The Detroit Red Wings are already looking better in April than they did through much of March.

The Red Wings beat the Philadelphia Flyers 4-2 on Thursday, April 2, at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. The win brings the Wings up to 88 points and even with the Ottawa Senators (who currently have the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference) and Columbus Blue Jackets, who the Red Wings just hopped in the wild-card standings on a tiebreaker.

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But the Red Wings still have some ground to make up to get into a playoff position with just seven games remaining on the regular-season schedule.

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Detroit Red Wings visit fellow playoff hopeful Flyers in Philadelphia

Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin (71) controls the puck against the Philadelphia Flyers in the first period at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Thursday, April 2, 2026.

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Detroit Red Wings visit fellow playoff hopeful Flyers in Philadelphia

Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin (71) controls the puck against the Philadelphia Flyers in the first period at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Thursday, April 2, 2026.

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Detroit Red Wings visit fellow playoff hopeful Flyers in Philadelphia

Philadelphia Flyers center Denver Barkey (52) loses control of the puck against Detroit Red Wings defenseman Ben Chiarot (8) in the first period at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Thursday, April 2, 2026.

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Detroit Red Wings visit fellow playoff hopeful Flyers in Philadelphia

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Ben Chiarot (8) shoots the puck against Philadelphia Flyers center Denver Barkey (52) in the first period at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Thursday, April 2, 2026.

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Detroit Red Wings visit fellow playoff hopeful Flyers in Philadelphia

Philadelphia Flyers goalie Samuel Ersson (33) in action against the Detroit Red Wings in the first period at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Thursday, April 2, 2026.

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Detroit Red Wings visit fellow playoff hopeful Flyers in Philadelphia

Detroit Red Wings left wing Lucas Raymond (23) controls the puck against the Philadelphia Flyers in the first period at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Thursday, April 2, 2026.

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Detroit Red Wings visit fellow playoff hopeful Flyers in Philadelphia

Philadelphia Flyers center Luke Glendening (41) and Detroit Red Wings center Dylan Larkin (71) battle for a faceoff in the first period at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Thursday, April 2, 2026.

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Detroit Red Wings visit fellow playoff hopeful Flyers in Philadelphia

Detroit Red Wings right wing Alex Debrincat (93) reacts after scoring a goal against the Philadelphia Flyers in the first period at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Thursday, April 2, 2026.

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Detroit Red Wings visit fellow playoff hopeful Flyers in Philadelphia

Detroit Red Wings right wing Alex Debrincat (93) reacts after scoring a goal against the Philadelphia Flyers in the first period at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Thursday, April 2, 2026.

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Detroit Red Wings visit fellow playoff hopeful Flyers in Philadelphia

Detroit Red Wings right wing Alex Debrincat (93) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal against the Philadelphia Flyers in the first period at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia on Thursday, April 2, 2026.

Despite both teams even at 88 points with 75 games played, the Senators currently hold the tiebreaker over the Red Wings with more regulation wins (33-29). The Red Wings next play at the New York Rangers Saturday at 12:30 p.m. ET, hoping to get to 90 points on the season for just the second time in the past 10 years (2024).

Here is how the playoff picture is developing for the Red Wings and the rest of the East.

NHL standings in Eastern Conference playoff picture

Entering Friday:

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*Currently in wild-card position.

Atlantic Division

Top three teams make the playoffs:

Tampa Bay Lightning, 100 pts, 75 GP.

Buffalo Sabres, 100 pts, 76 GP.

Montreal Canadiens, 98 pts, 75 GP.

Boston Bruins, 94 pts, 76 GP.*

Ottawa Senators, 88 pts, 75 GP.*

Florida Panthers, 77 pts, 75 GP.

Toronto Maple Leafs, 77 pts, 76 GP.

Metropolitan Division

Top three teams make the playoffs:

Carolina Hurricanes, 102 pts, 75 GP.

Pittsburgh Penguins, 92 pts, 76 GP.

New York Islanders, 89 pts, 76 GP.

Columbus Blue Jackets, 88 pts, 76 GP.

Philadelphia Flyers, 86 pts, 75 GP.

Washington Capitals, 85 pts, 76 GP.

New Jersey Devils, 80 pts, 75 GP.

New York Rangers, 71 pts, 76 GP.

Wild card

Top two teams make the playoffs:

Boston Bruins, 94 pts, 76 GP.

Ottawa Senators, 88 pts, 75 GP.

Detroit Red Wings, 88 pts, 75 GP.

Columbus Blue Jackets, 88 pts, 76 GP.

Philadelphia Flyers, 86 pts, 75 GP.

Washington Capitals, 85 pts, 76 GP.

According to PlayoffStatus, the Red Wings have a 44% chance to make the playoffs and a less-than-1% chance to finish with one of the top three seeds in the division. They also have a 3% chance to make the Stanley Cup Finals and a 1% chance to win the Cup.

Red Wings schedule

The Red Wings have seven games left in the regular season before the Stanley Cup playoffs begin. The NHL regular season ends Thursday, April 16, 2026. The playoffs are expected to begin Saturday, April 18.

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April 4: at N.Y. Rangers, 12:30 p.m.

April 5: Minnesota, 1 p.m.

April 7: Columbus, 7 p.m.

April 9: Philadelphia, 7 p.m.

April 11: New Jersey, 5 p.m.

April 13: at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.

April 15: at Florida, 7 p.m.

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You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings playoff odds in packed NHL wild-card standings