2025–26 Detroit Red Wings season

The 2025–26 Detroit Red Wings season was the 100th season for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established on September 25, 1926. It was the Red Wings' ninth season at Little Caesars Arena. This was the Red Wings' first full season under head coach Todd McLellan, after former head coach Derek Lalonde, was fired on December 26, 2024.

On April 11, 2026, the Red Wings were eliminated from playoff contention for the tenth consecutive season for the first time in franchise history following a 5–3 loss to the New Jersey Devils. With the Buffalo Sabres ending both their 14-season playoff appearance drought and their 18-year playoff series win drought, the Red Wings now hold both the longest droughts for both categories. They finished the season with a 41–31–10 record.

Standings Divisional standings

Conference standings

Schedule and results Preseason 2025 preseason game log: 5–3–0 (Home: 3–1–0; Road: 2–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Recap 1 September 23 Chicago 2–3 Detroit Cossa 15,503 1–0–0 2 September 25 Buffalo 2–5 Detroit Talbot 16,347 2–0–0 3 September 26 Detroit 2–3 Pittsburgh Postava 10,729 2–1–0 4 September 27 Detroit 2–5 Buffalo Cossa 11,872 2–2–0 5 September 29 Pittsburgh 2–1 Detroit Gibson 15,244 2–3–0 6 September 30 Detroit 3–1 Chicago Talbot 9,691 3–3–0 7 October 2 Detroit 3–1 Toronto Talbot 17,846 4–3–0 8 October 4 Toronto 5–6 Detroit OT Gibson 17,724 5–3–0

Regular season 2025–26 game log: 41–31–10 (Home: 21–16–4; Road: 20–15–6)October: 8–4–0 (Home: 5–1–0; Road: 3–3–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 9 Montreal 5–1 Detroit Gibson 19,515 0–1–0 0 2 October 11 Toronto 3–6 Detroit Talbot 19,515 1–1–0 2 3 October 13 Detroit 3–2 Toronto Talbot 18,877 2–1–0 4 4 October 15 Florida 1–4 Detroit Talbot 18,655 3–1–0 6 5 October 17 Tampa Bay 1–2 Detroit OT Gibson 19,515 4–1–0 8 6 October 19 Edmonton 2–4 Detroit Gibson 19,515 5–1–0 10 7 October 22 Detroit 2–4 Buffalo Gibson 15,104 5–2–0 10 8 October 23 Detroit 2–7 NY Islanders Talbot 14,495 5–3–0 10 9 October 25 St. Louis 4–6 Detroit Gibson 19,515 6–3–0 12 10 October 28 Detroit 5–2 St. Louis Gibson 16,496 7–3–0 14 11 October 30 Detroit 4–3 Los Angeles SO Talbot 16,013 8–3–0 16 12 October 31 Detroit 2–5 Anaheim Gibson 13,195 8–4–0 16 November: 5–7–2 (Home: 3–5–1; Road: 2–2–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 13 November 2 Detroit 3–2 San Jose SO Talbot 14,876 9–4–0 18 14 November 4 Detroit 0–1 Vegas Gibson 18,025 9–5–0 18 15 November 7 NY Rangers 4–1 Detroit Talbot 19,515 9–6–0 18 16 November 9 Chicago 5–1 Detroit Gibson 19,515 9–7–0 18 17 November 13 Anaheim 3–6 Detroit Talbot 19,515 10–7–0 20 18 November 15 Buffalo 5–4 Detroit OT Gibson 19,515 10–7–1 21 19 November 16 Detroit 2–1 NY Rangers Talbot 18,006 11–7–1 23 20 November 18 Seattle 2–4 Detroit Talbot 19,515 12–7–1 25 21 November 20 NY Islanders 5–0 Detroit Gibson 18,918 12–8–1 25 22 November 22 Columbus 3–4 Detroit OT Talbot 19,515 13–8–1 27 23 November 24 Detroit 3–4 New Jersey Talbot 16,514 13–9–1 27 24 November 26 Nashville 6–3 Detroit Talbot 19,515 13–10–1 27 25 November 28 Tampa Bay 6–3 Detroit Gibson 19,515 13–11–1 27 26 November 29 Detroit 2–3 Boston SO Talbot 17,850 13–11–2 28 December: 11–3–1 (Home: 6–1–0; Road: 5–2–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 27 December 2 Boston 4–5 Detroit Gibson 19,515 14–11–2 30 28 December 4 Detroit 5–6 Columbus SO Talbot 16,818 14–11–3 31 29 December 6 Detroit 4–3 Seattle Gibson 17,151 15–11–3 33 30 December 8 Detroit 4–0 Vancouver Gibson 18,707 16–11–3 35 31 December 10 Detroit 4–3 Calgary Gibson 17,055 17–11–3 37 32 December 11 Detroit 1–4 Edmonton Talbot 18,347 17–12–3 37 33 December 13 Detroit 4–0 Chicago Gibson 20,751 18–12–3 39 34 December 16 NY Islanders 2–3 Detroit Gibson 19,515 19–12–3 41 35 December 17 Utah 4–1 Detroit Talbot 19,515 19–13–3 41 36 December 20 Detroit 5–2 Washington Gibson 18,347 20–13–3 43 37 December 21 Washington 2–3 Detroit OT Talbot 19,515 21–13–3 45 38 December 23 Dallas 3–4 Detroit OT Gibson 19,515 22–13–3 47 39 December 27 Detroit 2–5 Carolina Gibson 18,321 22–14–3 47 40 December 28 Toronto 2–3 Detroit OT Talbot 19,515 23–14–3 49 41 December 31 Winnipeg 1–2 Detroit Gibson 19,515 24–14–3 51 January: 8–4–3 (Home: 4–3–1; Road: 4–1–2) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 42 January 1 Detroit 3–4 Pittsburgh OT Talbot 15,540 24–14–4 52 43 January 3 Pittsburgh 4–1 Detroit Gibson 19,515 24–15–4 52 44 January 5 Detroit 5–3 Ottawa Gibson 16,981 25–15–4 54 45 January 8 Vancouver 1–5 Detroit Gibson 19,515 26–15–4 56 46 January 10 Detroit 4–0 Montreal Gibson 20,962 27–15–4 58 47 January 12 Carolina 3–4 Detroit OT Gibson 19,515 28–15–4 60 48 January 13 Detroit 0–3 Boston Talbot 17,850 28–16–4 60 49 January 16 San Jose 2–4 Detroit Gibson 19,515 29–16–4 62 50 January 18 Ottawa 3–4 Detroit OT Gibson 19,515 30–16–4 64 51 January 21 Detroit 2–1 Toronto OT Gibson 18,955 31–16–4 66 52 January 22 Detroit 3–4 Minnesota OT Talbot 18,067 31–16–5 67 53 January 24 Detroit 5–1 Winnipeg Gibson 15,225 32–16–5 69 54 January 27 Los Angeles 3–1 Detroit Gibson 19,515 32–17–5 69 55 January 29 Washington 4–3 Detroit SO Gibson 19,515 32–17–6 70 56 January 31 Colorado 5–0 Detroit Gibson 19,515 32–18–6 70 February: 2–2–0 (Home: 0–0–0; Road: 2–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 57 February 2 Detroit 2–0 Colorado Gibson 18,145 33–18–6 72 58 February 4 Detroit 1–4 Utah Gibson 12,478 33–19–6 72 Winter Olympics break in Milan 59 February 26 Detroit 2–1 Ottawa OT Gibson 17,190 34–19–6 74 60 February 28 Detroit 2–5 Carolina Talbot 18,571 34–20–6 74 March: 5–7–2 (Home: 2–4–1; Road: 3–3–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 61 March 2 Detroit 4–2 Nashville Talbot 17,300 35–20–6 76 62 March 4 Vegas 4–3 Detroit OT Talbot 19,515 35–20–7 77 63 March 6 Florida 3–1 Detroit Gibson 19,515 35–21–7 77 64 March 8 Detroit 3–0 New Jersey Gibson 16,514 36–21–7 79 65 March 10 Detroit 3–4 Florida Gibson 19,528 36–22–7 79 66 March 12 Detroit 1–4 Tampa Bay Gibson 19,092 36–23–7 79 67 March 14 Detroit 2–3 Dallas OT Gibson 18,532 36–23–8 80 68 March 16 Calgary 2–5 Detroit Gibson 19,515 37–23–8 82 69 March 19 Montreal 1–3 Detroit Gibson 19,515 38–23–8 84 70 March 21 Boston 4–2 Detroit Gibson 19,515 38–24–8 84 71 March 24 Ottawa 3–2 Detroit Gibson 19,515 38–25–8 84 72 March 27 Detroit 5–2 Buffalo Gibson 19,070 39–25–8 86 73 March 28 Philadelphia 5–3 Detroit Gibson 19,515 39–26–8 86 74 March 31 Detroit 1–5 Pittsburgh Gibson 18,399 39–27–8 86 April: 2–4–2 (Home: 1–2–1; Road: 1–2–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 75 April 2 Detroit 4–2 Philadelphia Gibson 19,865 40–27–8 88 76 April 4 Detroit 1–4 NY Rangers Gibson 17,292 40–28–8 88 77 April 5 Minnesota 5–4 Detroit Talbot 17,892 40–29–8 88 78 April 7 Columbus 4–3 Detroit SO Gibson 17,687 40–29–9 89 79 April 9 Philadelphia 3–6 Detroit Gibson 18,197 41–29–9 91 80 April 11 New Jersey 5–3 Detroit Gibson 19,515 41–30–9 91 81 April 13 Detroit 3–4 Tampa Bay OT Talbot 19,092 41–30–10 92 82 April 15 Detroit 1–8 Florida Gibson 19,403 41–31–10 92 Legend:

Player statistics Stats updated as of April 15, 2026 Skaters Regular season Player 82 41 44 85 +8 19 80 25 51 76 +1 22 74 34 33 67 +3 48 82 10 50 60 +15 57 67 16 41 57 16 79 9 34 43 +3 24 72 15 16 31 14 82 13 17 30 6 82 11 17 28 27 72 9 16 25 +12 75 68 7 14 21 18 81 9 10 19 33 82 5 10 15 75 65 6 8 14 44 64 6 8 14 8 82 3 8 11 16 † 17 5 3 8 10 28 2 5 7 4 ‡ 15 2 4 6 6 63 1 4 5 25 11 2 2 4 0 † 16 3 0 3 18 18 3 0 3 7 ‡ 39 2 1 3 12 26 0 2 2 29 14 0 1 1 2 2 0 0 0 2 5 0 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 0

Goaltenders Regular season Player 57 57 3181:14 29 22 4 144 2.72 1461 .901 4 0 1 4 34 25 1750:11 12 9 6 93 3.19 797 .883 0 0 1 0 †Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Red Wings. Stats reflect time with the Red Wings only. ‡Denotes player was traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Red Wings only. Bold/italics denotes franchise record.

Awards and honors

Milestones

Regular season Player Milestone Reached 100th career NHL goal October 11, 2025 500th career NHL goal January 8, 2026 300th career NHL point January 8, 2026 200th career NHL assist March 3, 2026 1st career NHL goal March 8, 2026

Transactions The Red Wings have been involved in the following transactions during the 2025–26 season.

Trades

Date Details Ref To Detroit Red WingsJohn Gibson To Anaheim DucksPetr Mrazek4th-round pick in 20262nd-round pick in 2027 To Detroit Red WingsFuture considerations To Minnesota WildVladimir Tarasenko To Detroit Red WingsDavid Perron To Ottawa SenatorsconditionalOttawa will receive Detroit's third-round pick in 2026 if Detroit advances to the second round of the 2026 playoffs and Perron appears in at least 50% of their first round games. Ottawa will receive Columbus' fourth-round pick in 2026 if Perron plays in at least one regular season or playoff game, but Detroit does not advance past the first round, or Perron appears in fewer than 50% of their first round games; otherwise, no pick will be exchanged. DET 3rd-round pick in 2026or CBJ 4th-round pick in 2026 To Detroit Red WingsSJS 3rd-round pick in 2026 To Pittsburgh PenguinsElmer Soderblom To Detroit Red WingsJustin Faulk To St. Louis BluesDmitri BuchelnikovJustin Holl1st-round pick in 2026SJS 3rd-round pick in 2026 To Detroit Red WingsMichael MilneWojciech Stachowiak To Tampa Bay LightningIan Mitchell To Detroit Red Wings4th-round pick in 2026 To New Jersey DevilsAmadeus Lombardi To Detroit Red WingsBOS 1st-round pick in 2026 To Utah MammothSebastian Cossa

Notes

Free agents Date Player Team Contract term Ref Ian Mitchell from Boston Bruins 1-year Jacob Bernard-Docker from Buffalo Sabres 1-year James van Riemsdyk from Columbus Blue Jackets 1-year Jeff Petry to Florida Panthers 1-year Alex Lyon to Buffalo Sabres 2-year Mason Appleton from Winnipeg Jets 2-year Travis Hamonic from Ottawa Senators 1-year

Signings Date Player Contract term Ref Antti Tuomisto 1-year William Lagesson 2-year Albert Johansson 2-year Jonatan Berggren 1-year Patrick Kane 1-year Michal Postava 2-year John Leonard 1-year Elmer Söderblom 2-year Dominik Shine 2-year Ben Chiarot 3-year Sheldon Dries 2-year Eddie Genborg 3-year Jacob Bernard-Docker 2-year William Wallinder 2-year

Draft picks

Below are the Detroit Red Wings' selections at the 2025 NHL entry draft, which was held on June 27 and 28, 2025, at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, California.

Round # Player Pos Nationality College/Junior/Club Team (League)113 Carter BearLW Everett Silvertips (WHL)244 Eddie GenborgRW Linköping HC (SHL)3751 Michal PradelG Tri-City Storm (USHL)41092 Brent SolomonRW Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL) 1193 Michal SvrcekLW Brynäs IF (SHL)5140 Nikita TyurinD Moscow Spartak Jr. (MHL)6172 Will MurphyD Cape Breton Eagles (QMJHL)7204 Grayden Robertson-PalmerC Phillips-Andover Academy (USHS-Prep) Notes: The New York Rangers' third-round pick went to the Detroit Red Wings as the result of a trade on October 29, 2024, that sent Olli Maatta to Utah in exchange for this pick. The Columbus Blue Jackets' fourth-round pick went to the Red Wings as the result of a trade on June 28, 2025, that sent a third-round pick in 2025 (76th overall) to Columbus in exchange for a fourth-round pick in 2026 and this pick. The Tampa Bay Lightning's fourth-round pick went to the Red Wings as the result of a trade on March 5, 2025, that sent Yanni Gourde to Tampa Bay in exchange for this pick (being conditional at the time). The condition – Detroit will receive the higher of Edmonton or Tampa Bay's fourth-round picks in 2025 – was converted when the Edmonton advanced to the Western Conference finals on May 14, 2025.

References