Todd McLellan doesn’t let Red Wings off the hook after loss to Flyers hinders playoff odds

Todd McLellan isn’t going to sit and watch as the Detroit Red Wings hurt their playoff chances in the 2025–26 NHL season. After the loss to the Philadelphia Flyers, the head coach in Motor City sent a blunt wake-up call to his players.

“We’re not getting tricked by the three goals at the end of the night,” McLellan admitted after the game, via NHL.com. “This was a disappointing response.”

The 5–3 score may tell one story, but the game’s flow tells a whole different one. Detroit was held scoreless and down 4–0 until there were fewer than seven minutes left in the game. A late surge put the Red Wings back in it, but it wasn’t enough, and they are now losing ground in a playoff race that is not for the faint of heart.

Concerning stretch for Red Wings

The Red Wings are coming up short in the biggest moment of the 2025-26 NHL season. With less than 10 games left on the schedule, Detroit is currently out of the playoff picture. Missing the postseason for a 10th straight year could put many important names in Motor City on the hot seat, and lead to big changes in the offseason.

Todd McLellan sent the Red Wings a wake-up call

The Red Wings are engaged in a dogfight for a playoff spot out of the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately, the Red Wings aren’t in a hot streak like the rest of their competitors. Out of every team in the mix, Detroit has the worst record in its last 10 outings (4-5-1).

See also

Patrick Kane lauds Red Wings’ early surge as they gain ground in wild‑card race

Silver lining for Wings

If there’s a bright side to their last nine games, though, it is the fact that the Red Wings face an easier slate—in terms of strength of schedule—than their counterparts. Detroit has the 14th-hardest remaining strength of schedule in the NHL, but most of the teams in the Eastern playoff race face even tougher paths.

For example, the Islanders, Blue Jackets, Bruins, Flyers, and Senators are all in the top 10 for toughest remaining schedules. The league has entered the home stretch of a heated race, and the East features a nine-team battle for five spots.