Detroit Red Wings destroy gloomy predictions, get near ending playoff drought

Detroit – The Red Wings’ 4-1 loss in Utah on Wednesday evening closed out the pre-Olympic portion of their schedule. The Wings weren’t nice in opposition to the Mammoth, and headed into their break with less-than-impressive 1-3-1 file of their final 5 video games.

A trigger for concern? It’s too early to say one thing like that, over a small pattern dimension, and particularly after what the Wings have achieved thus far within the season.

A Wings’ staff that few believed had a playoff-caliber roster within the preseason has a golden alternative to finish a disappointing, nine-year playoff drought. They will return to motion Feb. 26 at Ottawa with a 33-19-6 file and tied for third within the Eastern Conference with 72 factors.

▶ The web site moneypuck.com has the Wings’ playoff probabilities at 77.9%. They opened the season with a 23.1% likelihood.

▶ FanDuel listed the Wings with 110-1 odds of profitable the Stanley Cup earlier than the season started. The odds have improved to 50-1.

▶ The web site betonline.com projected the Wings would end with 83.5 factors earlier than the season started. It now has the Wings at 95.5.

If not stunning, this season has at the least been a little bit of a shock. Bringing again, largely, the identical roster was considered as a unfavorable transfer by most analysts.

The Wings, although, aren’t surprised by the breakthrough. They’ve believed within the lineup’s chemistry, and prodding and strikes of coach Todd McLellan from day one, and it is paying off.

“Just an unbelievable ride here,” captain Dylan Larkin mentioned after the loss to Utah. “It’s been a lot of fun and the commitment and the team chemistry, I’ve had probably the most fun I’ve had in my career playing with these guys. You’re not going to win them all, but we showed to ourselves that through adversity we can stick together, and it’s brought our team together and we can beat anyone.”

The Wings are in good within the standings. With 72 factors they path Tampa Bay (78) for the highest spot within the Atlantic Division by six factors. The Wings stand third within the division – the highest three spots in a division earn computerized playoff berths – proportion factors behind Montreal (each have 72 factors).

Buffalo (70) and Boston (69), each from the Atlantic Division, at present maintain the 2 wild-card spots within the Eastern Conference and each have performed one much less sport than the Wings. But the Wings are seven factors forward of Columbus (65 factors, two much less video games performed than the Wings), the primary staff out of the playoff image.

“We put ourselves in a really good spot,” McLellan mentioned after Wednesday’s sport. “We’ve worked really hard as a team. Every player that’s been in the lineup has given us something on any given night. We’ve set ourselves up to have a good mini-training camp coming out of the break, and then we control what happens to our hockey club from there on.

“And actually, that is all you may ask for.”

Most of the Red Wings players have said they avoid looking at the standings. They try to focus on themselves, one game at a time. Going into the Olympic break, six of the eight teams in the Atlantic had a record of .500 or better in their last 10 games.

“Too many issues can occur inside a day or two; so many groups are profitable for the time being,” defenseman Moritz Seider said. “We must deal with our stuff and are available to work able to go. Just put together for ourselves.”

Here are some keys to the Wings’ success thus far within the season:

▶ Goaltending: Goaltender John Gibson was pulled opening evening in an unpleasant loss to Montreal, and Gibson did not look proper for the season’s first two months, undoubtedly inflicting concern. General supervisor Steve Yzerman acquired Gibson from Anaheim with the hope of Gibson being the elite No. 1 starter the Wings have been lacking for years.

Since the start of December, though, Gibson has been extraordinary. Over his last 24 decisions, Gibson is 18-5-1 with a sparkling 2.11 goals-against average and .923 save percentage.

“When I’m standing behind the bench, he seems actual calm and picked up, he appears to be seeing the puck nicely,” McLellan said. “There’s a way of confidence as he skates by (the bench), when he is speaking to the defensemen, he exudes confidence and the fellows feed off that.”

▶ Top offensive gamers producing: The gamers you’d count on to drive the bus offensively have performed so. Alex DeBrincat has arguably been the Wings’ most constant participant, and with 30 objectives, may set a brand new career-high (at present 41).

Lucas Raymond is trending to set a brand new career-high in assists and factors. He has 41 assists and 60 factors; his career-highs are 53 and 80.

Dylan Larkin, with 26 objectives, seems to be a very good wager to succeed in 30 for a fifth consecutive season.

Seider, with 38 factors (seven objectives, 31 assists), is on monitor to raised his private bests throughout the board.

But there have been surprises, as well. James van Riemsdyk has been a valuable free-agent addition with 14 goals, showing uncanny veteran savvy around the net. Andrew Copp (25 assists, 33 points) has done an admirable job centering DeBrincat and Patrick Kane. Emmitt Finnie came out of nowhere, made the roster, and has nine goals and 21 points.

▶ Improved penalty kill: The Wings had the worst penalty kill in the NHL last season (75.3%). It had nowhere to go but up this season, and thus far, it’s been a marked improvement.

The Wings entered the Olympic break ranked 15th out of 32 teams at 79.6%. Still not overwhelming, but definitely improved, with the goaltending of Gibson and new approach in front of him keys to the improvement.

▶ Still dangerous power play: The Wings have fallen off last season’s tremendous clip, but it’s still a dangerous power-play unit that has been aiding the team most nights.

The Wings are currently ranked 11th at 20.3% after going goal-less in 18 straight chances over six games before Larkin scored a power-play goal Wednesday in Utah.

The Wings had a blistering 24.1% success rate last season, with identical personnel. The passing of Kane, and finishing ability of DeBrincat, Larkin and Raymond, makes this an elite unit most nights.

▶ Stayed injury-free: The Wings have lost an NHL-low 47 man-games to injury, an astonishing low number that has greatly benefitted the chemistry and consistency of the lineup.

The only current player out with injury is defenseman Simon Edvinsson (lower body), who missed the last seven games but is expected to return after the Olympics.

An astonishing nine Wings players have dressed for all 58 games, with Kasper (57 games) and Raymond (56) just missing that mark.

tkulfan@detroitnews.com

@tkulfan

Best bets

The top five teams in each conference with the best percentage chances currently of making the playoffs, according to moneypuck.com:

Eastern Conference

Tampa Bay: 99.94%

Carolina: 99.8%

Pittsburgh: 85.4%

Montreal: 82.7%

Detroit 77.9%

Western Conference

Colorado: 100%

Dallas: 100%

Minnesota: 99.98%

Vegas: 93.2%

Utah: 81.2%