The Daily: The Red Wings are Eliminated; Now What?

Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

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Rick Osentoski-Imagn ImagesRick Osentoski-Imagn Images

The ending was fitting. In a game the Red Wings had to win, they played well enough to earn a lead and then performed poorly enough to blow the lead later in the third period.

How many times did we see that script down the stretch?

Bob Duff’s story detailed the fans booing the Red Wings at the end of the game when players were thanking them for their support. Coach Todd McLellan said afterward that “we earned that reaction.”

This is not a situation requiring a “we’ll get them next year” approach.

After a decade of missing the playoffs, the Red Wings need a major renovation on their roster, managerial approach and development strategy. Not much leaks out of the Detroit organization, but Detroit Hockey League believes GM Steve Yzerman will remain in his job. But that is more of an educated guess than reporting.

The Red Wings have a multitude of problem areas, but here is what should be addressed first on the laundry list of shortcomings:

1. Lack of a winning culture: Although coach Todd McLellan emphasized it from the starting of the 2025-26 training camp, the Red Wings don’t understand how to close out a win when it truly matters. In big games, the final 10 minutes of regulation seems to always be an adventure for this team. This seems like a personnel issue.
2. Lack of five-of-five offense. You can’t win consistently in this league if you are one of worst five or six teams in even-strength scoring. Although the free agent market is weak, the Red Wings have to find a way to add another proven scorer.
3. Reconstruct bottom six forward group: If you look around the NHL, teams are bringing in younger players or AHL players to give their teams an energy boost. The Red Wings need to use their draft choices and AHLers earlier. They embraced that idea early in the season but moved away from it as the season wore on. When the team was struggling down the stretch, why didn’t they bring back Michael Brandsegg-Nygard and give him a true chance to play? Why not give John Leonard or Eduards Tralmaks a shot? Detroit wasn’t getting offense from its bottom six. It couldn’t have been worse to try players from Grand Rapids.

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

Failure a familiar option for the Red Wings down the stretch.

Red Wings sign second-round pick and assign him to Grand Rapids.

Red Wings Extra

Carter Bear posted a goal and an assist in the Everett Silvertips’ 4-2 win against the Kelowna Rockets in Western Hockey League playoff action. Bear has one goal and eight assists in six WHL playoff games. . . Jesse Kiiskinen picked up his first AHL assist in the Grand Rapids Griffins’ 5-2 loss to the Rockford IceHogs. He also had a goal waved off. See video below.

Hockey Now Digest

Boston: The Bruins have punched their ticket to the NHL postseason. Jack Studley has details Boston Bruins

Florida: George Richards explores whether Sergei Bobrovsky has played his last game with the Florida Panthers.

San Jose: Embarrassing effort: Sharks lose must-win game to last place Vancouver Canucks. San Jose Shark.

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