Entering the third week of the season, the Detroit Red Wings are sitting at three wins, three regulation losses and two overtime/shootout losses. That’s a .500 mark, but the number alone doesn’t tell the whole story.
At five-on-five, Detroit has shown the kind of structure that can travel. The problem is that it hasn’t shown up cleanly enough every night, and the special teams have left points out there.
On home ice against Eastern Conference opponents, the Wings have had some solid moments, including tighter defensive shell management in wins over the Philadelphia Flyers and the San Jose Sharks. But the rough edges have shown too, especially in losses to the Seattle Kraken and New Jersey Devils, where defensive-zone coverage broke down.
Now the focus shifts to a demanding road week from Oct. 18-24, 2026, and the biggest question around the group is how the roster holds together through it all.
Health has already become a major part of the equation. Center J.T.
Compher remains on injured reserve retroactive to early October with an undisclosed issue, and that takes away a dependable faceoff man in the defensive zone along with a key penalty killer. That absence forces changes through the middle six.
On top of that, young forward Marco Kasper is also on injured reserve with an upper-body injury, thinning the options on the wing even more. Forward Sheldon Dries is filling in for now under emergency recall conditions.
That makes the management of shifts and ice time especially important as Detroit heads into a tough stretch.
The Red Wings will spend the week on a three-game trip through the Pacific and Northwest. These Western road swings always bring extra layers - the time change, the matchup juggling, and the pressure of facing home teams that like to push the pace and forecheck hard.
Detroit’s schedule for the week of Oct. 18-24, 2026:
Tuesday, Oct. 20 vs. Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, WA - 9:40 PM EDT
Thursday, Oct. 22 vs. Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, BC - 10:00 PM EDT
Saturday, Oct. 24 vs. Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary, AB - 10:00 PM EDT
If the Red Wings want to come out of the trip with points, two areas need to clean up fast. The first is puck management at the opposing blue line, where turnovers have been feeding transition chances and too many high-danger looks against through the first eight games. The second is the special teams, which need to settle down with key players unavailable.
With the roster in flux, the solution for the secondary units is simple: keep it direct. Low-to-high shots, traffic at the net and a more straightforward approach are the path forward instead of forcing perfect seam passes.
If Detroit can keep its line changes disciplined and stay within striking distance into the third period, it has enough structure to improve its record before heading back to Michigan.
In Other News...
Red Wings Escape Another Shaky Night Before A Tough Road Swing
The Red Wings avoided a costly slip Thursday night at Little Caesars Arena, squeezing past the San Jose Sharks 4-3 in a shootout to steady themselves before a demanding trip west. Detroit is still trying to find its rhythm early in the season, but the win nudged the club to 3-3-2 and offered at least a little breathing room as the schedule turns tougher.
Alex DeBrincat helped rescue the night with a late equalizer, and Lucas Raymond finished it off in the shootout as Detroit found a way to leave home with two points. Now the focus shifts quickly to a four-game road swing that opens Oct. 20 against the Seattle Kraken, a stretch that should say a lot about how far the Wings have come from these uneven opening nights. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Keep Showing Fight But This Trend Could Become A Problem
The Red Wings keep finding ways to stay in games, and Sundays 4-3 shootout win over the Sharks at Little Caesars Arena was another example of the resilience they have shown early this season. Down 3-1 entering the third period, Detroit got goals from Emmitt Finnie and Alex DeBrincat to force extra time, then pulled out the extra point behind a composed effort in goal from John Gibson, who finished with 31 saves. It pushed the Red Wings to 3-3-2, which is the kind of record that reflects both the fight and the inconsistency they are still trying to smooth out.
Lucas Raymond provided the decisive touch in the shootout, and his night carried a little extra weight given the way the season has started for him. Detroit will take the two points and the comeback, but the broader concern is harder to ignore: the team has repeatedly had to dig itself out of trouble rather than control games from the start. For a roster trying to build momentum, that trend can become a problem if it keeps putting stress on the same late-game formula. [Read more 🡒]
Red Wings Showed The Late Fight Fans Have Been Waiting For
The Red Wings finally found the kind of late push their fans have been waiting to see, rallying for a 4-3 shootout win over the San Jose Sharks in a game that asked plenty of them along the way. Detroit got steady contributions from Justin Faulk and Emmitt Finnie, while San Jose answered with work from Dmitry Orlov and Ivar Stenberg, setting up a back-and-forth night that stayed tight deep into the third period.
The bigger moment came when Detroit killed an overtime power play and carried the game into the shootout, where Lucas Raymond delivered the decisive goal. Alex DeBrincat had already done his part by tying it late in regulation, and the win offered a glimpse of the kind of urgency and resilience the Red Wings have been trying to bottle all season. [Read more 🡒]