The Detroit Red Wings, ups and downs notwithstanding, have had one of the best seasons thus far in a long time. The Wings are tops in the Atlantic Division entering Monday. That’s a huge turnaround during this rebuilding era in the Motor City.
There’s plenty of reason for optimism, but one question lingers: Will the Red Wings sustain their success heading into 2026?
The short answer is yes. This is a young team we’re talking about. Young guns like Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond want to establish themselves as perennial All-Stars. Meanwhile, established veterans like Patrick Kane, Dylan Larkin, and Alex DeBrincat want to drink from Lord Stanley’s chalice.
That being said, the long answer is complex. The Red Wings have been inconsistent this season. They’ve had stretches where they look like world beaters, while others, well, have been less than stellar.
A lot of that roller coaster ride has hinged on the goaltending. John Gibson, who was billed as the starter heading into this season, has had a rough go at it. While his numbers have improved of late, the jury is still out on the veteran netminder.
Speaking of veteran netminders, Cam Talbot has been solid most of the season. As such, the Red Wings’ success this year will depend on how much the goaltending can hold up. Ideally, coach Todd McLellan will move with a tandem heading into the second half of the season. The Wings are riding two veteran goalies. As such, they may not hold up as well.
The good news is that the Olympic break should give Gibson and Talbot a chance to recover from their first-half workload.
Depth scoring is a key issue for the Detroit Red Wings
Now for the nitty-gritty. Depth scoring has been an issue for the Red Wings this year. The Wings top the Atlantic, but they actually have a negative goal differential. That’s extremely odd for a first-place team.
But when looking at the numbers, it isn’t tough to see why. Alex DeBrincat leads the team with 20 goals and 40 points. Lucas Raymond is second with 11 goals and 38 points. Dylan Larkin has 18 goals and 34 points. Then, Moritz Seider leads the blue line with 27 points.
There’s a noticeable drop off after that. Patrick Kane has six goals and 23 points in 24 games. He’s missed time, thus impacting his scoring. The next-leading scorer is Andrew Copp with three goals and 20 points.
That’s where the scoring starts to get thin. As such, you would have to think that the middle-six guys are going to have to pick up the pace in 2026. Players like J.T. Compher and certainly Marco Kasper will need to find the back of the net more often.
Otherwise, the Red Wings may simply run out of gas. If they do, they may find it tough to keep pace with the Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Florida Panthers. Even the Toronto Maple Leafs, regardless of their tough season, have the offensive punch to get back into the race.
The Detroit Red Wings have the firepower to remain atop the Atlantic Division this season. But it will ultimately boil down to the team keeping momentum and consistency.