Is this a bump or jump from the Detroit Red Wings?
We often expect a charge when a squad changes coaches and the Wings are certainly experiencing a Todd McLellan leap. Since swapping McLellan in for Derek Lalonde just after Christmas, Detroit is 7-1-0, that lone loss coming in McLellan’s first game behind the bench on Dec. 27.
On Sunday, the Wings earned their seventh consecutive victory and second of the weekend, pumping the Seattle Kraken 6-2 in the Motor City 48 hours after a 5-3 home-ice win over the Chicago Blackhawks. The surge has put the Red Wings back in an Eastern Conference wild card chase that sees nine teams separated by six points coveting two wild card spots.
It's a parody of parity at this point.
The Wings, of course, would consider it a tragedy to be on the outside of the playoff picture looking in for the ninth straight season, especially after coming painfully close to cracking the East’s top eight last year. And, to be clear, it’s not as though the Wings — even with this heater — should start printing 2025 playoff tickets just yet.
The only two clear playoff teams Detroit has beaten on this run are the Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets. As noted, their most recent victories came against the dregs of the West in Chicago and Seattle, and they go for eight in a row when they host another bottom-feeder, the San Jose Sharks, on Tuesday.
The Wings’ expected goals-for percentage since McLellan took over is 48.04 per cent (24th in the league during that small sample) and the team save percentage is still just .906 (25th). We’ll know more about the validity of this group soon, because after seeing San Jose, Detroit sets out for a four-game roadie that takes the club through Florida, Tampa Bay, Dallas and Philadelphia.
To have success in that stretch, the Red Wings must continue to bury the biscuit. They’re averaging nearly 4.5 goals per game under McLellan, with Patrick Kane (13 points in seven games, including a huge five-point weekend), Lucas Raymond (12 points), Alex DeBrincat (six goals) and Moritz Seider (seven assists) all scorching hot during this winning run. Goals are going to get tougher to come by on the road, but the power play is on fire right now (50 per cent since McLellan took over), and even if there’s an inevitable drop coming, the man advantage must continue to be a boon for this team.
McLellan’s Wings still have a lot to prove, but the wins they’ve already earned with him at the helm were desperately needed and mark a marvellous start to his tenure.
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Weekend Takeaways
• What makes this Eastern Conference “race” the Wings are a part of that much more intriguing is the fact every team in the hunt actually wants to make the playoffs or believes it can. That might sound obvious, but if you flip over to the West for contrast, you see out-of-it teams like the Hawks, Sharks and — to a lesser degree — Ducks who surely knew in their heart of hearts that they wouldn’t be making the post-season leap this year. Then there’s a squad like Nashville, which has performed so poorly it would have to be delusional to think it could crack the top eight in April. Even Seattle is now nine points back of a wild card spot and has played more games than basically everyone else in the chase. When you get right down it, after Calgary, St. Louis and Utah, you could say there’s no team outside the playoff picture right now that is both within striking distance of a spot and desperate to get there.
Moving back to the East; the Wings, Senators, Penguins, Rangers, Islanders and Flyers are all squads that have a shot to get in and would — to varying degrees — surely much prefer that to rolling the dice in the lottery. If the Canadiens drop down the ladder, they become a candidate to take a knee. Still, considering how well the Habs have played and the mid nature of teams around them, they should absolutely have a “Why not us?” approach — just like a half dozen other teams scrapping it out in the East.
• One thing that would help Columbus emerge from the Eastern Conference sludge pile is continued production from Adam Fantilli. The 20-year-old centre ran his point streak to five games with a goal against St. Louis on Saturday, as the Jackets ripped off their fourth consecutive W. As one would expect, the third-overall pick from 2023 has had his ups and downs through a year-and-a-half of NHL hockey, including missing basically the entire back half of last season. Right now, Fantilli might be playing the best hockey of his young career.
• Travis Konecny’s career is longer than Fantilli’s, but the 2015 first-rounder is also putting forth the best play we’ve seen from him during his tenure in the league. The Flyers winger and member of Canada’s 4 Nations Face-Off team racked up four assists in Saturday’s win over the Ducks to give him seven points in his past three outings and 50 overall in 40 contests this year. The 27-year-old who’s never hit 70 points before is on pace for more than 100 this season.
• What a weekend for the Staal brothers in Raleigh. On Friday, Jordan Staal scored for the third straight game and the five goals he’s netted in that run represent more than 50 percent of his total (nine) on the year. On Sunday, the Canes retired No. 12 in honour of Jordan’s older brother, Eric Staal. Strange as it seems, barring injury, early next fall Jordan will pass Eric on the Hurricanes all-time games played list. Right now, it’s hard to see his No. 11 one day hanging beside his brother’s 12, but if Carolina’s captain can help the team win a Cup before his contract expires in 2027, you just never know.
The Week Ahead
• It’s a big week for 2025 draft-eligible players. On Wednesday, the Ontario Hockey League will present the very first Connor McDavid OHL Top Prospects Game in Wayne Gretzky’s hometown of Brantford, Ont. One day later, the best American draft-eligible players from the United States Hockey League and the U.S. National Team Development Program will meet in the All-American Prospects Game in Plymouth, Mich.
• The 25th Hockey Day in Canada goes live on Saturday from Canmore, Alta. On the ice, the all-Canadian action sees the Leafs make their first visit to Montreal since losing 1-0 in the season-opener, the Flames visit Winnipeg and the Canucks host the Oilers.
Red and White Power Rankings
1. Winnipeg Jets (29-12-3) Kyle Connor picked up an assist in Saturday’s 3-0 win over the Avalanche and, with 55 points in 44 games, is on pace to post just the second 100-point season in Jets/Thrashers franchise history. The first came when Marian Hossa notched 100 in 2006-07 and the last time it happened in Winnipeg was during Teemu Selanne’s incredible 76-goal, 132-point showing in 1992-93.
2. Edmonton Oilers (26-13-3) After Saturday’s 4-3 win in Chicago, the Oilers are averaging more shots on goal per game (32.3) than any team in the league. When it comes to shots allowed, Edmonton is fourth-best at 26.1 per outing.
3. Toronto Maple Leafs (27-15-2) The Leafs — blanked 3-0 by Vancouver on Saturday — will host a couple quality opponents this week when the Dallas Stars visit on Tuesday before old friend Sheldon Keefe makes his return to Toronto as coach of the Devils on Thursday.
4. Calgary Flames (20-14-7) The Flames — who play six of their next seven away from Southern Alberta — have the rare schedule wrinkle that sees them play consecutive road games in the same city this week, as they face the Blues in St. Louis on Tuesday and Thursday.
5. Montreal Canadiens (20-18-4) Patrik Laine scored his ninth power-play marker of the year during Saturday’s 2-1 shootout loss to the Stars. Only three players in the league — Brayden Point (12), Dylan Larkin (10) and Gabe Vilardi (10) — have more. All of those players have suited up for at least 37 contests. Laine has played 14.
6. Vancouver Canucks (19-13-10) The Canucks had 14 shots on goal recorded in Carolina on Friday and lost 2-0. On Saturday, they had 18 shots in Toronto and came away with a 3-0 win. In fact, Vancouver has had fewer than 20 shots five times this year and won four of the games.
7. Ottawa Senators (21-18-3) It was Leevi Merilainen’s weekend; the rest of us were just living in it. The 22-year-old Finn blanked the Penguins on Saturday and came right back 24 hours later to backstop the Sens to a critical 3-2 home win versus Dallas as the Sens halted a four-game losing skid.
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