MLive’s Ansar Khan filed an early-morning article which discusses whether the Red Wings will be able to make the playoffs if they earn 91 or fewer points this upcoming season, the same number of points that they posted last year:
What’s it going to take for the Red Wings to end their eight-year postseason drought? More than 91 points, history shows.
The Washington Capitals earned the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference with 91 points in 2023-24, the lowest total for a playoff qualifier in the East, excluding the COVID-shortened seasons of 2019-20 and 2020-21, since the NHL realigned to four divisions and moved Detroit to the East in 2013-14.
The Capitals also compiled the most points for a final playoff team when they accumulated 100 in 2021-22.
In nine full seasons under the current alignment, the average point total for the final wild card club in the East is 95.6.
So, chances are, after their 11-point improvement last season, the Red Wings will need to increase that total by four or five points to get in.
Continued (paywall)
