Yep, the NHL Playoffs have become a pipe dream, even if the Red Wings are still hanging onto a ray of hope. But any rational person would know better, given the way that the Wings have played over the last seven weeks. And even if they snuck into the playoffs, lasting more than four games would in and of itself have gone down as an accomplishment.
Still, Wings fans have plenty to cheer for when looking at what individual players can accomplish. Take Lucas Raymond, who can finish the season at or above a points-per-game pace. As of Thursday afternoon, Raymond has 73 points and 26 goals in 74 games.
Getting to 82 points and 30-plus goals could solidify him as the Red Wings star forward, perhaps even surpassing Dylan Larkin, even if the latter brings more value because of his ability to win faceoffs and play a more balanced game. For now, anyway…
Quite a few Red Wings players can reach milestones as playoff hopes fade
Through 74 games, Alex DeBrincat has 33 goals, so the burning question is if he can notch 40 when the final horn sounds. One of my favorite players in the league today, I’ll be rooting for DeBrincat to hit the milestone, all while maintaining his current 15.2 shooting percentage.
DeBrincat is also one of three Red Wings whose performance on the man advantage has given Detroit one of the league’s best power play units. So far, he’s got 11 goals at 5-on-4, so it’s not a longshot for him to hit the 15-goal mark. Still, DeBrincat is just one player, as Patrick Kane and Dylan Larkin are also vying to maximize their production on the man advantage.
Let’s start with Kane, who has 12 goals on the power play, which is incredible when you consider that he’s in his age-36 season and will be hanging up the skates for good sooner rather than later. Kane may not be the player he was five seasons ago, but his moderate productivity means he can still play in the league for another few years, whether or not his future’s in Detroit.
Dylan Larkin can still match power play goals to even strength goals
Right now, Dylan Larkin has 15 goals at even strength and 13 power play goals, and he has more than enough time to add to that total at 5-on-4. Larkin should surpass 30 goals this season, and he still has a realistic chance to find the net 35 times before the regular season ends.
Simon Edvinsson has impressed me, and there’s a good chance he can hit the 35-point mark and 25-plus assists. If he does that, you can chalk the 2024-25 season up as a win for a kid who’s going to have a successful career in Hockeytown.
So, while the Red Wings season looks finished unless they start winning now and everyone ahead of them goes on a collective losing streak, quite a few players have single-season milestones in sight. Yeah, they’d swap those milestones for a playoff appearance, but it also shows that the tail end of this season wasn’t all doom and gloom.