Originally posted on Last Word On Sports By Todd Matthews  

Very few Detroit Red Wings players are willing to play with a major sense of urgency needed for late-season hockey. It’s why they’re always in a Eastern Conference Stanley Cup Playoff Wild Card spot to begin March, only to find themselves out of contention by mid-April. Once again, the Wings look like they’re destined for an 82-game season.

Detroit Red Wings Players Have No Idea How to Play Late-Season Hockey

The down-the-stretch phase of the season requires more intensity, more body checks, and more scrums after the whistle. Detroit has done hardly any of this. Instead, they look flat for the first 40 minutes of most games, and when the energy picks up in the third period, it’s often too late.

What changes will we see from the Canucks this offseason as far as coaching and front office staff?

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The Wings looked like they got their act together when the last week of March rolled around. But in their March 24th loss to the Ottawa Senators, they found themselves down by three goals in the game’s first 31 minutes. Fast-forward to March 28th vs. the Philadelphia Flyers, and they were down by four goals 47 minutes into the game.

Their loss on March 31st to the Pittsburgh Penguins followed the same script. Ditto for their April 4th loss to the New York Rangers. In Sunday’s loss to the Minnesota Wild, the Wings scored on their first shot of the game before allowing four unanswered goals and finishing the first 40 minutes with just eight shots on goal.

What’s the common denominator? We have been watching a team playing with zero energy, desire, or even the willingness to defend star players. Dylan Larkin is playing hurt. Fans can tell. He’s still giving it everything he has, yet the rest of the team won’t follow suit.

The Red Wings Need Hitters, Glue Players, and High-Energy Players

If there’s good news, there are youngsters who can work their way into these roles. Marco Kasper and Emmitt Finnie jump out. Kasper plays with an edge and few match Finnie’s energy. But Kasper is in his second season and this is the first time Finnie has played late-season NHL hockey. Carter Mazur could also be a hidden gem, but he also lacks experience.

Therefore, the Wings must add experience here in the offseason if they want to remedy this issue. They must find a veteran winger who can hold the team together when the going gets tough. The players in the locker room right now aren’t holding up that end of the deal.

Further, find another veteran who will land between two and three bodychecks a game. One who doesn’t mind playing under 11 minutes a contest. That same hard-hitting veteran should also be fine with going after opponents should they land a hard hit on someone like Larkin, Lucas Raymond, or Alex DeBrincat. And if Steve Yzerman or anyone sitting in the GM’s seat this summer can find multiple players to fill the role, then the more the better.

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Red Wings Can’t Afford to Let This Happen Again

With the Ottawa Senators getting a win on Sunday and the New York Islanders entering the week a point ahead of the Red Wings, busting through this postseason drought is looking less like a reality. Taking the ice with essentially the same team in 2026-27 will lead to the same old results.

If it happens again, then fans are going to lose interest. The Red Wings boast some of the best fans in the NHL, but every fan base has its breaking point. Everyone knows what this lineup is missing, and it’s up to the front office to get this right.

Pulling off a blockbuster trade for another star player would be great. And the Wings should pursue that option. But adding those glue players, hard-hitters, and guys who will keep this team from playing flat for multiple periods at a time is non-negotiable. It’s the only way the Wings will start playing better hockey late in the season.

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.