How does the Capitals' 8-3 loss to the Red Wings change things?

The Washington Capitals knew that a lot weighed on Tuesday's tilt with the Detroit Red Wings as the team looks to stay in the thick of the playoff race. However, things went south, as the fatigued Capitals fell apart in an 8-3 loss that spoke volumes.

Just before puck drop, The Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli reported that Washington was no longer in trade mode, considering the club sat just four points behind the Philadelphia Flyers for third in the Metropolitan Division.

Now, D.C. is six points out of both third in the Metro and the second Wild Card spot, with the Flyers managing a win over the Tampa Bay Lightning during the defeat in Motown. That said, does the approach change?

First off, an 8-3 loss can make it easy to ignore how this recent stretch has gone for the Capitals. Washington has points in five of the last six games, the power play is surging and Alex Ovechkin has rediscovered his game. All the while, the Hershey Bears are stepping up while there's an identity forming throughout the lineup.

Head coach Spencer Carbery had a stark reminder for his team following the game against the Red Wings, stressing the need to stay focused on the reality that things are turning around. It also helps that the buy-in in the room is there.

"We'll turn the page... We've played well. That game is a one-off for our group," Carbery confidently told reporters.

Yet, there's also another reality that D.C. is face-to-face with, which is the fact that the playoff picture is complicated, several key names are injured (T.J. Oshie, Nic Dowd, Martin Fehervary, Nick Jensen), the core is aging and the consistency and speed aren't there on a nightly basis, as Tuesday's performance showed.

So, what does D.C. do?

Per MoneyPuck, the Capitals have a 5.9 percent of making the postseason, and while those are slim odds, there's still a chance, and the next handful of games can drastically sway things.

Washington faces Philadelphia on Friday in a game that could pull the team back within four points of third and also mark a significant turning point in the Metro.

A lot of it truly rests on how things play out on Friday, but also, general manager Brian MacLellan needs to keep an eye on the future.

There are a handful of pending unrestricted free agents that he can offload, and several Capitals are also appearing on TSN's Trade Bait Board, including Dowd, Anthony Mantha and Max Pacioretty. Charlie Lindgren also carries "significant value," though he's unlikely to be moved at the deadline, per Seravalli, and Joel Edmundson is also receiving league-wide interest.

That said, if the team falls on Friday, a sell-off seems more than likely, with eight points being difficult to come back from. If it's a win, and D.C. is four points out, there's no need to unload everyone, but it wouldn't be surprising for MacLellan to take calls and consider offloading some pieces if the return is a high draft pick or prospect. It also helps that the forward market is said to be thin, which could add to the potential return.

While the playoffs seem far in the distance, six points isn't down and out just yet, and it's not all doom and gloom in the room. Still, if the price is right, a move may be justified, even if the turnaround continues on Friday, which will determine quite a bit for the District.