The Detroit Red Wings saw their playoff hopes drop by approximately 22% from the start of Sunday, April 5, to the end of the day.
They lost, 5-4, to the Minnesota Wild, after rallying from three goals down in the third period, only to see Patrick Kane take a mind-numbing penalty late.
The Red Wings are still alive in the playoff chase, but they’ve fallen two points behind Ottawa and would lose the tiebreaker. They sit 10th in the Eastern Conference playoff standings, one point behind the New York Islanders, who have played one extra game.
The Red Wings now occupy the longest playoff drought in the NHL at nine years, after the Buffalo Sabres broke a 14-year drought by clinching a playoff spot last week.
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Here is how the NHL playoff picture in the East is looking entering Monday’s schedule.
NHL standings for Eastern Conference playoff picture
Here are the East standings before play Monday, April 6:
Atlantic Division standings
Top three teams make the playoffs:
*Currently in wild-card position.
- Tampa Bay Lightning, 102 pts, 76 GP.
- Montreal Canadiens, 100 pts, 77 GP.
- Buffalo Sabres, 100 pts, 77 GP.
- *Boston Bruins, 95 pts, 78 GP.
- *Ottawa Senators, 90 pts, 77 GP.
- Detroit Red Wings, 88 pts, 77 GP.
- Toronto Maple Leafs, 78 pts, 77 GP.
- Florida Panthers, 77 pts, 77 GP.
Metropolitan Division standings
Top three teams make the playoffs:
- Carolina Hurricanes, 104 pts, 77 GP.
- Pittsburgh Penguins, 96 pts, 78 GP.
- Philadelphia Flyers, 90 pts, 77 GP.
- New York Islanders, 89 pts, 78 GP.
- Columbus Blue Jackets, 88 pts, 77 GP.
- Washington Capitals, 87 pts, 78 GP.
- New Jersey Devils, 83 pts, 77 GP.
- New York Rangers, 75 pts, 78 GP.
Wild card standings in Eastern Conference
Top two teams make the playoffs:
- Boston Bruins, 95 pts, 78 GP.
- Ottawa Senators, 90 pts, 77 GP.
- Detroit Red Wings, 88 pts, 77 GP.
- Columbus Blue Jackets, 88 pts, 77 GP.
- Washington Capitals, 87 pts, 78 GP.
Wins in regulation are the tiebreaker. The Sens have 34 to the Wings’ 29. The Islanders have 28, the Blue Jackets have 27 and the Caps have 33.
According to PlayoffStatus.com, the Red Wings have a 15% chance to make the playoffs. The Senators are at 68%, the Islanders are 33% and Blue Jackets are 23%. The Caps have just an 8% chance after losing 8-1 at the New York Rangers on Sunday night.
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Red Wings next game
The Red Wings (40-29-8, 88) host the Columbus Blue Jackets (38-27-12, 88) on Tuesday, April 7, at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit (7 p.m. ET).
Red Wings schedule
The Red Wings have lost four straight games at home. Luckily, three more of their final five games in the regular season will take place at LCA.
- Tuesday, April 7: vs. Columbus, 7 p.m.
- Thursday, April 9: vs. Philadelphia, 7 p.m.
- Saturday, April 11: vs. New Jersey, 5 p.m.
- Monday, April 13: at Tampa Bay, 7 p.m.
- Wednesday, April 15: at Florida, 7 p.m.
The NHL regular season ends Thursday, April 16. The 2026 NHL playoffs are expected to begin Saturday, April 18.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Red Wings NHL playoff picture, odds, Eastern Conference standings
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