Red Wings shake up lines, aiming to reignite offense against red-hot Senators. A crucial four-point swing looms in this Atlantic Division clash.
The Detroit Red Wings head back on the road looking to bounce back after losing three of their last five games, as they prepare to face a surging Ottawa Senators squad that has won six of its past nine. Detroit’s recent slide has seen them fall to third place in the Atlantic Division with a 24-15-4 record, now chasing the red-hot Montreal Canadiens and Tampa Bay Lightning.
Ottawa, meanwhile, is pushing to stay in the playoff hunt, entering the matchup just three points outside a postseason spot and needing to keep piling up wins. With both Atlantic Division rivals battling for positioning, this game carries added weight as a critical four-point swing, two points gained and two denied to a divisional opponent.
Monday’s meeting marks the 70th all-time matchup between the two teams, and while it may not be an Original Six showdown, it still features two storied franchises going head-to-head.
Lineup Storylines
Detroit bench boss Todd McLellan hasn't been overly happy with the team's forward group as of late with several of the team's big stars starting to slump. Instead of the top line of stars bailing out the Wings from time to time, the team has started to bail them out as captain Dylan Larkin has four goals but just one assist over his last 12 games while his linemate in Lucas Raymond has been tacking on assists but has just one goal over his last 15 games.
McLellan is looking for a serious shake up to the lines and will see the red hot second line trio of Alex DeBrincat, Andrew Copp and Patrick Kane jump to the first line while Marco Kasper and Elmer Soderblom jump up into the second line to start with Larkin. Raymond is expected to drop to the third line and play alongside James van Riemsdyk and hopefully can help get more out of J.T. Compher, who has two points over his last 13 games.
Rookie Emmitt Finnie is dropping to the fourth line to start with Michael Rasmussen and Mason Appleton. If these lines continue to not improve, McLellan also called up a spark plug from the AHL in John Leonard, who was impactful in his seven games in Detroit this season, recording four points. He and rookie Nate Danielson could be scratched from the lineup Monday but could likely draw in for some of the next few games depending on who is playing well and who isn't.
This group will aim to avoid another major cool-off like the one they experienced earlier in the season, while the Senators plan to stick with what has been working by continuing to lean on the red-hot Tim Stützle. The former top-three pick from the 2020 NHL Draft has been outstanding of late, recording points in 12 straight games with five multi-point performances and a total of 19 points.
His elite play has elevated those around him, particularly Fabian Zetterlund and Ridly Greig, who have joined his line and are producing at levels not previously seen, posting eight and seven points respectively over the last 12 games. That success has also freed up the second line to thrive, now loaded with talent in Dylan Cozens, Brady Tkachuk, and Drake Batherson. All three have been producing, with Batherson trailing only Stützle by tallying six goals and eight assists for 14 points over his last 12 games.
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Player & Betting Trends (Presented By BetMGM)
DET ML (+135) | OTT ML (-161)
DET +1.5 (-175) | OTT -1.5 (+145)
O/U 6.0 Goals
The Senators have begun to assert control in this divisional rivalry, winning six of their last seven meetings against Detroit. The Red Wings have also struggled in Ottawa, dropping three consecutive road games there, with their most recent win at Canadian Tire Centre dating back to October 2023. While both teams have shown an uptick offensively of late, this matchup hasn’t produced many high-scoring affairs. In fact, the two clubs have combined for six or more goals in just one of their last six head-to-head contests.
That trend is understandable given the goaltending in play, particularly Detroit’s John Gibson, who owns a 2.01 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage across nine career appearances versus Ottawa. Gibson has also been in strong form recently, earning victories in nine of his last 11 starts while posting a 2.20 GAA and a .926 save percentage over that stretch.
If Detroit finds the scoresheet, Lucas Raymond is a strong candidate. He has consistently produced against Ottawa, recording points in three straight games against the Senators, including one goal and three assists. On the Ottawa side, Red Wings fans will recognize a familiar name in David Perron. The former Detroit winger has routinely delivered against his old team, tallying points in six consecutive games versus the Red Wings, highlighted by six goals and four assists for ten total points.
Goalie Matchup
Detroit: John Gibson (Season: 13-9-1 record, 2.93 GAA, .895 SV% | VS OTT: 4-3-2 record, 2.01 GAA, .933 SV% in nine games)
Ottawa: Leevi Merilainen Expected (Season: 6-7-0 record, 3.34 GAA, .874 SV% | First Game VS DET)
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