No matter how the rest of the season plays out, the Detroit Red Wings are determined to turn things around this season. They should not be in the situation they are in, and they should only blame themselves for their current problem.
At one point, the Red Wings sat atop the Atlantic Division and were pushing for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. That was at the end of January. February only played four games, making the period that followed even more intense.
What followed was not just a collapse – it was a collapse. And after years of offseasons, this one should finally force the organization to reevaluate everything: personnel, coaching, and how decisions are made at the top. The status quo is not working.
Crime and killing are the cause of the problems
Heading into the Olympic break, the Red Wings averaged 2.11 goals per 60 minutes at five-on-five, ranking 27th in the NHL.
That number didn’t pass the eye test, and was quietly masked by two things: an elite power play and solid goaltending. Detroit was winning games, but not in a way that felt sustainable.
After the Olympic break, the cracks widened. The power play is cool. The goal was postponed. And suddenly, the lack of five-on-five offense was impossible to ignore. When Dylan Larkin went down, the problem escalated.
Simply put, you can’t score at that level in 5-on-5 and expect to survive the finals.
To their credit, Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane have elevated their game in Larkin’s absence. But that only underscored a bigger problem: Detroit’s depth failed them when they needed it most.
And that brings us to a more concerning problem: this isn’t just about scoring. Detroit’s lack of competitiveness, inconsistent execution, and inability to deal with adversity also hurt — and arguably the most obvious.
Motivation, level of competition, and performance are tightly linked. When one slips, others tend to follow. And, right now, the relationship isn’t perfect. There is a clear divide between what is asked of the players and what comes off the ice.
“[Eighteen] in the last few minutes, we’re winning the tie and scoring because of—what word do I use?—lollygag and not getting ahead,” Todd McLellan told reporters after Minnesota’s first-second goal in Sunday’s 5-4 loss. It’s too late, we did it again today.”
That is not a matter of plans – that is a matter of thought. And that’s a shame comment to make 77 games into a season.
A tough few months at @DetroitRedWings you have them on the verge of falling completely apart from #StanleyCup Picture of the Playoffs. @KevinWeekes again @EJHradek_NHL end the situation in Detroit.
📺: #NHLTNFirstShift weekdays at 4p ET on NHL Network pic.twitter.com/Z5dovDT911
— NHL Media (@NHLMedia) April 6, 2026
Good teams absorb pressure and bounce back. Playoff teams are always organized when things go sideways. The Red Wings do not have these characteristics. They retreat after mistakes, lose focus in critical moments, and take too long to recover.
At this point in the season, games should be like playoff hockey: intense, detailed, urgent. That’s how Detroit’s playoff game plays out. The Red Wings don’t play that way, though.
The Last Word
Between a poor five-on-five offense, lack of focus and execution in critical moments, and a continued inability to respond to adversity, the Red Wings are not built to succeed in high-pressure hockey. That’s the reality the organization has to deal with this offseason.
Related: The Red Wings Should Answer The Patrick Kane Question This Offseason
This isn’t just about sneaking into the playoffs – it’s about building a team that can compete when they get there. If that’s the goal, then meaningful change just can’t happen this offseason. It is necessary.
Data courtesy of The Natural Stat Trick.
