The Daily: Red Wings Focus Has to Be on Wins; Kane Heats Up

The big picture, planning ahead and hope for the future are always in play for a rebuilding team like the Detroit Red Wings.

But when a retooling team is only two points out of a playoff spot with 17 games to go, the most immediate focus is about winning games. That was Todd McLellan’s take after Detroit’s 7-3 win against the Buffalo Sabres.

“I remember some of my mentors telling me, don’t critique a win, especially when you haven’t won much lately,” McLellan said. “So we’ll take it.”

It wasn’t the Red Wings’ sharpest performance of the season. “Hockey’s a really odd game sometimes,” McLellan said, “because I think we played a better game in Ottawa and lost 2-1.”

All that mattered after the win is the distance between the Red Wings and the Columbus Blue Jackets who own the last wildcard position in the Eastern Conference. Maybe the team can embrace the positive that it now has given up a total of five goals over the last two games. Before then, the Red Wings had surrendered four or more goals eight times over 10 games.

The first @DetroitRedWings player to record a five-point game in nearly six years…

Patrick Kane is so Showtime. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/gamxAyDvP2

— NHL (@NHL) March 13, 2025

In their most recent seven-game winning streak, the Red Wings held opponents to two or fewer goals six times. Can they get back to that brand of defensive play? Regardless of whether they do or they don’t, they still have to find a way to win NHL games.

The next chance is Friday on the road in Carolina, playing against a team that has won five in a row. It’s not about the process anymore. It’s just about finding ways to win.

“We still have a bunch of games left and no matter who you play in this league,” Patrick Kane said. “I mean it’s going to be a tough night. So we just got to focus on the next game.”

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

Goalie Petr Mrazek delivered in his first start since being brought back to Detroit.

It seems likely Detroit fans, or at the very least Grand Rapids Griffins fans, will get to see Axel Sandin Pellikka before the season is over.

Detroit’s Minnesota-Duluth draftee Max Plante was named to his conference’s All-Rookie team.

Red Wings Extra

Detroit lost to the Carolina Hurricanes 2-1 nine days ago at Little Caesars Arena. Friday, they will face them in Raleigh. Since McLellan took over as head coach, Patrick Kane and his linemate Alex DeBrincat have been among the most productive players in the NHL. After registering five points against Buffalo, Kane has 31 points (12-19-31) in 25 games since Dec. 29. DeBrincat shows 32 points (17-15-32) in 30 games since Dec. 29. DeBrincat reached 30 goals for the fourth time in his career. He is the seventh active U.S.-born player to record at least four 30-goal seasons, joining Auston Matthews (8), Kyle Connor (7), Max Pacioretty (6), Jake Guentzel (5), Kane (5) and Dylan Larkin (4)

Hockey Network

Florida: How Panthers GM Bill Zito used LTIR money to improve his team before the NHL trade deadline. Florida Panthers. 

Montreal: Younger Montreal players have their focus on playing in the postseason. They want that opportunity. Montreal Canadiens. 

New Jersey: The Devils say defenseman Dougie Hamilton’s season is over. New Jersey Devils. 

Pittsburgh: Dave Molinari writes that defenseman Conor Timmins says he is happy to be with the Pittsburgh Penguins.