The clock is ticking on the Detroit Red Wings' season. This is a team that looked like it was only a matter of time until a playoff spot was their's. Instead, a rough March and an even worse April has them careening out of the picture altogether. The Red Wings barely missed out on the playoffs the previous two years, but this year would be infinitely worse if they are to miss out on a spot.
The Red Wings had a chance to gain four points in their previous two games. They overcame a 4-1 deficit against the Minnesota Wild to tie the game up, only to surrender a game-winning goal to Kirill Kaprizov with two minutes left in regulation after a tripping penalty by Patrick Kane. Then on Tuesday night, the Red Wings blew a 3-2 lead to the Columbus Blue Jackets, giving up a Adam Fantilli goal with 17 seconds left in regulation, then losing 4-3 in a shootout. Heartbreaking losses in winnable games, and just one point to show for it.
Detroit is now in a position where they have a clearer path to playoff elimination than to clinching a berth in the postseason.
Red Wings' season could end by this upcoming weekend
Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press brought up the scenarios in which the Red Wings can be mathematically eliminated from playoff contention. The Red Wings' "tragic number" is at three, meaning that their next loss and a win by the Ottawa Senators, who hold a three-point lead over them while sitting in the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, would eliminate them.
So, the soonest the Red Wings could get eliminated as soon as Thursday night. The Red Wings face off against the Philadelphia Flyers, while the Senators are up against the Florida Panthers. If that scenario comes to fruition,
St. James also brings up that if the Red Wings lose to the Flyers, but win their remaining games against the New Jersey Devils (Saturday), Tampa Bay Lightning (Monday), and Panthers (Wednesday), the Senators' next win would eliminate them.
If this does come to fruition, there will be plenty of questions as to how the Red Wings proceed in the offseason. Would the team do seemingly the unthinkable and move on from general manager and franchise icon Steve Yzerman? After all, he did construct the roster that got off to an incredibly hot start, only to become ice cold in the latter portion of the season. Would head coach Todd McLellan be let go? Then, which players would be considered expendable if they were to opt to alter the roster?
This isn't the position that the Red Wings and their fanbase envisioned being in for most of this season — from playoff bound to missing out on a spot for the 10th consecutive season. The Red Wings will need some help to sneak in. But as of now, Thursday morning, it's a clearer path for the team to miss out on the playoffs than making it.