The Detroit Red Wings, currently holding a 33-19-6 record, will resume their NHL season on February 26 after the Olympic break, aiming to build on their recent strong performance and make a significant run for the playoffs. The team is strategically using this pause to recover physically and mentally, with captain Dylan Larkin and alternate captains Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider heading to Milan for the Olympics, while the remainder of the roster rests before regrouping at Little Caesars Arena later this month.
Team Leadership and Rest Strategies During Olympic Pause
Detroit’s leadership group will compete in Milan during the break, while head coach Todd McLellan has emphasized the importance of rest and recovery for the entire team.
“Every team in the League needs an opportunity to rest, which is great for 75 percent of it,”
McLellan said.
“The other 25 percent are the players who are going to the Olympics, and they’re going to have to manage themselves…We’ll encourage them to rest and take care of their bodies. Then when we come back, we’ll have a mini–Training Camp. We’ll review our structure, get them skating and focused again because what we just went through to get to this point is going to happen all over again.”
– Todd McLellan, Head Coach
McLellan also highlighted that the break benefits not only the players but the entire support staff, including trainers, equipment managers, nutritionists, and medical personnel.
“We’ve put in some hours, but the players are the ones that are getting beat up,”
he noted.
“The training staff, the equipment people, the nutritionists, the fitness people, all of our sports science, the medical team that is at the rink so early and stay so late – they all need a breather too. I hope they go and turn things off, then be able to come back and bring that energy back to the group.”
– Todd McLellan, Head Coach
Atlantic Division Standings and Competitive Context
Before the break, the Red Wings and Montreal Canadiens were locked in a tight battle for playoff positioning within the Atlantic Division. Detroit and Montreal both held 72 points, sitting six points behind the division-leading Tampa Bay Lightning, who have played fewer games and hold a potential advantage with multiple games in hand. Detroit has played 58 games, the most among Atlantic Division teams, underscoring the challenge they face as the schedule tightens on their stretch run.
Team Growth and Chemistry Highlight Centennial Season
Reflecting on the team’s journey since training camp began in Traverse City last September, captain Dylan Larkin expressed pride in how the Red Wings have developed this season.
“Honestly, it’s been a lot of fun,”
Larkin said.
“The commitment and 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’ve shown to ourselves that through adversity we can stick together, and I think that’s brought our team together. I think we can beat anyone. A lot of fun with these guys, and I wish everyone a great break and for us to come back refreshed for a big push.”
– Dylan Larkin, Captain
Using the Break to Prepare Mentally and Physically for the Playoff Push
With the NHL schedule resuming after the Olympic break, forward James van Riemsdyk acknowledged the physical and mental challenges ahead.
“With the break and how the schedule gets set, because of that, it becomes even more of a grind than usual,”
he commented.
“You got to use it to your advantage. Refresh physically and mentally. Be ready to roll for the stretch run because it’s going to be a lot of very hard-fought games, but those are going to be the most fun games of the year to play because you’re playing for the playoffs. Playing those meaningful games down the stretch, there’s nothing like it.”
– James van Riemsdyk, Forward
Schedule Outlook and Upcoming Road Trip
Following the hiatus, the Red Wings will begin their return to action with a three-game road trip starting against the Ottawa Senators at Canadian Tire Centre on February 26. Out of their remaining 24 regular-season games, 11 will be hosted at Little Caesars Arena, where the team aims to make a strong push to secure a playoff spot. Coach McLellan acknowledged the team’s hard work so far and expressed confidence in maintaining momentum.
“We put ourselves in a real good spot,”
he said.
“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 thereon. And really, that’s all you can ask for.”
– Todd McLellan, Head Coach
