Month: April 2026

Thanks, I hated it

Around October 3rd, as the Red Wings’ centennial season began, I got sick, and had to step away from the blog.

The problem has been that I never really got better. I’ve been battling through severe fatigue ever since.

I can take care of Aunt Annie, but in between our mostly scheduled caregiving times, I need to rest. And I can do “Tweetcaps” of games and be active on “X” during games, but I have to take entire days “off” (as much as a caregiver can rest and recover) when the Red Wings aren’t playing games.

I’ve had blood tests done. I’ve had a colonoscopy. The only real answers I’ve gotten are that my iron levels are far too low, and, from a particularly ignorant doctor, that maybe I’m taking too many antidepressants (which is bullshit).

I’ve dealt with some episodes of severe depression because of this situation. I’ve battled through anxiety. My bipolar 2 doesn’t help the situation as it has very intense “middles” and deep “downs.”

But this is mostly physical, and it’s been horrible.

Continue reading Thanks, I hated it

Red Wings-Panthers Tweetcap: Florida embarrasses Detroit in game 82

The Detroit Red Wings concluded their 2025-2026 campaign by playing against the Florida Panthers on Wednesday night. Two teams without any playoff hopes = a game that can either be incredibly boring if the teams just “go through the motions,” and, if we’re lucky, a game in which players play for both pride and for jobs on next season’s team as they go out with a bang.

On Wednesday Night at Amerant Bank Arena, the Red Wings were roundly embarrassed, losing 8-1 to Florida’s “B Team.” Justin Faulk scored Detroit’s only goal, John Gibson was pulled due to taking a shot to the face, and neither he nor Cam Talbot were very good–but Detroit was -30, with Mo Seider of all people finishing at -4.

The Red Wings were totally out of gas mentally and out of gas physically, but there is still no excuse for the Red Wings’ struggles to even show up for the final game of the season.

PREGAME: John Gibson and Daniil Tarasov led their respective teams out onto the ice (and again, there’s no walk-out video from the Wings)…

Continue reading Red Wings-Panthers Tweetcap: Florida embarrasses Detroit in game 82

Red Wings-Lighting Tweetcap: Tampa Bay out-streaks resilient Detroit in overtime

The Detroit Red Wings’ playoff push is over, but two games remain on the regular season schedule, starting with Monday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning…

And it’s always instructive to see how a team responds when it’s got nothing to play for other than pride and jobs on next year’s team.

On Monday night at Benchmark International Arena, the Red Wings displayed all the good and bad points of their 2025-2026 regular season’s worth of play via a 4-3 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Wings took a 1-0 lead, gave up 3 straight goals to go down 3-1, rallied for a point with a late goal by Alex DeBrincat that happened to include Patrick Kane’s 1,400th NHL point…

But in overtime, a mess-up in terms of coverage in the offensive zone–much like several of the Wings’ coverage mistakes that resulted in goals against in regulation–yielded a 2-on-1 for Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point, and with Andrew Copp the last man back, Detroit and Cam Talbot stood no chance of stopping the Bolts from taking a 4-3 OT decision.

PREGAME: Cam Talbot and Andrei Vasilevskiy led their respective teams out onto the ice (and the Red Wings’ social media team didn’t do their usual goalie-leads-team Tweet, so here’s the Bolts’ Twitter video thereof…)

Continue reading Red Wings-Lighting Tweetcap: Tampa Bay out-streaks resilient Detroit in overtime

Red Wings-Devils Tweetcap: End of the line

Win and get help, or lose and golf. That was the equation for the Detroit Red Wings as they hosted the New Jersey Devils on Saturday afternoon.

At Little Caesars Arena, the Red Wings played the kind of game they have all season long. Detroit took 1-0, 2-1 and 3-3 leads over the course of the first, second and third periods, but managed to surrender three straight 3rd period goals to lose a 5-3 decision to New Jersey.

The loss eliminated the Red Wings from the 2025-2026 playoff chase.

PREGAME: John Gibson and Jake Allen led their respective teams out onto the ice…

Continue reading Red Wings-Devils Tweetcap: End of the line

Red Wings-Flyers Tweetcap: Detroit wins in a 6-3 romp over Philadelphia

The Red Wings needed to win Thursday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers to continue their incredibly unlikely but possible playoff chase.

So, on Thursday night at Little Caesars Arena, the Red Wings got the job done, and did so in emphatic fashion, winning 6-3 over the Flyers.

Dylan Larkin scored a hat trick and had 4 points; Moritz Seider had 1 goal and 4 assists for 5 points; Patrick Kane had a goal and 2 assists for 3 points; John Gibson got the win by stopping 13 of 15 despite leaving after the 2nd period with an undisclosed injury, and Cam Talbot stopped 10 of 11 in relief.

PREGAME: John Gibson and Dan Vladar led their respective teams out onto the ice…

Continue reading Red Wings-Flyers Tweetcap: Detroit wins in a 6-3 romp over Philadelphia

Red Wings-Blue Jackets Tweetcap: Shootout at the not-OK JLA

The Red Wings faced the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night at Little Caesars Arena, with their season on the line, given the “playoff math” that stands stacked against Detroit’s post-season hopes.

On Tuesday evening, the Red Wings rallied from a 1-0 deficit in goals by Dylan Larkin and Justin Faulk, when Zach Werenski tied the game, Faulk responded with a 3-2 marker…But Adam Fantilli tied the game at 19:43 of the 3rd period, and in the shootout, Werenski would have revenge on his hometown team, scoring the shootout winner.

Between Detroit’s loss and the Blue Jackets and Senators’ wins, the Red Wings desperately need to both win out and get a lot of help from teams beating Columbus and Ottawa going forward.

PREGAME: John Gibson and Jet Greaves led their respective teams out onto the ice…

Continue reading Red Wings-Blue Jackets Tweetcap: Shootout at the not-OK JLA

Red Wings-Wild Tweetcap: In a ‘wild’ game, Minnesota outsmarts Detroit

The Red Wings hosted the Minnesota Wild in the back half of a back-to-back slate of games, hoping to rebound from an embarrassing loss to the New York Rangers on Sunday. With 6 games remaining in the 2025-2026 campaign, Detroit needed to all but “win out” their remaining games and receive some help on the out-of-town scoreboard in order to make one final, desperate push for a playoff spot.

On Sunday afternoon at Little Caesars Arena…

What a mess. Detroit got a goal from Albert Johansson only 1:40 into the 1st, but the Wild got goals from Boldy and Kaprizov by 1:25 into the 2nd period to take a 2-1 lead, Tarasenko scored a 3-1 goal at 7:03, and Kaprizov scored his 2nd at 12:32 to make it 4-1…

But Detroit rallied on goals by Axel Sandin Pellikka at 7:18 of the 3rd, J.T. Compher at 11:14 of the 3rd, and Patrick Kane at 14:36…

But Kane took an undisciplined penalty, and Kaprizov scored on the ensuing power play to put the game out of reach as Minnesota won 5-4.

PREGAME: Cam Talbot and Filip Gustavsson led their respective teams out onto the ice…

Continue reading Red Wings-Wild Tweetcap: In a ‘wild’ game, Minnesota outsmarts Detroit

Red Wings-Rangers Tweetcap: the egg and you

The Detroit Red Wings entered Saturday’s game against the New York Rangers in a 4-way tie for the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, which the Ottawa Senators owned due to a regulation wins tiebreaker:

As such, both Saturday’s 12:30 PM matinee in New York, and Sunday’s 1 PM home matinee against Minnesota, stood as very close to must-win games.

On Saturday afternoon at Madison Square Garden, the Red Wings absolutely squandered a golden opportunity, falling on their faces en route to a 4-1 loss to the Rangers. Gabe Perreault scored a natural hat trick, David Perron broke Jonathan Quick’s shutout with only 33 seconds remaining in regulation time, and the Red Wings just…

They fell on their faces, frankly. Gibson was good but got little help, Dylan Larkin, injuries and all, was the Wings’ best player by far, and Detroit played intimidated.

It was really ugly, and now the Wings have to regroup and play Minnesota tomorrow at 1 PM on TNT.

PREGAME: John Gibson and Jonathan Quick led their respective teams out onto the ice…

Continue reading Red Wings-Rangers Tweetcap: the egg and you

Red Wings-Flyers Tweetcap: Detroit doubles up Flyers in Philly

The Detroit Red Wings needed to make their own hay over the course of their final 8 games of the 2025-2026 regular season, and that began with the second of three showdowns with the Philadelphia Flyers.

Philadelphia entered Thursday night’s game with a 37-25-and-12 record for 86 points, and Detroit stood at 39-27-and-8 for 86 points, tied as both teams chased Wild Card spots–and tied with the Ottawa Senators, who also possessed 86 points heading into Thursday’s games.

But the Wings don’t play the Sens again, so stonight and next Thursday’s games vs. Philadelphia = “must-win” games for Detroit.

On Thursday Night at XFinity Mobile Arena, the Red Wings scratched, clawed and battled their way out to a 4-2 victory that was heartening and a huge relief after the Wings’ egg-laying vs. Pittsburgh on Tuesday.

Ultimately, Detroit won 4-2 thanks to a pair of goals by Alex DeBrincat, a Lucas Raymond marker and a goal from Patrick Kane that gave Kane the all-time American scorer’s record…

And John Gibson was fantastic after playing bad in Pittsburgh, stopping 32 of 34 shots.

See below for more!

PREGAME: John Gibson and Samuel Ersson led their respective teams out onto the ice…

Continue reading Red Wings-Flyers Tweetcap: Detroit doubles up Flyers in Philly