{"id":545810,"date":"2026-04-07T16:21:20","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T16:21:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/545810\/"},"modified":"2026-04-07T16:21:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T16:21:20","slug":"red-wings-due-for-major-changes-the-hockey-writers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/545810\/","title":{"rendered":"Red Wings Due for Major Changes – The Hockey Writers –"},"content":{"rendered":"

Regardless of how the rest of the season plays out, the Detroit Red Wings are in for change this offseason. They simply should not be in the position they are in<\/a>, and only have themselves to blame for their current predicament.<\/p>\n

At one point, the Red Wings sat atop the Atlantic Division and were pushing for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. That was in late January. February featured only four games, making the timing of what followed even more jarring.<\/p>\n

What came next wasn\u2019t just a slump \u2013 it was a collapse. And after years of late-season fadeouts, this one should finally force the organization to re-evaluate everything: personnel, coaching, and how decisions are made at the top. The status quo isn\u2019t working.<\/p>\n

Offense & Execution Are the Root Problems<\/p>\n

Heading into the Olympic break<\/a>, the Red Wings averaged just 2.11 goals per 60 minutes at five-on-five, ranking 27th in the NHL.<\/p>\n

That number never passed the eye test, and it was quietly masked by two things: an elite power play and strong goaltending. Detroit was winning games, but not in a way that felt sustainable.<\/p>\n

\"PatrickThe highs of December and January feel like a distant memory at this point. (Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

After the Olympic break, the cracks widened into fractures. The power play cooled off. Goaltending regressed to the mean. And suddenly, the lack of five-on-five offense became impossible to ignore. When Dylan Larkin<\/a> went down, the problem only intensified.<\/p>\n

Simply put, you cannot score at that level at five-on-five and expect to survive a playoff race.<\/p>\n

To their credit, Alex DeBrincat and Patrick Kane<\/a> elevated their play in Larkin\u2019s absence. But that only underscored the larger issue: Detroit\u2019s depth failed them at the exact moment it was needed most.<\/p>\n

Related: Red Wings Must Answer the Patrick Kane Question This Offseason<\/a><\/p>\n

And that brings us to the more concerning problem: this isn\u2019t just about scoring. Detroit\u2019s lack of compete, inconsistent execution, and inability to handle adversity are just as damaging \u2013 and arguably more telling.<\/p>\n

Motivation, compete level, and execution are tightly connected. When one slips, the others tend to follow. And, right now, the relationship is out of sync. There\u2019s a clear disconnect between what\u2019s being asked of the players and what\u2019s showing up on the ice.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201c[Eighteen] seconds in, we win a draw and we\u2019re getting scored on because we\u2014what word do I use?\u2014lollygag around and don\u2019t advance the puck,\u201d Todd McLellan noted to reporters<\/a> about Minnesota\u2019s first second period goal in Sunday\u2019s 5-4 loss. \u201cSo now it\u2019s in our net, and our team right now, as soon as it doesn\u2019t go our way, we crumble for a while, and then we pick ourselves up off the mat, but it\u2019s too late, and we did it again today.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not a systems issue \u2013 that\u2019s a mindset issue. And that\u2019s a damning comment to make 77 games into a season.<\/p>\n

A tough couple of months for the @DetroitRedWings<\/a> has them on the verge of falling completely out of the #StanleyCup<\/a> Playoffs picture. @KevinWeekes<\/a> and @EJHradek_NHL<\/a> break down the situation in Detroit. <\/p>\n

\ud83d\udcfa: #NHLTNFirstShift<\/a> weekdays at 4p ET on NHL Network pic.twitter.com\/Z5dovDT911<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 NHL Media (@NHLMedia) April 6, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n

Good teams absorb pressure and push back. Playoff teams stay structured when things go sideways. The Red Wings don\u2019t have these traits. They sag after mistakes, lose focus in critical moments, and take too long to recover.<\/p>\n

At this point in the season, games should resemble playoff hockey: tight, detailed, urgent. That\u2019s how Detroit\u2019s playoff competition is playing. The Red Wings are not playing that way, though.<\/p>\n

Final Word<\/p>\n

Between a paltry five-on-five offense, poor focus and execution in critical moments, and a continued inability to respond to adversity, the Red Wings are not built to succeed in high-pressure hockey. That\u2019s the reality the organization has to confront this offseason.<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t about just sneaking into the playoffs anymore \u2013 it\u2019s about building a team that can actually compete once it gets there. If that\u2019s the goal, then meaningful change isn\u2019t just likely this offseason. It\u2019s necessary.<\/p>\n

Data courtesy of Natural Stat Trick<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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