DETROIT — The 2024–25 NHL season was supposed to mark the return of playoff hockey to Hockeytown. The Detroit Red Wings, under the steady leadership of GM Steve Yzerman and new head coach Todd McLellan, built a roster poised to challenge for a postseason berth. For a while, it looked like the rebuild was ahead of schedule. But as the final stretch of the regular season looms, Detroit now finds itself at a crossroads.
With just a handful of games remaining, the Red Wings have slipped to the brink of elimination in the Eastern Conference playoff race, undone by inconsistent performances, mounting injuries, and critical losses in games they couldn’t afford to drop. Most recently, a 4-1 loss to the Washington Capitals on March 18 served as a gut punch to a team that had spent much of the winter building momentum.
A Promising Season Derailing Fast
After years of frustration and incremental growth, Detroit fans believed this season would be different. Veterans like Dylan Larkin and Alex DeBrincat led the offensive charge, while offseason acquisitions bolstered both the forward group and defensive core. For several weeks in January and February, the Wings looked like a team ready to return to the NHL’s top tier.
But a late-season slump — losing three of their last four — has cast doubt on their playoff chances. The goaltending has been streaky. The offense has dried up at critical moments. And the defense, while improved from previous years, has struggled to shut down elite opponents.
A Trade Deadline Gamble
Sensing urgency, Yzerman made a surprise move at the trade deadline, reacquiring goaltender Petr Mrazek and veteran forward Craig Smith from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for center Joe Veleno. Mrazek, who started his NHL career in Detroit, returned as both a nostalgic figure and a necessary stabilizer in net. His 18-save shutout against Vegas on March 16 hinted at his ability to steal games, but the consistency Detroit desperately needs has remained elusive.
> “This isn’t about just making the playoffs — it’s about learning how to win as a group,” said McLellan after the Vegas win. “But now, every game is a test of how badly we want it.”
Injuries Add to the Pressure
As if the performance issues weren’t enough, Detroit has been bitten hard by the injury bug. Promising young forward Carter Mazur has missed key games with an upper-body injury, and depth players continue to rotate in and out of the lineup, making it harder for the team to build chemistry when it matters most.
Meanwhile, the return of defenseman Ben Chiarot has helped anchor the blue line, but even his physicality hasn’t been enough to spark a turnaround.
The Road Ahead
The Red Wings’ remaining schedule doesn’t do them any favors. Matchups against playoff-bound teams and conference rivals will determine whether Detroit can salvage a postseason spot. With teams like the Islanders, Flyers, and Penguins all jockeying for the same wild card positions, there’s little margin for error.
What This Means for the Rebuild
For Red Wings fans, this season has been an emotional rollercoaster — a blend of hope, frustration, and cautious optimism. While missing the playoffs would be another setback, it’s clear that the foundation is stronger than it’s been in a decade.
The question now isn’t just whether Detroit can win — it’s whether they’re finally ready to expect to win.
> “The rebuild isn’t just about drafting and waiting,” said Yzerman earlier this season. “It’s about developing a winning identity. That’s the next step.”
Detroit has a chance to take that step now. But if they fall short again, hard questions will follow — about the coaching, the roster, and whether this core group can carry the weight of Hockeytown’s expectations.