Red Wings watch Stanley Cup Playoffs odds collapse with costly losing streak

The Detroit Red Wings can’t climb out of the hole they are in. With five games left on the 2025-26 NHL season, it really is sink or swim for the organization in Motor City. Their chances to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs look far from promising, though.

Prior to the 5-4 defeat at the hands of the Minnesota Wild, which head coach Todd McLellan blamed Patrick Kane for, the Red Wings had a 37.3% chance of making the Stanley Cup Playoffs, according to MoneyPuck. However, the loss on home ice saw those odds cut by more than half. Now, MoneyPuck credits Detroit with a 15% chance of clinching a postseason berth.

For reference, the Columbus Blue Jackets—currently below the Red Wings in virtue of the regulation wins tiebreaker—have better odds of making the playoffs with a 24.2% probability, according to the site previously mentioned. Those odds could change dramatically as the Red Wings and Blue Jackets will face-off on April 7, in a game that could essentially end the other team’s NHL season and playoffs’ dream.

Detroit’s losing streak

The Red Wings have now dropped two in a row after falling to the New York Rangers and Minnesota Wild in back-to-back matinees over the weekend. However, the team’s struggles go far beyond their last two outings. Detroit has lost four of its last five games, with all defeats coming in regulation.

Patrick Kane leaves the ice upset at Madison Square Garden

Moreover, the Red Wings are 4-6-0 in their last 10 and have only won consecutive games once since the NHL resumed play after the Olympic break. While most teams caught fire after the hiatus, the Red Wings have struggled tremendously. They are 7-10-2 since Dylan Larkin returned from Italy with a gold medal around his neck.

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Red Wings: Playoff race heats up

With the same number of games played and both teams out of contention for an Atlantic Division playoff spot, the Red Wings could essentially be in a battle with the Ottawa Senators for the last wild-card spot. Detroit faces Columbus next, so it could separate from the Blue Jackets, but it will likely need to win out and hope Ottawa drops a couple of games.

The Islanders are one point ahead of the Red Wings, but with one more game played, so Detroit could take the lead over them. In more ways than one, the Wings’ upcoming showdown against the Jackets is a playoff game. A win is paramount for Detroit to stop the bleeding and put the final nail in Columbus’ coffin, as the organization in Discovery City has lost six in a row.

It’s all set to go down to the wire in the East. There are 11 teams still mathematically in contention, and only five spots up for grabs—two of which are exclusive to the Metropolitan Division. Detroit is on shifting ground, and it could see its playoff drought extend to a decade and become the longest active in the NHL. If that happens, heads might roll in the 313.