Captain Dylan Larkin succinctly summed up what the Detroit Red Wings require from their remaining two games on the schedule.

“We need four (points),” Larkin said.

Yes they do. And yet, it still might not be enough to get them to the promised land of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Currently, Detroit, Washington and Philadelphia are all deadlocked with 87 points. Pittsburgh is a point back as all four clubs duel for the second wild card spot in the NHL’s Eastern Conference. The Penguins, Capitals and Red Wings all have two games to play. For the Flyers, there’s only one game left to go.

Here’s a look at the various methods through which Detroit can end up in the playoffs for the first time since the 2015-16 season.

Red Wings Playoff Scenarios

Were the Red Wings to win both of their remaining games, they’ll finish with 91 points. If that happens, then:

• Washington must lose one of its two remaining games in any fashion and finish with no more than 90 points.
• In this scenario, it wouldn’t matter what Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and the New York Islanders (89 points, currently third in the Metropolitan Division) do.

If Red Wings and Washington both win their final two games, Detroit would need the Islanders to gain no more than one point in their final two games. In this scenario, the Capitals would finish third in the Metropolitan Division with 91 points. That would be earning Washington the tiebreaker over the Islanders based on more regulation wins.

After their win last night, the @Capitals have slid into the second Wild Card spot in the East!

Watch the #StanleyCup Playoffs on @espn and @NHL_On_TNT starting April 20th.

Bracket Challenge presented by @betwayusa pic.twitter.com/2PKl36KEfQ

— NHL (@NHL) April 14, 2024

The Red Wings would earn the wild card spot with 91 points, winning the tiebreaker with the Islanders either due to more regulation wins or more regulation/overtime wins. It wouldn’t matter what Pittsburgh and Philadelphia do.

Three Points Wouldn’t Necessarily Finish Detroit

If the Red Wings gain three of a possible four points, they would still have two pathways to the playoffs:

They would need Washington to gain no more than two points in its final two games and for Pittsburgh to lose one of its two games in any fashion. In this scenario, Detroit would have 90 points, and Washington, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia a maximum of 89.

An ELECTRIC win for the @DetroitRedWings last night moves them one spot closer to the playoffs@MoneyPuckdotcom playoffs odds:@Capitals: 34.7%#RedWings: 26.2%@NHLFlyers: 22.4%@penguins: 20.6%#LGRW pic.twitter.com/la31fuPXA4

— Gamble Online Michigan (@GambleonlineMI) April 14, 2024

Or:

They would need the Islanders to lose both of their remaining games in regulation and Pittsburgh to lose in regulation to Nashville. Washington, with 90 points, would finish third in the Metropolitan Division by owning the tiebreaker with the Islanders (more regulation wins). The Red Wings, with 90 points, also would own the tiebreaker with the Islanders based on either more regulation wins or more regulation/overtime wins.

Two Points Won’t Do It

There is no scenario through which the Red Wings can reach the playoffs by gaining only two points to finish with 89. That’s because Washington plays Philadelphia on Tuesday.

This gurantees that one of those clubs is assured of having 89 points. Both own the tiebreaker with Detroit.

The post Here’s How The Red Wings Make The Playoffs appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

The Detroit Red Wings aren’t out of the race for the NHL’s second Eastern Conference wild card playoff spot. At the same time, to gain that position, they are going to need help.

The Red Wings are sitting with 85 points. That’s the same total as the Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers. It’s one behind the Pittsburgh Penguins, holding down the second wild card placing with 86 points. Pittsburgh’s 6-5 overtime victory over Detroit on Thursday is currently the difference maker in this race.

LUCAS RAYMOND HAT TRICK!!! pic.twitter.com/0Z1fPr8JiZ

— NHL (@NHL) April 12, 2024

“I know it doesn’t feel good right now but there’s still a path there,” Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde said.

Detroit, Pittsburgh and Washington each have three games to play. Philadelphia is down to two games on the club’s remaining ledger.

Another factor that’s problematic for the Red Wings is that they lose the first tiebreaker to every one of these teams. That’s regulation wins and Detroit has 27 of them. Philadelphia and Washington each have 29, while Pittsburgh owns 31.

What this means is that the Red Wings will need to be a point clear of any challenger in order to claim the posteason position.

Let’s look to the final week of the regular season as the Red Wings continue their chase for a playoff spot.

Detroit Red Wings (38-32-9, 85 points)

Remaining Games: Sat at Toronto, Monday vs Montreal, Tuesday at Montreal.

The Red Wings were 5-2 winners the last time they were the visitors in Toronto on Jan. 14. Former Leafs goalie James Reimer got the win that night. Might Lalonde look to him to again come through?

Detroit is 1-8-2 in the club’s past 11 road games. The Red Wings have also scored two or fewer goals in eight of 19 games since the beginning of March. They’ve been shutout four times during that span.

Pittsburgh Penguins (37-30-12, 86 points)

Remaining Games: Saturday vs Boston, Monday vs Nashville, Wednesday at New York Islanders.

Former Red Wings goalie Alex Nedeljkovic is 8-0-3 in his last 11 decisions for Pittsburgh. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has points in 13 of his last 15 games overall, accumulating 25 points (9-16-25) in that span.

Nedeljkovic on his mindset: "Just find the next puck. Worry about staying in the moment, not what's in the past – not what happened. You can't control it. So it's just finding that next one and getting back on the horse." pic.twitter.com/rE4DPORoX8

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) April 6, 2024

Thursday’s OT triumph was Pittsburgh’s ninth successive home-ice win (7-0-2) over the Red Wings. The Pens have outscored the Wings 47-22 in that span.

Washington Capitals (37-31-11, 85 points)

Remaining Games: Saturday at Tampa Bay, Monday vs Boston, Tuesday at Philadelphia.

The Capitals are 1-5-2 through their past eight games. The lone win was Tuesday at Detroit.

Washington simply isn’t scoring enough to sustain success. The Capitals have tallied two or fewer goals in each of the past eight games. They are averaging 1.75 goals per game over that span.

Philadelphia Flyers (37-32-10, 85 points)

Remaining Games: Saturday vs New Jersey, Tuesday vs Washington.

A 4-1 win over the New York Rangers on Thursday brought to a halt Philadelphia’s eight-game losing skid (0-6-2). Flyers forward Owen Tippett has 13 multi-point games this season. He has 15 points (6-9-15) in the last 15 games.

The good news is Philly finsihes with consecutive home games. On the other hand, the Flyers are just 3-3-2 over their past eight at home.

The post Handicapping The Race: Who Will Come to Aid of Red Wings? appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

It will be reminiscent of the Original Six Days when the Detroit Red Wings go into Toronto for an important Saturday Hockey Night in Canada game against the Maple Leafs.

After falling to the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-5 Thursday, the Red Wings need to upset the Maple Leafs to keep their postseason hopes alive. Moneypuck.com pegs Detroit’s playoff probability at 15.8%. The Penguins now have a one-point lead in the scrap for the second wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference.

“The Pittsburgh Penguins probably didn’t deserve the two points,” Dan Kingerski wrote for Pittsburgh Hockey Now. “Although they were outplayed for significant parts of the game, they never left the battle.”

The Penguins have points in 10 consecutive games and Sidney Crosby has been the primary reason. He set up Thursday’s winning overtime goal with his 1,000th career assist.

“If it’s one thing he’s done throughout his career, it’s delivering when you need it the most,” Pittsburgh defenseman Erik Karlsson said. “And today was nothing different than that.”

Lucas Raymond was another who raised his game Thursday, delivering a three-goal, four-point performance. He played with intensity and fire.

“I think the way Lucas played tonight was, if you’re looking at a step in his career, then that’s a performance that I’m very impressed by,” Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin said. “I think that was a good statement to the hockey world.”

LUCAS RAYMOND HATTY. pic.twitter.com/jgb135aQCv

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) April 12, 2024

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

• The Red Wings will know more today about Andrew Copp‘s status. He suffered a broken cheekbone in Tuesday’s loss to Washington.
• Alex DeBrincat totaled three assists in the loss to Pittsburgh. But only has one goal in his past 20 games. The Red Wings need him to score.
• Paywall story: Bob Duff writes about Red Wings players are trying to keep their emotions in check while they are battling to make the playoffs.
• Patrick Kane talked about his future, but he didn’t reveal which way he is leaning. He didn’t say he was leaving or staying.

Red Wings Next Game

Detroit’s next game is Saturday against a motivated Toronto Maple Leafs team.  Toronto is securely in third place in the Atlantic Division. Winning or losing won’t impact their playoff match-up. But Auston Matthews now has 68 goals and Matthews and his Toronto teammates seem determined to make sure he reaches 70 goals over their next three games. The Red Wings, needing a win to keep playoff hopes alive, and the Maple Leafs have something to play for.

Hockey Now Network

Boston: If the Detroit Red Wings can’t re-sign Patrick Kane, will the Boston Bruins pursue him in the free agent market? Jimmy Murphy points out the Bruins have the cap space.

Colorado: Ewan Rawal writes that it is Alexander Georgiev or bust in goal for the Colorado Avalanche. There is no goaltender controversy in Denver.

Florida: In the NHLPA player poll, Sasha Barkov was selected as the second-most complete player behind Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby.

Montreal: With Boston University eliminated from the Frozen Four by Denver, Montreal Canadiens prospect Lane Hutson could sign an NHL contract. Marc Dumont looks at the possibility. Hutson is an elite puck-carrying defenseman.

New Jersey: Last season’s Timo Meier trade is now complete, now that the New Jersey Devils are eliminated from playoff consideration. The 2024 conditional second round pick the Devils included in the deal with San Jose will remain a second-round pick. The pick would have become a first-round pick if New Jersey had reached the Eastern Conference Final in the postseason.

Philadelphia: Believe it or not, the Philadelphia Flyers have playoff hope after an unexpected win against the New York Rangers. The Flyers’ probability percentage is 16.8%.

The post The Daily: Red Wings’ Playoff Odds at 15.8%; Patrick Kane’s Future appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

A friend will be among the foes tonight when the Detroit Red Wings battle for their playoff lives tonight on the road against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Former Detroit goalie Alex Nedeljkovic has taken over the starting goaltender’s role with the Penguins.

Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now writes that Nedeljkovic has made nine consecutive starts, and likely will make a 10th tonight against the Red Wings. Nedeljkovic was popular with his teammates when he played for Detroit. The Penguins are 6-0-3 in their last nine games.

“Can Nedeljkovic Continue to Withstand Stresses of His Job?,” Kingerski asks in a paywall story.

Nedeljkovic owns a .913 save percentage in those nine games. He has given up three or more goals, with a save percentage under .900, in five of those nine games.  He did beat the Red Wings 6-3 on March 16 when the two teams squared off in Pittsburgh

Alex Lyon will start in net for Detroit.  He has given up two or fewer goals in four of his last five starts.

Huge game tonight between the Red Wings and Penguins.
PIT: regulation win and playoff odds are 61%. Regulation loss, 17%.
DET: regulation win and playoff odds are 48%. Regulation loss, 8%.
Via @Sportlogiq pic.twitter.com/DoEwxBAPQl

— Mike Kelly (@MikeKellyNHL) April 11, 2024

Coyotes Finally Relocating?

The NHL seems to be finally giving up on the idea that the Arizona Coyotes will get a new arena built any time soon. The NHL reportedly is working to get the franchise relocated to Utah although nothing is finalized.

From an agent this morning: The reason this wouldn’t just bother the Coyotes players is that there are those who have some form of limited trade protection who don’t list Arizona on a no-trade list but might have included Salt Lake City. https://t.co/GJZE3SWHaT

— Gord Miller (@GMillerTSN) April 11, 2024

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

• What are the chances that Patrick Kane will return to the Red Wings? Bob Duff tells the story.
• Former Penguins player Zach Aston-Reese will play for Detroit against the Penguins tonight.
• Veteran mistakes by Detroit players cost the Red Wings in their loss to the Capitals.

Red  Wings Next Game

The Red Wings’ playoff hopes are wrapped up in tonight’s game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Red Wings probably can’t qualify for the playoffs if they don’t defeat the Penguins. The last time they played the Penguins in Pittsburgh (March 17) they lost 6-3.

Hockey Now Network

Boston:  Would a strict goalie rotation give the Boston Bruins an edge in the postseason? Jimmy Murphy weighs in.

Chicago: Landon Slaggert scores his first NHL goal for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Florida: Goalie Anthony Stolarz will have several suitors when he becomes a UFA this summer, but he hopes to stay with the Florida Panthers.

Montreal: Marc Dumont writes about the three members of the Montreal Canadiens who have something to prove over the final three games.

Philadelphia: John Tortorella is staying behind the Philadelphia Flyers‘ bench.  Rumor quashed.

The post The Daily: Can Red Wings Beat Ned Tonight?; Coyotes to Utah? appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

No one has to tell Detroit Red Wings defenseman Olli Maatta about how fantastic the core of the Pittsburgh Penguins is. He was living it in person as a Penguins player from 2013-19, winning a pair of Stanley Cups alongside the likes of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang.

“I think they’re a proud group,” Maatta said. “They’ve done it for a long time and they still have that hunger. You know how they work day to day. They don’t take any games off. Every game matters for them.

“They want to succeed. They’re special kind of players for sure.”

Sidney Crosby continues to be recognized as the most well-rounded player on the ice – the @Penguins captain has won or tied atop the #NHLPAPlayerPoll most complete player category for five straight seasons! pic.twitter.com/EjX9MS5QQT

— NHLPA (@NHLPA) April 10, 2024

On the morning of Mar. 24, Pittsburgh sat 24th in the NHL standings and 13th in the Eastern Conference with a 30-30-9 record. The Penguins were nine points out of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot and given just a 1.7% chance of making the postseason per moneypuck.com. Now, the Penguins enter tonight’s game against Detroit with points in nine-straight games (6-0-3). Like the Red Wings, they’re one point out of a playoff spot.

“They’ve been playing great,” Detroit forward Patrick Kane said of the Penguins. “They’ve been finding ways to get points and win games. It’s been impressive, because you thought they were out of the playoff picture around the trade deadline. They’ve had quite a run.”

Crosby Leading The Way

Crosby, as is usually the case, is pacing that progress. He’s been accounting for an NHL-leading 17 points since March 24.

“I don’t think there’s ever enough to be said about how big of a leader, how special of a player he is and has been for a long time,” Maatta said of Crosby. “on’t know how somebody can do that for that long. I didn’t think that was possible but he can do it. He’s shown that. And he’s still doing it at an elite level. I think it’s gonna be a big challenge for us.”

Game Time

Thursday: Detroit at Pittsburgh

Where: PPG Paints Arena

TV/RADIO: Bally Sports Detroit/97.1 FM

Time: 7 p.m.

Penguins Preview

Pittsburgh captain Crosby reached the 40-goal plateau for the third time in his career. He’s the seventh NHL player to post a 40-goal campaign after his 36th birthday . . . Crosby needs two points to tie Phil Esposito for 10th all-time in NHL scoring. “He’s special,” Lalonde said. “He’ll go down as one of the greatest ever. He’s pushing that team.” . . . Pittsburgh is 386-88-46 when both Crosby and Malkin get a point in the same game . . . Former Red Wings goalie Alex Nedeljkovic has gaines points for Pittsburgh in each of his last nine games (6-0-3). That’s a career best for him.

Red Wings Preview

Alex Lyon will be making his sixth consecutive start tonight. “We’re ready to play James (Reimer) any time,” Lalonde said. “We’ll kind of go game by game, but we foresee James getting the net in one of these games. It’s just a matter of when.” . . . Forwards Andrew Copp (broken cheekbone) and Michael Rasmussen (upper body injury) are out.

UPDATE: The #RedWings today recalled center Zach Aston-Reese from the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins under emergency conditions. pic.twitter.com/1HbSliDuNf

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) April 10, 2024

Former Penguin Zach Aston-Reese is up from the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins. “Aston-Reese will probably help us on the penalty kill, having two of our top killers out,” Lalonde said. He’ll play on the foruth line with Christian Fischer and Austin Czarnik. Lalonde is tweaking all four lines. It’s Dylan Larkin-Alex DeBrincat-Lucas Raymond, Patrick Kane-J.T. Compher-David Perron and Joe Veleno-Robby Fabbri-Daniel Sprong on the other lines . . . D pairings remain the same, meaning Justin Holl and Jake Walman will be healthy scratches.

The post Penguins vs. Red Wings: Lines, Notes & How to Watch appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

If the Pittsburgh Penguins earn the final wildcard position over the Detroit Red Wings, the pain will be more unbearable for Detroit fans. They don’t much care for the Penguins, particularly Sidney Crosby.  This intense dislike goes back to the two Stanley Cup Finals between the two teams in 2008 and 2009.

Detroit fans still offer a derogatory chant toward Crosby when he visits Detroit, a remnant from those days, mostly over the handshake controversy. Crosby didn’t shake hands with Detroit captain Nick Lidstrom in 2009 after the Pens won the Stanley Cup. Crosby’s side is that he was celebrating with teammates and by the time he went to the handshake line Lidstrom was gone.

That’s the story in two sentences.

But 15 years later it adds to the entertainment value of the Red Wings and Penguins competing for the same spot. Detroit fans certainly are happy this morning that the Penguins only picked up one point for a 3-2 overtime loss to Toronto on Monday night.

The Penguins probably played well enough to get two points in that game.

This was Pittsburgh Hockey Now’s Dan Kingerski’s take: “The general feeling in the Pittsburgh Penguins locker room was that Monday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs was one of their best. Yet the results were mixed. The Penguins earned a point, but their four-game winning streak ended when Lars Eller, Drew O’Connor, and Erik Karlsson were caught on the ice for more than 90 seconds at the start of overtime. Eventually, Toronto defenseman Jake McCabe had a short breakaway to beat Penguins goalie Alex Nedeljkovic for a 3-2 OT win.”

Former Red Wings goalie Nedeljkovic was down about the loss.

“(It was a) pretty tough goal to give up — their second goal that was probably a little deflating,” Nedeljkovic said. “So it’s pretty tough to give that up. But I give the guys a lot of credit. They battled through it. They battled back and got a good bounce — went to the net — tied it up and bailed me out on that aspect.”

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

• What has happened to the Alex DeBrincat-Patrick Kane connection? Kane is scoring, but DeBrincat isn’t.
• Ville Husso is heading to Grand Rapids for one or two conditioning starts. If the Red Wings make the playoffs, coach Derek Lalonde will have goalie options.
• Defenseman Moritz Seider is the king of Detroit shot blockers. The big German defenseman had 10 blocks in the win against Buffalo.

Red Wings Next Game

The Red Wings play Alex Ovechkin’s Washington Capitals tonight (7 p.m.) in a game critical to the playoff fortunes of both teams. The Red Wings, with a .545 points percentage, hold the last wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference. The Capitals are one point behind them. Washington beat Detroit 4-3 in overtime on March 26, but the team has only won three of its last 10 games

Hockey Now Network

Boston: Jimmy Murphy writes that he believes the Boston Bruins are ready to be physical in the postseason.

Montreal: With a few games remaining, the Montreal Canadiens are 28th in the NHL overall. That would earn them an 8.5% chance of picking first and an 8.6% chance of picking second. The Habs have a 69.5% chance of picking fifth or sixth.

Nashville: Some Nashville Predators are chasing some noteworthy team records. Michael Gallagher had the story.

Philadelphia: The Flyers signed a big Swedish winger. Jonathan Bailey explains what this player can do for the Philadelphia Flyers starting next season.

The post The Daily: Red Wings Fans Say ‘Thanks’ to Leafs; DeBrincat Woes appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

The Pittsburgh Penguins had a playoff probability of 1.9% not long ago. Some were thinking, maybe hoping, the team would totally collapse to become one of the league’s bottom 10 teams. That would have allowed them to reclaim their first-round pick from the San Jose Sharks because it was top 10 protected.

But the Penguins didn’t sink to the bottom. Instead, they put together an eight-game points streak (6-0-2) to put themselves in a playoff position.

They moved into the Eastern Conference second wildcard position by beating the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-4 Saturday. The Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers both have 83 points, but the Penguins are technically ahead because they have a game-in-hand. The Washington Capitals and Red Wings are one point behind.

Michael Bunting scored the game-winner with 5:28 left in regulation. He celebrated like he had just won the Stanley Cup. The Penguins are into this race.

“All of my emotions showed,” Bunting said. “I’m sure the whole rink heard me screaming.”

It’s been Pittsburgh stars leading the way.  Sidney Crosby has seven goals and nine assists for 16 points over the past eight games. Evgeni Malkin has six goals and three assists in his last six games.

BUNTING ANSWERS WITH HIS THIRD POINT OF THE GAME! pic.twitter.com/j3ork3gKYM

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) April 6, 2024

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

• Simon Edvinsson continues to play with the steadiness of a veteran. He’s playing it safe defensively.
• The Red Wings are comfortable that goalkeeper Alex Lyon can deliver the performances they need over the last six games.
• The Griffins have brought in some prospects late in the season, including goalie Carter Gylander, to give them a taste of the American Hockey League.

Red Wings Next Game

With the Penguins now charging, the Red Wings have to view today’s 1 p.m. game against the Buffalo Sabres as a must-win contest.  The Red Wings will be without Michael Rasmussen who is still sidelined by an upper body injury. Alex Lyon will be making his fourth consecutive start in net. The Sabres have won three of their last four. The Red Wings are 2-1 against Buffalo this season. Detroit’s last win against the Sabres came three weeks ago at Little Caesars Arena.

Hockey Now Network

Chicago: The Lukas Reichel reboot was on fully display in the Chicago Blackhawks’ triumph against the Dallas Stars Saturday.

Montreal: Montreal Hockey Now has been hard at work compiling a list of players the Montreal Canadiens will target for the 2024 NHL draft.

Philadelphia: Jonathan Bailey writes the playoffs are all but out of reach for the Philadelphia Flyers after Saturday’s loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.

The post The Daily: Red Wings Chasing Penguins Now; Flyers Failing appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Another day, another change in the Eastern Conference wildcard race. The New York Islanders won their third consecutive game, beating the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2, to move into the second wildcard spot.

A couple of weeks ago, it seem like no team wanted the wildcard spot. Now it seems as if every team wants it. The Detroit Red Wings are 3-2-2 in their last seven. The Islanders have won four out of five. The Pittsburgh Penguins won’t go away.

The Islanders have 83 points, while the Detroit Red Wings and Washington Capitals have 82 points. They also have a game in hand over the Islanders.

The Penguins, who seemed out of the race 10 days ago, are only a point behind the Red Wings and Capitals.  They are 6-2-2 in their last 10.

Dan Kingerski of Pittsburgh Hockey Now wrote this about the Penguins after they downed the Washington Capitals Thursday: “The Pittsburgh Penguins locker room was just different. The smiles were beaming. The sense of accomplishment was eclipsed by the overflowing optimism. The Penguins found their swagger.”

Heading back home like… pic.twitter.com/u1xH0dGfXW

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) April 5, 2024

Red Wings In Case You Missed It

• Jonatan Berggren is still piling up points for the Grand Rapids Griffins. He continues to make his case to be a Detroit regular in 2024-25.
• The Red Wings and Griffins are adding prospects to the Griffins roster to give them a taste of the American Hockey League before they play regularly next season.
•  Detroit fans all remember how the Red Wings played without Michael Rasmussen last season. The team will miss him as he deals with his current injury.
• Coach Derek Lalonde has shown plenty of trust in Simon Edvinsson since he was promoted from the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Red Wings Next Game

The New York Rangers have plenty to play for tonight when they meet the Red Wings in Little Caesars Arena. The Rangers are safely in the playoffs, but they only have a one point lead over the Boston Bruins for the best record in the Eastern Conference.  Home ice advantage matters in the playoffs.

Hockey Now Network

Boston: Brad Marchand, an elite offensive star with super pest tendencies,  scored his 400th goal in the Boston Bruins‘ win against the Carolina Hurricanes.

Chicago: Should the Chicago Blackhawks expedite the rebuilding process if they win the NHL draft lottery?  Chicago Hockey Now weighs in on that question?

New Jersey: The New Jersey Devils have signed a  Western Michigan University Hobey Baker trophy nominee.

Philadelphia:  Report say the Philadelphia Flyers are trying to sign Ivan Fedotov to a longer-term contract.

The post The Daily: Islanders In Playoff Spot; Penguins Won’t Go Away appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

State of emergency was trending on X on Friday and amazingly, it had nothing to do with the Detroit Red Wings. Losers of three in a row 60% of the way through a season-high five-game road swing, Detroit is also down two forwards.

Both Patrick Kane and Austin Czarnik are under the weather with illness and listing as doubtful for Saturday afternoon’s 12:30 p.m. start against the Florida Panthers. Their absences wound up forcing the Red Wings to go with 11 forwards and seven defensemen during Thursday’s 4-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.

Evidently, Detroit coach Derek Lalonde wasn’t fond of how that set up was working out for his team. To that end, he’s summoning a veteran NHL presence to help out his club. Center Zach Aston-Reese, with 308 NHL games on his resume, is getting a recall from the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins.

UPDATE: The Detroit #RedWings today recalled forward Zach Aston-Reese from the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins under emergency conditions. pic.twitter.com/nSPoNZHHfV

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 29, 2024

Aston-Reese, 29, spent the majority of those NHL tilts with the Pittsburgh Penguins from 2017-22. He’s also played with the Anaheim Ducks and scored 10 goals last season in 77 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Aston-Reese suited up for one game with the Red Wings earlier this season.

In 56 games for the Griffins, Aston-Reese is showing 13-15-28 totals. He’s very blunt in self-assessing his abilities on the ice.

The @griffinshockey lineup tonight in Chicago will feature 11 forwards and 7 defensemen. Edvinsson, Czarnik and now Aston-Reese are with Detroit. Berggren, Mazur, Gettinger and Simek are out with injury. pic.twitter.com/xmSxuRRbga

— Bob Kaser (@bkaser1) March 29, 2024

“I think I’m a good two-way player,” Aston-Reese said earlier this season upon arriving in Grand Rapids. “Very smart defensively, sometimes a little too defensive. I think this is a great opportunity to work on the offensive side of my game.

“I can play physical. I know that part of my game could be more consistent as far as the physicality and finishing checks.”

Red Wings Need Help

Detroit’s road record of late is appaling. The Red Wings are 0-7-1 through their past eight games away from Little Caesars Arena.

They’ve scored 14 goals over that eight-game span, an average of 1.75 goals per game. Detroit has been shutout three times in the club’s last seven road games, including two of the past three outings.

The post Red Wings Adding Veteran NHLer appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

The skid continues for the Detroit Red Wings. Amazingly, so does their grasp on a playoff position.

Despite going 1-8 over their past nine games, the Red Wings are still the holders of the second wild card spot in the NHL’s Eastern Conference. Thanks to the indifferent play of those chasing Detroit, the Red Wings remain above the line.

If the #RedWings make it to the playoffs is because the other teams didn't play hard enough.

— Red Wings Brasil (@RedWingsBR) March 18, 2024

However, were they to glance into the rear-view mirror, the Wings would discover a crowded picture.

Sitting with 74 points, Detroit is a scant point ahead of both the Washington Capitals and New York Islanders. The Red Wings have played 68 games, compared to 66 for the Capitals and 67 for the Islanders.

Further back, the Pittsburgh Penguins (69 points), Buffalo Sabres (69) and New Jersey Devils (68) are on the outskirts of the race, but hope for each of those clubs is fading fast. Buffalo’s 4-1 loss at Detroit on Saturday dealt the playoff chances of the Sabres a severe blow. Beating the Red Wings on Sunday, the Penguins are at least keeping themselves in the conversation.

Let’s look to the week ahead as the Red Wings chase for a playoff spot.

Detroit Red Wings (34-28-6, 74 points)

Games This Week: Tuesday vs Columbus, Thursday vs New York Islanders, Saturday at Nashville.

Familiar ugly traits, such as slow starts, are plaguing the Red Wings. Coach Derek Lalonde is well aware of this ongoing issue, which again impacted them in Sunday’s loss at Pittsburgh.

Never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity #LGRW #RedWings #NHL @DetroitRedWings https://t.co/VJuuqRRvbC

— Matthew Lance (@LlMatthew) March 18, 2024

“We could have managed our game much better,” Lalonde told Bally Sports Detroit. “That first period got away from us because we hand-delivered those four minutes on the power play.

“We just didn’t have legs. It showed. I think we had some moments where we had some jump and some effort, but not consistent enough on the road against a team like that.”

It’s been nine games since Alex DeBrincat was scoring a goal for Detroit, and seven games without a win for goalie Alex Lyon.

Washington Capitals (32-25-9, 73 points)

Games This Week: Monday at Calgary; Wednesday vs Toronto, Friday vs Carolina, Sunday vs Winnipeg

The Capitals are 2-2 on their five-game Western road trip, which is concluding tonight in Calgary. A win there would move Washington ahead of the Red Wings. The Capitals have won two in a row. Since a 5-2 home-ice loss to the Arizona Coyotes, Washington has gone 4-2.

The Caps begin a four-game homestand on Wednesday that concludes with a March 26 date against the Red Wings.

New York Islanders (29-23-15, 73 points)

Games This Week: Tuesday vs Carolina, Thursday at Detroit, Saturday vs Winnipeg, Sunday vs New Jersey

Recently the NHL’s hottest team, the Islanders are enduring a slide of their own. They are 0-3-1 in their past four games.

“I saw a team that played better than us,” Islanders coach Patrick Roy told NYI Hockey Now following Sunday’s 5-2 loss to the crosstown Rangers.

With three home games and a road date at Detroit, it could be a defining week for the Isles and their pursuit of the playoffs.

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