Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News used the term "do-or-die" in his "10 things to know" story to describe the Detroit Red Wings' 2025-26 season. But don't worry, Wings fans. It's not what you think.
Kulfan was harkening to a quote from forward Andrew Copp during the preseason. If you remember, Copp said, "Do-or-die type year. We have to make the playoffs. It's our only goal, our only focus. Anything short of that is going to be looked at as not good enough. I don't think we can be fearful of admitting that. Everything we do from now until April is to make the playoffs."
Copp's quip was more of a blunt message to the team, not implying the Wings would be making massive personnel changes if the season didn't end the way they wanted. If the Wings were really in "do-or-die" mode, Steve Yzerman never would have promoted three rookies to the lineup to kick things off.
You would have seen Yzerman relentlessly work the phones, doing all he could to upgrade the lineup with seasoned veterans. To a degree, he did that, bringing in John Gibson, Mason Appleton, and James van Riemsdyk. But none of those guys are game-changing players, despite their reliable, solid play. At least one blockbuster deal for most likely a blueliner would have been sought after.
2025-26 is another year of growth for the Detroit Red Wings
Promoting Emmitt Finnie, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, and Axel Sandin-Pellikka signaled another growth campaign for the Red Wings. Plus, Simon Edvinsson and Marco Kasper are still very early in their respective NHL careers, and Elmer Soderblom has limited experience at the highest level.
That's a recipe for the long game, and if the Wings collectively improve as a group this season, they will hang out in the 92-point range. As for what Copp said? What else would you expect him to say in Year 100 of a franchise looking up at its tenth straight season without a playoff berth?
Of course, he's going to say "do-or-die," and he's probably not the only veteran on the Red Wings thinking the same thing. But that doesn't mean the Wings will make dramatic moves if they don't sneak into the postseason. Not with the core Yzerman envisioned almost where it needs to be. Add Sebastian Cossa and Nate Danielson to the mix, either sometime this season or in 2026-27, and guess what? It will be worth the wait.
When is the real "do-or-die" coming?
Give it two more seasons. Get Cossa and Danielson in Hockeytown full-time, which takes the Wings to 2026-27. That gives the entire team one full year to play alongside one another, while some of the veterans currently on the team phase out.
When you have Cossa and Danielson in town, now the crew is together, which gives the Red Wings a real measuring stick. But if they don't break this drought by the 2027-28 season, you might consider getting rid of Steve Yzerman and replacing him with someone else. Should it last until 2028-29, then count on someone else sitting in Yzerman's seat.