Austin Konenski
The Detroit Red Wings are melting down as the Stanley Cup Playoffs become further from reality. On Tuesday night, Detroit lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets by a score of 4-3 in a shootout. The Red Wings allowed the tying goal with around 20 seconds left in regulation, giving the Blue Jackets two points after the shootout.
With four games left in the regular season, Detroit is sitting three points out of a Wild Card spot, and doesn’t hold a tiebreaker over the Ottawa Senators. The Red Wings need to earn four more points over the Senators and two over the Blue Jackets to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
However, the organization can be eliminated as early as Saturday against the New Jersey Devils in Detroit. The “late-season collapse” has become typical for the Red Wings over the last few seasons, but this has to be the final straw. Detroit needs to make changes ahead of the 2026 NHL offseason.
Why the Detroit Red Wings are struggling to close out the NHL season
On January 25, the Red Wings woke up leading the Atlantic Division and tied for the best record in the Eastern Conference. Fast forward to April 8, and Detroit has a 6.3% chance to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs, according to MoneyPuck. Since January 25, the Red Wings have a 8-13-4 record.
Detroit has lost seven of its last nine games, and the Stanley Cup Playoffs are very unlikely at this point. This falls on everyone in the organization, from general manager Steve Yzerman to the players on the ice. Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan has repeatedly called out his team for being “jerseys,” not making a big impact.
This has been a disastrous late-season collapse, and it raises questions about the culture within the team. It is easy to blame Yzerman, as he did put these players together. With the Stanley Cup Playoffs becoming more unlikely, Yzerman’s seat will likely get hotter. However, the players haven’t lived up to the Hockeytown standards.
Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin has fallen off a cliff in the second half of the 2025-26 NHL season. Granted, Larkin is dealing with a lower-body injury, but a team’s captain can’t disappear when it matters the most. Unfortunately, most of the team has disappeared, outside of a few players, such as Alex DeBrincat and Mo Seider.
The offense is really struggling in 5-on-5 play, which should have been addressed at the NHL trade deadline. Instead, the Red Wings acquired forward David Perron, who has been in the bottom six since returning from his injury. Simply put, the offense is too power-play dependent, and combined with below-average goaltending since March 15, it is fueling this late-season collapse.
What changes needs to happen for the Detroit Red Wings?
It is time for the Red Wings to make some major changes this offseason. If Detroit decides that Yzerman has run his course at general manager, then promoting Shawn Horcoff or finding someone new from the outside should be a priority. Meanwhile, McLellan has to be a part of Detroit’s plans moving forward with some changes throughout the rest of the staff.
The Red Wings desperately need to land a top six forward that can produce on offense. There aren’t many free agents avaiable that can make a difference in the top six, but Detroit can replace the “jerseys” in the bottom six. The team needs to improve its depth on offense moving forward.
As for the top six forward, the Red Wings have to make a decision. Will the young players finally break out or does the organization move its prospects for an elite player? This will be a major decision for whoever is the Red Wings general manager, and if its someone from the outside, it could be an easier answer.
Quite frankly, Detroit’s direction will become more clear when a decision is made on Yzerman. If the Red Wings acquire a new general manager from the outside, the possibility of a major overhaul becomes more realistic. If Yzerman stays, the Red Wings likely won’t have as many drastic changes.
The checklist is pretty long for Detroit. The Red Wings have to figure out what to do with Yzerman, acquire a top six forward, and overhaul the bottom six depth on offense. It is clear that Detroit’s current culture is lacking compared to the best teams in franchise history.
It is time to pick a direction and make changes to fix the Red Wings.
Read More: Detroit Red Wings’ Stanley Cup Playoff Hopes Fade After Shocking Collapse
