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The Detroit Red Wings are in a prime position to return to the playoffs. Their loss to the New York Islanders certainly hurt on Thursday night. However, they remain two points clear of the Tampa Bay Lightning in the wild card race. And they are still only four points back of the Toronto Maple Leafs in the Atlantic Division with the NHL Trade Deadline on the horizon.
Detroit has been one of the hottest teams in the league since the calendar flipped to 2024. And they have a few major reasons to thank for this surge. Future Hall of Famer Patrick Kane has been an excellent addition to the team's forward group. As has Michigan native Alex DeBrincat. Other standouts include goalie Alex Lyon, forward Lucas Raymond, and defenseman Moritz Seider.
All of these pieces have allowed the Red Wings to get to this point. The Winged Wheel salvaged their season after a brutal month of December. At this point, making the playoffs would feel disappointing. That said, the team has a lot they can be proud of, no matter how things turn out.
The NHL Trade Deadline is now a week away. Detroit's surge could lead them to buy in the days leading up to March 8. If that's the case, let's figure out the fatal flaw the Red Wings must fix by the time the buzzer sounds at the 2024 NHL Trade Deadline.
Red Wings are extremely imperfect
Let's be very clear before we get to the nitty-gritty. The Red Wings are an extremely imperfect team. Detroit has played like one of the best teams in the league in 2024. But that was far from the case in the first half of the year. It's important to recognize that ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline.
One of their biggest flaws is one we still see despite their recent run. Detroit has played rather inconsistently this year. They have had stretches where they are really good. And then they drop some absolute stinkers that make you question just how good they truly are.
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Another flaw worth pointing out is their slow starts. Detroit has fallen behind quite often this year. In fact, they lead the league in comeback wins this season. Furthermore, the Red Wings have more third-period comebacks than any team in the NHL. Not every come-from-behind win is the same, but it's still a trend that is a bit concerning.
It'd be hard for the team to rectify the first flaw I mentioned at the deadline, though. Consistency is a team issue, and adding a player doesn't necessarily fix that. However, they can address the second one. And their fatal flaw actually ties into their slow starts in some games.
The fatal flaw that stands out
Detroit's fatal flaw concerns their defense. The Red Wings are prone to major defensive mistakes. It also isn't uncommon to see the team's defenders give a less-than-ideal effort on important plays. It's a head-scratching trend given how Detroit addressed its blueline during the offseason.
Detroit signed two defensemen in NHL Free Agency. Shayne Gostisbehere joined on a one-year pact, while Justin Holl signed for three seasons. The Red Wings then added Michigan native Jeff Petry in a trade with the Montreal Canadiens before the campaign began. Given these moves, the team should hold its own on defense.
However, the Red Wings have had their struggles in their own zone. What Detroit does to address this flaw is up in the air. They could add a defensive-minded forward such as Washington Capitals center Nic Dowd. Or, they could shake up the blueline. In any event, the Red Wings must address this fatal flaw if they want to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
