Red Wings Cup Window Is Opening, The Athletic Says

The Detroit Red Wings have missed the playoffs for 10 straight seasons, and the Red Wings Stanley Cup window has looked shut for most of them. Detroit finished 41-31-10 with 92 points last season, its best point total since the 93 it posted in 2015-16, the last year the franchise played a playoff game.

At one point last season it looked like Detroit would finally end the drought. Then the Red Wings lost their final three games and watched the postseason from home again. Heading into the 2026-27 NHL season, and despite all the noise of this offseason, one national outlet thinks Detroit is closer to real contention than the mood around the team suggests.