Does Being in a Playoff Spot by Thanksgiving Matter for the Red Wings?
In NHL lore, there can be an almost mystical importance to being in a playoff position by Thanksgiving.
Per Emily Sadler at Sportsnet, since the 2005-06, 184 of the 240 teams to be in a playoff (note: this stat excludes the '19-20 and '20-21 seasons because of the COVID-induced abnormalities to the playoff format).
With their win over the New Jersey Devils Wednesday, the Detroit Red Wings climbed into the eight seed in the Eastern Conference had the postseason begun on Thanksgiving Day. With subsequent wins over the Boston Bruins and Minnesota Wild, Detroit is now third in the Atlantic Division (rather than a wild card spot) at 11-6-3.
In the above video (a clip from THN Detroit's podcast The Silky Mitten State: A Hockey Podcast About Michigan), Connor Earegood and I discussed whether that Thanksgiving milestone is at all important for the Red Wings moving forward.
If you like what you see in the clip, be sure to check out the full conversation and episode on Apple Podcasts or Spotify:
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