The Detroit Red Wings are officially out of the playoff picture for the first time since early December 2025. Their hopes were dashed when the New York Islanders edged them out of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
In a tight contest, the Islanders managed a 1-0 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets at UBS Arena. Bo Horvat wasted no time, scoring on New York's first shot just 1:25 into the game, while Ilya Sorokin was a fortress in goal, making 23 saves to secure the shutout.
This win nudged the Islanders to 85 points, just one ahead of the Red Wings, who sit at 84. It's been a rollercoaster for Detroit, who held a top-three spot in the Atlantic Division or a wild-card position for a stretch of 41 games. The last time they topped the standings was back in late January.
The Red Wings recently fell 4-2 to the Boston Bruins at home and are set to face the Ottawa Senators next at Little Caesars Arena. They maintain a slim three-point lead over Ottawa in the standings.
So, can the Red Wings rally to catch the Islanders? They do have a slight edge with one game in hand, having played 70 games to New York's 71. The Islanders, however, have a favorable schedule with just two road games left and a strong home record, hosting the Blackhawks next.
Detroit's path is more challenging, with an even split of six home and six away games remaining, making every matchup crucial.
Meanwhile, the Red Wings’ AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, is facing its own struggles. They've lost back-to-back road games for the first time this season.
The latest was a 4-1 defeat to the Rockford IceHogs, where Olympian Eduards Tralmaks scored the lone goal for the Griffins. Swedish forward Eddie Genborg was held scoreless again, and Michael Postava made 19 saves in the effort.
Prior to that, the Griffins fell 5-2 to the Milwaukee Admirals. Carter Mazur and John Leonard found the net, while Sebastian Cossa put up a valiant effort with 30 saves. As both teams look to bounce back, the pressure is on to finish the season strong.