The Athletic Predicts Red Wings Bottom Out This Season

The Detroit Red Wings have missed the playoffs 10 straight seasons, the longest active drought in the NHL. Detroit came close again last year, finishing sixth in the Atlantic Division at 41-31-10 with 92 points. The club wants to end that streak in 2026-27, and one national bold prediction has a Red Wings top five pick in play instead.

Dylan Larkin has requested a trade and lost the captaincy, and he opened training camp sidelined by an upper-body injury he picked up in an off-ice workout, so it remains to be seen whether he will be in uniform when the season starts. Will the Red Wings finally make the playoffs? Or is this the season Detroit lands a top-five selection in the 2027 NHL Draft?