The NHL is on Olympic break — and the Detroit Red Wings are sitting third in the Atlantic Division.

But what does that actually mean?

According to Max Bultman’s latest mailbag, the Eastern Conference cut line may land closer to 99 points this year — not the 91–92 we’ve seen recently. That makes the simple “.500 hockey gets you in” narrative a little too comfortable.

In this episode of Red Wings Rant, we break down:

• Why 96 points might not be enough • Why Columbus is the real threat right now • The importance of staying in the divisional seed vs falling to wild card • Ideal playoff matchups (Montreal? Buffalo?) • Nightmare scenarios (Tampa or Carolina) • Whether Yzerman actually adds at the deadline this year • John Gibson’s extension debate • And why MLB is suddenly broadcasting the Detroit Red Wings after the FanDuel Sports bankruptcy

Detroit controls its destiny — for now.

#LGRW #DetroitRedWings #NHLPlayoffs #AtlanticDivision #MaxBultman

JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/rd2RUDkzuS

Let’s have fun!

Sponsored by Draft Kings!

Find us on your favorite Podcast App by clicking here: https://link.chtbl.com/redwingsrant

Episode sponsored by Draft Kings. Use promo code 'THPN' to unlock exclusive offers when you sign up!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Red Wings head into the Olympic break with their goals still in sight — and their biggest questions unresolved.

Detroit closed the pre-break stretch by proving two very different things. First, they showed their ceiling by shutting out Colorado, becoming the first team all season to hold the Avalanche scoreless while limiting them to their lowest high-danger chance output of the year. Then, just days later, a 4–1 loss to Utah — with the lone goal coming on the power play — reminded everyone where this team remains vulnerable.

We break down why the Colorado win mattered so much, how Detroit locked down one of the NHL’s most dangerous offenses, and why that response prevented a potential skid heading into the break. We also discuss what the Utah loss revealed about Detroit’s ongoing struggle to generate consistent five-on-five offense, especially when space tightens.

Using insight from Max Bultman, we take stock of where the Red Wings stand at the Olympic break:

• Why the defense and goaltending give Detroit a real floor

• How the lack of five-on-five scoring remains the biggest concern

• What Jacob Bernard-Docker’s recent play alongside Moritz Seider says about growing stability

• Why waiting for Simon Edvinsson’s return matters

• And how the trade deadline conversation is shifting from urgency to restraint

This isn’t a panic point — it’s a pause. The Olympic break gives Detroit time to reset, evaluate, and decide how aggressive to be before March 6.

The Red Wings have proven they can defend with anyone. Now they have to answer the harder question: can they score when it matters most?

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Simon Edvinsson is out through the Olympic break — and the Red Wings just got a real test.

Detroit followed up an 8-1-1 stretch with a tight, frustrating 3–1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings, a team built to choke off offense and win on the margins. The result wasn’t panic-worthy — but it was revealing.

We break down what Edvinsson’s injury actually changes, why the Kings were able to make Detroit look sloppy without dominating play, and how two defensive lapses ultimately decided the game. We also dig into why breaking up the Albert Johansson–Jacob Bernard-Docker pairing mattered, and what that tells us about blue-line certainty heading toward the trade deadline.

Using insight from Max Bultman, plus postgame comments from Todd McLellan, we separate urgency from execution and ask the bigger question:
Does this stretch clarify what Steve Yzerman needs to add — or confirm patience is still the right play?

We also cover:

• Why LA’s defensive structure flatlined Detroit’s offense
• Power-play struggles and five-on-five creation concerns
• John Gibson’s continued grip on the starting net
• What the Kings, Capitals, and Avalanche games reveal about playoff readiness

JOIN THE DISCORD: https://discord.gg/rd2RUDkzuS

Let’s have fun!

Sponsored by Draft Kings!

Find us on your favorite Podcast App by clicking here: https://link.chtbl.com/redwingsrant

Episode sponsored by Draft Kings. Use promo code 'THPN' to unlock exclusive offers when you sign up!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.