Detroit Red Wings, locked in fierce playoff race, hungry for points at start of road trip
That the Detroit Red Wings have banked 22 out of a possible 28 points in 2024 and still are fighting for a wild card spot sends a message that resonates.
The Wings went through practice Monday afternoon, sans Robby Fabbri, before a scheduled afternoon flight that begins a weeklong road trip. They carry a four-game point streak into Tuesday's game at Edmonton, with playoff positioning very much at stake.
"You could say 8 to 11, 12 teams that are in the mix, seems like everyone is getting points every night," veteran forward Patrick Kane said. "You have to try to stay on top of that, make sure you are doing your part.
"I think now is about the time you start really watching the standings and seeing where everyone is at, but we put ourselves in a good position. It's better than chasing or being five or six points outs, so, we have to be happy with being where we are at."
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The Wings (27-18-6) go into the trip as the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, with two games in hand on the Tampa Bay Lightning, who have just a one-point lead on third place in the Atlantic Division. A four-point cushion sits between the Wings and the next team in line for a wild-card spot.
"We feel we are in a good spot, but, we want more," Dylan Larkin said. "Yes, we've had a good calendar year, but December wasn't that long ago and we remember that. We are still making up for lost ground in December."
Injuries and a suspension (to David Perron) decimated the Wings in December, leaving them with just 11 points that month. They left for Edmonton without Fabbri, who was excused for personal reasons, but coach Derek Lalonde said Fabbri could rejoin the team in time for Thursday's game in Vancouver. Until then, Klim Kostin is available, as is the option to play 11 forwards and seven defensemen.
The latter might appeal as it gives the Wings more options in dealing with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisatl. When the Oilers were at Little Caesars Arena on Jan. 11, McDavid had a goal to lead his team to a 3-2 overtime victory.
"We'll try to flip the D as much as possible," Lalonde said, "but they can dictate the matchup.
"With our improved depth, pretty comfortable with all lines out there. Probably the reason we’ve had some success on the road as of late is being able to absorb some of those matchups. But that is a tough one. They’ll put McDavid and Draisatl together at the end of shifts."
The Wings are on pace for 96 points, which last season was enough to get a team into the playoffs in the East. They have 31 games left to secure positioning, with a handful of teams giving close chase. So while some watch the standings, others only glance now and then.
"You are going to have to go get 95, 98, 100 points," Lalonde said. "I’ve been getting those questions — do you scoreboard watch? There’s no need. You know where it’s going to be. Too many good teams around there that are going to continue to win. It’s just the division and conference we’re in.
"We just have to play the right way, we have to stay in the right, we have to give ourselves and chance to battle and claw for every point."
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her @helenestjames.
Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter. Her latest book, “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft,” is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.
Next up: Oilers
Matchup: Red Wings (27-18-6) at Edmonton (30-17-1).
Faceoff: 9 p.m. Tuesday; Rogers Place, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
TV/radio: Bally Sports Detroit Extra; WXYT-FM (97.1).
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Red Wings begin trip out west locked in fierce playoff race
