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Red Wings Miss Playoffs for Eighth Consecutive Season — Now What?

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2 weeks ago

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Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings pulled off another miraculous 5-4 comeback win over the Montreal Canadiens, doing what they could do to qualify for the playoffs.

But none of it mattered because of an empty-net goal the Washington Capitals scored 455 miles away.

The Capitals eliminated Detroit by beating the Philadelphia Flyers 2-1 on an empty-net goal by T.J. Oshie with three  minutes left in regulation. The Flyers pulled their goalie in a 1-1 game because their only chance to qualify for the playoffs was by defeating the Capitals in regulation. The Caps and Red Wings are tied with 91 points for the final wild card spot, but Washington wins the tiebreaker based on more regulation wins.

“It’s crazy,” Detroit forward David Perron said. “It stings a lot, obviously. You look at the clock, there’s seven seconds (left before the final faceoff), scoring that goal and you come back to the bench, you hear not too long after that, obviously, Philly is thinking we’re losing that game with seven seconds, they pull their goalie, they do their thing and Wash scores. It hurt a lot. You see guys in the room are very emotional. It’s one of their first big letdowns probably playing these games for everyone .”

After mobbing David Perron after he scored the tying goal Tuesday against the Habs, the Red Wings didn’t even celebrate after Patrick Kane scored the game-winner in a shootout. Most Detroit heard the Capitals had won before Kane took the shot. But not everyone knew.

“That was the most excited I’ve ever been in my life for about a quarter-second,” Detroit goalie James Reimer said. “Obviously when we scored in the shootout and I saw none of the guys were excited I knew what our fate was.”

Kane Has Positive Take

Veteran Kane, owner of three Stanley Cup rings, appreciated the effort the Red Wings made.

“For this team, the way that we battled, whether it was to come back in games, to find ourselves in this position, it was incredible,” Kane said on Bally Sports. “It was like nothing I’ve ever seen. There was no quit in this team. I really had a lot of fun playing with these guys and just playing for the team here in general. It was a really fun year. It’s very disappointing right now.”

The Red Wings finish with 11 more points than they had last season, but the wound of this setback is too fresh to think about that now. But GM Steve Yzerman will almost immediately start the process of deciding where the team goes from here.

Over the past four days, the Red Wings have beaten the Toronto Maple Leafs on an overtime goal by Dylan Larkin, erased a three-goal deficit to beat Montreal on Lucas Raymond’s overtime goal Monday and then used another dramatic goal by Perron to win Tuesday. He will weigh that positive sign against the reality this team struggled mightily when Larkin was injured. The Red Wings came-from-behind to win some games they should not have won, but also lost games they should have won.

“We took a step,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said. “I think that next step is just improving on that. what does that look like, I don’t know. But you see the growth in this group, the battle in this group, they pushed this group forward for sure.”

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Mike Babcock

Yzerman will probably just sign more UFA’s and keep his prospects in Grand Rapids for another year.

Run it back, baby!

Re-sign 55 year old Perron!

Kane sounds like he just said goodbye to the Red Wings.

Last edited 12 days ago by Mike Babcock
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Dugy

We don’t need sarcastic BS. Reality is for the first time in 5 years, Wings have trade assets and enough of a core to build another step. The needs are obvious, but so are the strengths…Stevie Y will have good first choices for replacements, not leftovers. And there are 2-3 more GR players ready.
Get ready for next year or give up your seat on the bus.

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Tom Rady

Mike I think there will be 3-4 younger players from Grand Rapids on the team next year. I think a new vet goaltender will be aquired by trade or free agency next year. Sebastian Cossa will push for one of the goalie jobs too. Changes are coming.

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RWHockey13

It was a good season… better than the past few years.

Last edited 12 days ago by RWHockey13
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Akscott

Dump Lalonde, hire David Carle. Let Kane and Perron walk. Trade Petry, Hol, and Fabbri if you can. Bring in Berggren Johansson, Kasper, and Danielson. All the money off the books can help sign a couple free agents. Get younger, quicker, more 200ft players, and a coach who can get this team playing some sound defense.

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Mark W

Kane might do well to stay in Detroit. IF they’ll have him again. Remember he’s not a two way player so he comes with a cost. We just don’t see that cost in him. We see it in other’s production going down. He’s an executive decision imho.

Dumping LaLonde…hmmm. Another executive decision but if I had to do it I’d keep him to see what he can do with a team of Yzerman drafted younger guys next year.

Doubt Perron and most older vets will return if ANY return at all.

If he chooses to try it Yzerman could bring in 8 or more rookies next season who are arguably ready…but…probably not. How would you feel about that ?

Just look at the drafted prospects that have been polishing their games quietly, not just in North America. Some of them, like Buium are just about ready.

THAT includes Goaltenders.

There are no guarantees of course but I like nearly all of Yzerman’s prospects to play soon at least at the AHL level.

Look up the top 12 or so. I doubt another franchise has so many, so close. AND the Wings tied for a play-off birth THIS season using players many say wont be back.

Now look at teams trying to continue to stay relevant in this division. Many will believe that the NHL Wizard behind the curtain will allow them to “rebuild on the fly” so they’ll up-chuck a high draft choice to a team like the Wings with highly touted AND READY TO PLAY NHL players.

BTW those desired prospects include goaltenders AND Steve Yzerman is STILL your one stop shopping mart.

And…his phone’s likely already been ringing.

Yzerman built two entire minor teams in ECHL and AHL up from bare cupboards to NOW playoff contenders and in the process built a darned near Red Wing NHL playoff team with his first couple of drafts and shrewd bargaining.

We’ll see what happens this off-season. S.Y. is in the cat-bird’s seat with ears wide open to tempting offers for desirable players of all stripes from prospects to NHL veterans.

Some veteran players will again occupy roster spots next year. It just isn’t likely that S.Y. will roster up a full youth movement as fun as a team-full of Utes might sound.

Steve Yzerman should have quite an interesting off season building his next Red Wings roster.

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