The Detroit Red Wings’ season is over. On Wednesday night, Detroit was defeated by the Florida Panthers by a score of 8–1, finishing the season with 92 points. Despite a late-season collapse, the Red Wings finished the campaign with the most points since making the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoffs (93 points).
This was shaping up to be a special season for the Red Wings. On January 25, the organization awoke to the leadership of the Eastern Conference. It didn’t last long, as Detroit struggled to win down the stretch. It was a historic collapse that raises many questions heading into the 2026 NHL offseason.
However, there were some surprising developments for the Red Wings this year. Alex DeBrincat scored 40 goals for the third time in his career. In fact, Detroit had not seen a 40-goal scorer since Marian Hossa during the 2008–09 season. DeBrincat was sensational after a slow start.
Meanwhile, Mo Sider emerged as arguably the best defenseman in the NHL. Seider’s defensive rating was the highest of any NHL defenseman contending for the Norris Trophy. The 25-year-old was also spectacular offensively, becoming the first Detroit defenseman to reach 50 assists in a season since Nicklas Lidstrom in 2008–09.
Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin also earned an Olympic gold medal after the United States defeated Canada in the gold medal game. While Larkin and Detroit were not able to reach the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs, several personal accomplishments were still achieved.
The Red Wings hope their star player gets even better during the 2026-27 NHL season. With some new additions, Detroit hopes to return to the Stanley Cup playoffs next season after a poor showing in 2026.
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