -18 goal differential, well on their way to a top-five selection at the 2026 NHL Draft, so this is a game the Red Wings need to take two points. 

The Saturday game will begin at 12:30 p.m. EST, and the Red Wings currently hold a 6-4-0 record in matinee games this season, so they’ve shown an ability to win in day games. 

Wild Card hometown showdown vs. Columbus

The Blue Jackets currently hold the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, sitting with 88 points -- just two ahead of the Red Wings. After a scorching stretch upon hiring Rick Bowness as head coach, the Blue Jackets have cooled off a bit of late, posting a record of 5-4-1 over their past 10 games. 

This game will take place in Detroit, which could work in the Red Wings’ favour as they hold a 20-14-3 record at home, while the Blue Jackets struggle more on the road with an 18-15-4 away record, compared to a 20-10-8 record back at Nationwide Arena. 

The two teams have split the previous two meetings, with the Red Wings winning 4-3 in overtime in Detroit and the Blue Jackets taking the meeting in Columbus 6-5 in a shootout. The winner of the rubber match between the three teams could hold the upper hand as the clock ticks on the 2025-26 regular season.