Just like in today’s solar eclipse, the alignment is perfect for the Detroit Red Wings when it comes to qualifying for the playoffs after a seven-season absence.

Their Sunday win against Buffalo, coupled with Washington’s overtime loss to Ottawa, put the Red Wings in the Eastern Conference’s second wildcard spot by a point over the Washington Capitals, Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers. The Red Wings play Washington Tuesday at Little Caesars Arena. Detroit plays the Penguins in Pittsburgh Thursday. Those two games will say much about Detroit’s playoff chances.

What it means: If the Red Wings win their last five games (against Washington, Pittsburgh, Toronto and two games against Montreal), they need no help. They would be in the playoffs.  Detroit also would get in if it matches the best record of the wildcard contenders. In other words, if the best record among contenders is 3-2 and Detroit matches that record, then they would qualify.

The Red Wings, Capitals, Penguins and New York Islanders have five games left. The Flyers, who have lost seven games in a row, have four games remaining. The Capitals have lost six in a row.  The Red Wings are 4-3-2 in their last nine. The Penguins are playing the best hockey in 6-0-1 in their last seven. The Islanders have lost five of their last six.

“This is what it’s about this time of year,” Detroit coach Derek Lalonde said. “We haven’t been here in eight years. Now only have we gotten here, our guys have worked their butts off to get here and we’ve earned it. I’m excited to see how we handle it.”

The New York Islanders, in a qualifying spot because they are in third place in the Metropolitan Division, could provide a complication for Detroit because the Islanders are one point ahead of the Red Wings. If a team passes the Islanders for third, New York moves into the wildcard race.  If, or when, the Islanders and Red Wings lose, the point becomes an issue.

One thought around the league is the Red Wings will get in if they beat Washington and Pittsburgh this week.

Tiebreaker Disadvantage

Detroit technically have a long-shot chance of earning the first wildcard position in the Eastern Conference. The Lightning, holding the first wildcard spot, have a nine-point lead over Detroit. That means if the Lightning earns one point or Detroit fails to earn two points, the Red Wings are eliminated from consideration for the first wildcard.

Something to keep in mind: the first NHL tiebreaker for playoff consideration is regulation wins. As of this morning, the Capitals, Penguins and Flyers have the tiebreaker advantage over Detroit. The Red Wings have the tiebreaker over the Islanders.

If Detroit earns the No. 8 seed  wildcard spot, the team will likely meet the New York Rangers in the opening round of the playoffs. They have a three-point lead (110 to 107) over the Boston Bruins for the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. Both teams have four games remaining. The Rangers own the tiebreaker over the Bruins.

In this season, Detroit is 0-3 against the Rangers and 2-2 versus the Bruins.

The post Latest Red Wings Playoff Scenario: They Control Their Destiny appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Rookie Lucas Raymond is off the COVID-19 list and will be eligible to play for the Detroit Red Wings against the Washington Capitals in their annual New Year’s Eve game.

Defenseman Nick Leddy is now the only Detroit player still on the COVID-19 list.

This will be Detroit’s first game in 13 days. After defeating the New Jersey Devils on Dec. 18, the Red Wings had four games postponed as COVID-19 overran the NHL.

“It was good to watch last night’s game (Nashville-Washington) and you could see there was a lot of emotion,” Blashill said. “That’s great, just getting back at it. This is what we do and to a large degree what we live for, so it’s great to get back going.”

The Lucas Raymond news is important because originally it was thought he might not be cleared until after the Washington game.  Raymond is the team’s most skilled goal scorer. The Red Wings were preparing as if Robby Fabbri would play in Raymond’s spot on the top line. At one point, the Red Wings had nine players on the COVID-19 list during the break.

“I think we were really lucky,” Detroit defenseman Moritz Seider said. “A lot of guys didn’t even have to sit out for even one game. We had a really good practice today. I think we can build on that and go form there and get excited for tomorrow. Obviously a big advantage for us (is) we don’t have to travel much. Hopefully we can focus a bit more on practices, and go back to work here.”

What Happens to Joe Veleno?

With all the forwards back, the question now is what to do with rookie Joe Veleno.

The post Lucas Raymond Out of Covid Protocol, Will Play vs. Capitals appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Alex Ovechkin left the Washington Capitals’ game against the Philadelphia Flyers Saturday with what team officials termed a “lower body injury.”

The Capitals provided no other information about his condition. If Alex Ovechkin is out for an extended period, the consequences could be disastrous for the Caps. They are already playing without injured center Niklas Backstrom. The Metropolitan Division will be so tight that a poor start could severely damage the Capitals ability to make the playoffs.

Also, Ovechkin is chasing Wayne Gretzky’s league record of 894 goals. Ovechkin is 36 and needs 165 goals to pass Gretzky. He recently agreed to a five-year contract extension. If he plays those five seasons, Ovechkin would needs to average 33 goals per season to surpass Gretzky.

Ovechkin has been impressively durable during his career. Here is Washington Hockey Now’s story on Ovechkin’s departure from last night’s game.

Ovi left the game after this awkward hit pic.twitter.com/A2qUo2Nxr5

— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) October 9, 2021

Around the NHL

Boston: Bruins’ role player Curtis Lazar will be out an extended period with an injury.

Colorado: Avalanche forward J.T. Compher more than happy to deal with high expectations.

Detroit: Defenseman Moritz Seider hasn’t played an NHL game, but he’s already been named to the German Olympic Team.

Florida: The Panthers signed Aleksander Barkov for eight seasons  and $80 million. He’s worth every cent. Also, the Panthers made cuts this morning.

Also, the Red Wings cut down to 35 and their prime prospects Lucas Raymond, Joe Veleno and Jonatan Berggren are still with the big club. 

New York Islanders: Hockey Now explains what to expect from Jean-Gabriel Pageau and the Islanders’ third line.

Pittsburgh: Defenseman Mike Matheson is dealing with a leg injury. It’s still unknown when Jake Guentzel and Zach Aston-Reese, both out with a positive Covid-19 positive test, will return to the lineup.

Vancouver:  Canucks’ Justin Bailey has come back from Covid-19 and an injury.

Vegas: Steve Carp of Vegas Hockey Now says Peyton Krebs is making a strong case to make the Golden Knights roster.

The post The Daily: Alex Ovechkin injured, Aleksander Barkov hits jackpot, Vegas betting on Krebs? appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.