A look at the Red Wings schedule and playoff race in the NHL standings.
Detroit Red Wings voice frustration, disappointment after another loss
Detroit Red Wings Lucas Raymond, Alex DeBrincat & Todd McLellan, March 28, 2026 in Detroit.
The Detroit Red Wings are running out of time to steer the ship back to a playoff course.
With only nine games left in the season, the Red Wings’ odds of making the playoffs have dropped below 50%, according to PlayoffStatus, as a Saturday loss to the Philadelphia Flyers erased the momentum from their surprise road win against the Buffalo Sabres. And now two points below the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final playoff position in the Eastern Conference, Detroit no longer controls its own playoff destiny.
But a path to the playoffs still remains for the Red Wings, even if it looks a bit more treacherous than it did at the beginning of March.
Here is how the playoff picture is developing for the struggling Wings.
NHL standings for Eastern Conference playoff picture
Atlantic Division
Top three teams make the playoffs:
- Tampa Bay Lightning, 98 pts, 73 GP.
- Buffalo Sabres, 98 pts, 73 GP.
- Montreal Canadiens, 94 pts, 73 GP.
- Boston Bruins, 92 pts, 74 GP.*
- Ottawa Senators, 86 pts, 73 GP.
- Detroit Red Wings, 86 pts, 73 GP.
Metropolitan Division
Top three teams make the playoffs:
- Carolina Hurricanes, 98 pts, 73 GP.
- New York Islanders, 89 pts, 74 GP.
- Pittsburgh Penguins, 88 pts, 73 GP.
- Columbus Blue Jackets, 88 pts, 74 GP.*
- Philadelphia Flyers, 86 pts, 73 GP.
*Currently in wild-card position.
Wild card
Top two teams make the playoffs:
- Boston Bruins, 92 pts, 74 GP.
- Columbus Blue Jackets, 88 pts, 74 GP.
- Ottawa Senators, 86 pts, 73 GP.
- Detroit Red Wings, 86 pts, 73 GP.
- Philadelphia Flyers, 86 pts, 73 GP.
- Washington Capitals, 83 pts, 74 GP.
According to PlayoffStatus, the Red Wings have a 43% chance to make the playoffs and a 3% chance to finish with one of the top three seeds in the division. They also have a 3% chance to make the Stanley Cup Final and a 1% chance to win the Cup.
Red Wings next game
The Red Wings (39-26-8) visit the Penguins (36-21-16) on Tuesday, March 31, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh in what could be a critical matchup in the playoff race. The Wings are 10th in the East and the Penguins are seventh. The top eight make the playoffs.
Red Wings schedule
The Red Wings have nine games left in the regular season before the Stanley Cup playoffs begin. The NHL regular season ends Thursday, April 16, 2026. The playoffs are expected to begin Saturday, April 18.
- March 31: at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m.
- April 2: at Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
- April 4: at N.Y. Rangers, 12:30 p.m.
- April 5: Minnesota, 1 p.m.
- April 7: Columbus, 7 p.m.
- April 9: Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
- April 11: New Jersey, 5 p.m.
- April 13: at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.
- April 15: at Florida, 7 p.m.
Need to catch up on the news during your lunch break? Sign up for our Sports Briefing newsletter to get daily summaries of Detroit sports!
You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.
