Red Wings Won’t be Pushed Around

They used to play a clip on the video board at Detroit Red Wings games about how nobody comes into our house and pushes us around.

Then, they stopped playing it. Perhaps it was because the sentiment wasn’t the truth.

These days, though, they could dust that bit of video off and replay it loudly and proudly. The Red Wings on the ice today fill that bill.

They don’t let any team push them around.

“Yeah, I think we’ve done a lot better job of it,” Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat said of standing up for each other. “You know, I think today was great. I think we’re sticking up for each other.”

Sunday, the Ottawa Senators came to Little Caesars Arena intent on bullying the Red Wings. That’s nothing new. It’s the way Ottawa likes to play the game.

“We knew it would be a tight, heavy game, and that’s the game that it ended up being,” Detroit coach Todd McLellan said.

Red Wings Don’t Back Down

A first-period scrum in front of the benches ignited as Ottawa captain Brady Tkachuk delivered several hacks with his stick to the body of Detroit forward Mason Appleton. Soon, all 10 skaters on the ice were engaged and enraged.

Wings and Sens are getting HEATED 🔥🌡️ pic.twitter.com/O47S2XLZ1U

— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) January 18, 2026

The Wings gave back as good as they took. All 6-foot-8 and 252 pounds of Elmer Soderblom were at the center of Detroit’s response. Red Wings defenseman Simon Edvinsson dished out so many headlocks to Ottawa players that it wouldn’t be surprising if he gets a call to audition for the WWE.

“We’ve got a pretty competitive group, stands their ground,” McLellan said. “The games are always emotional against this team, and tonight was the case as well.”

Midway through the second period, Ottawa’s Ridly Greig laid out Lucas Raymond with a shot to the head. Raymond missed the remainder of the period while in concussion protocol.

Late in the period, Soderblom didn’t miss the mark when it came time for retribution. He dropped Greig with a similar shot to the head.

Good on Elmer Söderblom sticking up for Lucas Raymond after that dirty hit. Love to see it. 🇸🇪 pic.twitter.com/hDc9V1WQXA

— WW (@realwilliam59) January 18, 2026

Many hockey fans have the wrong conception when they think of toughness. It isn’t just about enforcers punishing opponents with fisticuffs.

Just look at the New York Rangers. They suit up two legitimate tough guys in Matthew Rempe and Sam Carrick, and are an awful team.

“It doesn’t always have to be a fight,” DeBrincat said.

A simple and effective way to deliver punishment is to score on the power play when the other team gets careless. The Red Wings did that twice on Sunday.

It’s not necessary to rewind the memory bank very far into the past to come across an episode when the Senators did run the Wings out of the rink. Two years ago, entertaining thoughts of a postseason berth, Detroit went to Ottawa for back-to-back games. The Senators won both, scoring six goals in each victory, while the Red Wings basically surrendered.

No white flags are waving on this season’s Red Wings roster. They might not be the Broad Street Bullies, but if you think you’re going to push them around and get them to capitulate, well, good luck with that.