The Detroit Red Wings are one of the most injury-plagued teams in the NHL right now and are in danger of potentially missing the playoffs for the first time since the 1989–90 season.

The Red Wings are currently ninth in the Western Conference and on a four-game losing streak.

Starting goalie Jimmy Howard has been banged up of late and several of the team’s key players are dealing with injuries.

Defencemen Brendan Smith and Carlo Colaiacovo are recovering from shoulder injuries, while Ian White is out with a left leg laceration. Plus, it was revealed Wednesday that forward Mikael Samuelsson could miss up to two weeks with a fractured finger;

“We’ve been beat up so bad on the back end we’re just trying to stay in the race,” Red Wings general manger Ken Holland told Hockey Central at Noon Wednesday.

“We’ve got to get in (the playoffs). I’m hoping this is a lot like 2009-10, the Olympic year, where we sort of limped to the Olympic (break) where we were in ninth place, a point back of Calgary, we were beat up and we got healthy and went on a run.”

The Red Wings take on teh Columbus Blue Jackets Thursday at Joe Louis Arena.