The Detroit Red Wings closed out the 2025-26 NHL season with their most lopsided loss of the campaign, an 8-1 setback against the Florida Panthers.
In what was their final game of the 2025-26 regular season, the Detroit Red Wings suffered the most lopsided setback of their centennial campaign.
Florida Panthers defenseman Mike Benning scored the first two goals of his NHL career, while Luke Kunin scored twice in what was an 8-1 rout of the Red Wings at Amerant Bank Arena in Sunrise.
The Red Wings, who officially missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the 10th straight season, finished 41-31-10 and sixth overall in the Atlantic Division.
Just three months earlier, they were tied for first overall in the Eastern Conference, but a 9-15-5 stretch proved too damaging to overcome, and it was another season of unraveling after the calendar turned to March, falling out of the playoff race.
Vinnie Hinostroza scored the only goal of the first period for the Panthers, who then got tallies from Kunin, A.J. Greer, and two from Benning in the game's middle frame, building up a 5-0 lead before Justin Faulk scored for the Red Wings.
Florida then kept piling on in the third period, eventually taking an 8-1 lead after goals from Cole Schwindt, Cole Reinhardt, and Kunin.
Red Wings starter John Gibson, who was pulled after allowing Florida's fourth tally of the game, made 11 saves on the 15 shots he saw. Cam Talbot, who replaced him, stopped eight of 12 shots. Meanwhile, Florida's Daniil Tarasov finished with 24 saves.
The offseason is now officially here for the Red Wings, who now own the unfortunate distinction of having the NHL's longest current active playoff drought.
The club will return home to Detroit for locker-room cleanout day.
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