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The Detroit Red Wings annual late-season tradition proved they never had a real chance to contend for the playoffs this season.

The now-annual tradition that is the Detroit Red Wings’ March collapse proves one thing unequivocally. Detroit never really had a chance to contend for a playoff spot in the 2025-26 season.

But that wasn’t the case when looking at the standings at the mid-point of the season.

On January 24, the Red Wings were 32-16-5. That record put them in first place in the Atlantic Division. In fact, there was even talk of the Wings competing for the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

However, the warning signs emerged leading up to the Olympic break. The Red Wings limped into the Olympics, dropping four of five games. At the time, it didn’t seem like a major concern. If anything, the consensus was that the break would allow the Wings to come back strong in the second half of the season.

Well, a disappointing March, followed by losing six of their last seven games, pretty much ended any hopes Detroit had of ending their decade-long playoff drought. But it was Wednesday night’s 8-1 destruction at the hands of the Florida Panthers’ AHL team that pretty much proved the Red Wings were never contenders to begin with.

Despite entering the season with +9000 odds to win the Stanley Cup, Detroit demonstrated that it lacked the wherewithal to compete with the best teams in the league over the long haul.

Red Wings Epic Collapse Proves They Lacked Staying Power

Earlier this season, when the Red Wings were at the height of the standings, the biggest question was their staying power. In other words, the club got off to a strong start, but they had to prove they could sustain that pace over the entire season.

Now, the answer to that question is unequivocal. The Red Wings lacked the staying power necessary to seriously compete for the playoffs.

That’s something other Atlantic Division stalwarts like the Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens, and Tampa Bay Lightning proved. While those teams also had their hiccups this season, they managed to stay the course and end the season on a strong note.

That situation means Detroit will need to figure out what went wrong this season. While there isn’t one factor to pinpoint, there is a major culprit to consider moving forward.

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Compressed Schedule Took Its Toll on All NHL Clubs

The 2025-26 season was unusual because of the Olympics. The players argued forcefully to gain participation in the event in 2026. The NHL agreed to it, but it came at a major cost. The season had to be compressed in order to accommodate a three-week layoff.

That compressed schedule made it virtually impossible for teams to get the usual rest in between games. All too often, clubs played back-to-back sets and three-games-in-four-nights stretches. That situation took a tremendous toll on clubs. And the Red Wings were no exception.

By the end of March, the general opinion was that the Wings were running on fumes. They had nothing left in the tank. Rumors abounded regarding players who were gritting through injuries. The Red Wings were showing up, but didn’t have much to offer on the ice.

While there is an argument that championship teams don’t let that get them down, reality also plays a significant role. There’s only so much high-performance athletes can do when faced with little rest and recovery.

Heading into next season, depth will be the biggest issue. The Red Wings cannot afford to have their main pieces run out of gas the way they did. Next season will be more of a “regular” year despite playing 84 games. The season won’t be compressed, allowing teams more breathing room in between games.

Let’s see if that situation can make a major difference in the Red Wings’ overall performance in 2026-27.