ESPN’s Greg Wyshynski posted a subscriber-only article which discusses the playoff steads of the NHL’s “Bubble Watch” teams, and Wyshynski deems the Red Wings to “have work to do”:
Record: 29-22-6, 64 points
Playoff chances: 64.4%Is the playoff drought finally over? The Red Wings last made the playoffs in 2016. Stathletes has them projected for around 90 points, which would earn them the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
GM Steve Yzerman bet big on his coaching change, and it has worked in the standings: Todd McLellan has a 16-5-2 record since taking over from Derek Lalonde, buoyed by a seven-game winning streak before the 4 Nations break.
The Red Wings aren’t dominant by any stretch — underwater in both goals for percentage and expected goals percentage under McLellan — but they’re finding ways to win.
Player who must step up: The answer would logically be Vladimir Tarasenko, but there’s a better chance of him stepping out to another NHL team before the trade deadline than stepping up in Detroit.
So we’ll go with Erik Gustafsson, whose assist against Anaheim on Sunday ended a 12-game point drought — the second 10-plus game scoreless streak the defenseman’s had this season, which is not what you want to see from a free agent ostensibly brought in for his offense.
Continued (paywall); at this point, I’m satisfied with Gustafsson’s competent play. I’d love to see more offense from him, but he and Justin Holl have steadied themselves, and for now, that’s important.
As for the rest of it, I don’t know whether the Red Wings are going to make the playoffs given how incredibly stacked the Eastern Conference is, but they appear to be going down the stretch run as a playoff-relevant team, and that’s everything I hoped for after the rough start under coach Lalonde.
