The Detroit Red Wings haven’t seen playoff hockey since 2016, and their postseason drought will continue for another season. Thanks to the Montreal Canadiens earning a point in their game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Red Wings have officially been eliminated from playoff contention.
With a 37-35-7 record through 79 games, the Red Wings kept themselves in the playoff hunt, but the Canadiens and their hot streak have been too much for any team in the Eastern Conference to handle. With the playoffs not in the cards for the Red Wings, their postseason drought has reached nine seasons.
The 2024-25 season was far from perfect in Detroit, as they went through the process of a coaching change during the Christmas break. The Red Wings fired Derek Lalonde after a 13-17-4 start, replacing him with veteran coach Todd McLellan.
Since taking over, McLellan has led the Red Wings to a 23-18-3 record, but just not enough to get them over the edge.
Young star Lucas Raymond has played in 78 games and led the Red Wings with a solid 75 points (26G-49A).
Alex DeBrincat returned to elite goal-scoring form this year with a team-best 36 tallies on the year.
The Red Wings showed brief glimpses of hope throughout the season, but nothing ever enough to make them look like contenders.
Now going on nine seasons, the Red Wings have one of the longest playoff droughts in the NHL and are yet to play postseason hockey at Little Caesars Arena. The Red Wings moved from Joe Lewis Arena to Little Caesars in 2017 and it is yet to host a playoff hockey game.
Little Caesars is one of two arenas that are yet to host an NHL playoff game. The other is the Delta Center, home of the Utah Hockey Club who are wrapping up their first year in the league.
The Red Wings and their fans have been begging for a return to the postseason, and they should be back soon, just not in 2025.
