Red Wings Need Weekend Wins to Stay in Playoff Race

Detroit must beat Devils, hope Bruins and Senators lose to keep postseason hopes alive

Apr. 11, 2026 at 9:04am

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A fractured, multi-perspective painting in bold, angular shapes and planes of red, white, and black, conceptually representing the high-stakes final games of the Detroit Red Wings' playoff push.As the Detroit Red Wings fight to keep their playoff hopes alive, the team's high-stakes final games are rendered in a dynamic, cubist style that captures the intensity and chaos of the postseason race.Sunrise Today

The Detroit Red Wings are on the brink of playoff elimination and need to win their final home game against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday, April 11. They also need the Boston Bruins and Ottawa Senators to lose their games that day in order to stay in contention for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Why it matters

The Red Wings are in a tight race for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, with the Bruins and Senators currently holding the advantage. A loss or poor results from their competitors this weekend could end Detroit's postseason hopes.

The details

The Red Wings (41-29-9, 91 points) need to beat the Devils at home on Saturday to have a chance at the playoffs. If the Bruins win their game earlier that day, the Wings would be eliminated. If the Bruins get just one point, the Wings could stay alive by earning one point against the Devils. The Senators, who have a three-point lead on the Wings for the second wild-card spot, also play on Saturday, and a Senators win would put the Wings on the brink of elimination.

  • The Red Wings play the Devils at 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 11.
  • The Bruins play the Lightning at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 11.
  • The Senators play the Islanders at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 11.

The players

Detroit Red Wings

An NHL hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan that is currently fighting for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Boston Bruins

An NHL hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts that currently holds the first wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Ottawa Senators

An NHL hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario that currently holds the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, three points ahead of the Red Wings.

Moritz Seider

A defenseman for the Detroit Red Wings.

Todd McLellan

The head coach of the Detroit Red Wings.

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What they’re saying

“I think everything will be falling in place as it will anyways and there's nothing we can control. We just should control our focus. Our preparation should be very dialed-in and shouldn't get any distraction from any outside game. We've just got to come prepared, ready to go.”

— Moritz Seider, Defenseman

“Ottawa is going to do their own thing and whatever the outcome is, the outcome is. We have to play at 5 and that's what we have to do. The tiebreakers and all that type of stuff, if we're lucky enough to even get involved in any of that, we'll know those scenarios in the last game. They're really irrelevant right now and any result that Ottawa has, we still have to play and win.”

— Todd McLellan, Head Coach

What’s next

If the Red Wings win on Saturday and the Bruins and Senators lose, Detroit will remain in the playoff race heading into their final two games against the Lightning and Panthers next week.

The takeaway

The Red Wings' playoff hopes are hanging by a thread, and they need a perfect weekend with wins and losses from their competitors to keep their postseason dreams alive. This high-stakes scenario highlights the intense competition and pressure of the NHL's final stretch.