The Detroit Red Wings have some big decisions to make ahead of the 2026 NHL offseason. Despite scoring the most points (92) in a season since 2016, the Red Wings will not participate in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. This comes after a historic decline since January, and an NHL insider has the latest information on whether big changes are coming.
There are no expected changes in terms of what the Red Wings front office looks like at this time, as The Athletic's Chris Johnston reported on the Chris Johnston Show. This also includes Detroit general manager Steve Yzerman, who has been in NHL rumors for the past few weeks.
Will the Detroit Red Wings make the right decision by keeping Steve Yzerman?
It's fair to wonder if the Red Wings might be making the right decision by keeping Yzerman. On one hand, it was Detroit's best season in 10 years since making the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs. The Red Wings, on the other hand, suffered a massive collapse late in the season and were in jeopardy of the playoffs again.
The Red Wings roster and coaching staff were put together by Yzerman. Detroit head coach Todd McClellan was a great guy and the team is lucky to have him. Meanwhile, Mo Sider is arguably the best defenseman in the NHL while Alex DeBrincat has scored 40 goals. The franchise had not seen a 40-goal scorer since Marian Hossa during the 2008–09 season.
However, there are other flaws that should have been addressed. The Red Wings had very little production from their bottom six and the offense struggled to score in five-on-five play. The two were known prior to the NHL trade deadline, where Yzerman acquired defenseman Justin Faulk and forward David Perron.
Getting to this point has been a slow and heartbreaking process, but Detroit has fallen behind three seasons in a row. The Red Wings have the longest playoff drought in the NHL. Unfortunately, the franchise did not have good luck with its playoff position. This is the 13th-best record entering the regular season finale, when 16 teams advance to the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Yzerman has improved the Red Wings over the years, but a late-season slump has ruined the story. As of right now, it doesn't look like there are going to be any major changes for the front office in Detroit. It's not a bad decision, but it does mean Yzerman needs to make positive changes this summer.
What should the Detroit Red Wings change outside the front office
The Red Wings need to find the best way to move forward. Detroit has a group of veterans as well as young prospects who haven't produced as expected. Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin is aging while Cedar and Lucas Raymond are coming into their own. Simply put, there are two directions for Detroit.
The organization needs to put their faith in young players and “throw them into the fire” or use their assets to acquire a specific player. Detroit is in desperate need of an elite offensive forward like Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk. It also needs another center to take the pressure off Larkin.
From the top six to the bottom six, there are changes that could optimize the offense. The lower six did not provide much in detail and depth of building had to be prioritized. This could come from NHL free agency or trusting young players to perform at the top level.
The defensive lines seem to be quite organized, with most of the focus being on offensive production. The best decision would be to acquire an elite first line forward. Also, the team should put more emphasis on the bottom six players along with other young players in hopes that they can start performing as expected.
The Red Wings may not have much in-house front office drama, but they will need to address the flaws on this roster. It's time for a concentrated effort to get Detroit back to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
READ MORE: Detroit Red Wings out of playoff race after collapse
