Ben Chiarot of the Detroit Red Wings (Tim Fuller-Imagn Images)It all comes down to this.
Every hope, dream, and prayer rides on tonight.
The Detroit Red Wings kick off a three-game road trip on Tuesday night against the Montreal Canadiens. To say that it’s a huge game would be a massive understatement.
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If they lose, they can virtually kiss their chances of making the playoffs goodbye.
The fact that they are in this position is awe-inspiring. The 2024-25 season came in like a limping lamb. The team seemed disjointed and lacking aggressiveness, with Lucas Raymond and Cam Talbot being the two most impressive players over the first few months.
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Heading into the Christmas break, things were dire. Then Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman pulled the chute. Firing Derek Lalonde and replacing him with Todd McLellan was his most impactful move this season.
They were second-last in the Eastern Conference on Christmas Day, two points ahead of the Buffalo Sabres. The Eastern Wild Card positions have been very competitive this season, so they were only eight points back of that final playoff position.
Red Wings - Canadiens Game Has Huge Playoff Implications
Fast-forward to April 8th, and they are set to play the team in the final playoff spot. That puts a lot of weight into these two points.
According to Moneypuck, if the Red Wings win against the Canadiens, their playoff chances increase from 5.6 percent to 12.4 percent. If they lose in regulation, they will have a 0.5 percent chance of making the playoffs.
The Red Wings are six points behind the Canadiens with one game in hand. However, the Red Wings still have a chance, and it all begins with a win tonight.
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