Red Wings' JT Compher makes stunning admission after blowout Panthers loss appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
JT Compher and the Detroit Red Wings are not playing in the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs. After being first in the East on January 25th, Detroit suffered an unimaginable collapse to finish seven points outside of the playoffs. And their season ended with a whimper, not a bang, against the Florida Panthers on Wednesday.
Defenseman Justin Faulk scored for the Red Wings on Wednesday in Florida. However, that was the only sign of life Detroit elected to show in their season finale. Mike Benning and Luke Kunin scored two goals each as the Panthers cruised to an 8-1 win.
After the game, Compher was one of a few members of the Red Wings who faced the media. And he made a rather stunning admission about how the team played on Wednesday. "We didn't play like we had respect for the game tonight," the Red Wings forward said, via team reporter Helene St. James.
The Red Wings are headed for a critical offseason with pressure to make changes at a fever pitch. This is Detroit's third consecutive collapse, and the worst one yet. The previous two seasons were uphill battles throughout the run. This year, though, they were first in the East in late January, as previously mentioned.
It remains to be seen what changes the team elects to make. In any event, the Red Wings have a lot of questions to answer this offseason. Pressure to make major changes is at a fever pitch following this collapse. How the franchise elects to respond remains to be seen.
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