Bleacher Report’s Adam Gretz attempts to discern “way-too-early bold predictions” for the NHL’s 32 teams’ 2026-2027 campaigns as of July 24th. Here’s his take on the Red Wings’ season-to-come:
Detroit Red Wings:
Bold Prediction: The playoff drought rolls on
Is that really a bold prediction when the playoff drought has been going on for 10 years? Maybe not. But it is also hard to see it ending anytime soon, especially after the way the offseason has gone so far.
The Dylan Larkin situation is still hanging over everything, they still have a ton of salary cap space to spend with few options to spend it on, and the roster is still incredibly top-heavy with not enough depth beyond the top-four or five players on the roster.
Steve Yzerman is out as general manager (or in the process of being out) and it is probably overdue given where this organization still is.
Where is the organization then? And why can’t the remainder of the offseason change the trajectory of the 2026-2027 season? Or is everything already determined?
I could go off into a long diatribe about how every team believes that they’re going to make the playoffs at the start of their new campaigns–and that the players really do prepare to make a playoff push every damn year—but you’ll probably roll your eyes at me and not Gretz today.
I still believe that the next Red Wings regime will try to place this upcoming season’s Wings team in position to make a playoff push, even if it’s on the periphery thereof. And that’s not just wishful thinking.
