Red Wings Clash With Maple Leafs As Original Six Rivals Enter On Dueling Hot Streaks
Original Six titans clash as Detroit and Toronto ride dominant streaks, battling for crucial points and divisional bragging rights.
Video Transcript
We assume, let's assume Detroit makes the playoffs, and everything's really tight, right?
Now, so who knows?
But if they make the playoffs, Can they win a round this season?
They haven't been to the playoffs, uh, in more than a decade.
But can they win a round based on how they look to you right now?
Ooh, it's tough, because, you know, say if they win the division, Ryan, they're gonna play a wildcard team, and a wildcard team could very well be the Florida Panthers.
That's true.
So it's all dependent on who they play, but sure.
Um, and I love the fact that the standings are so... Like, bunched up right now.
Mm-hmm.
I, I think, You know, this is, like I've said before, this is Gary Bettman's dream, is to have competitive hockey, you know, from the first month of the season to the last month of the season, where every team is in it.
No team is really out of it.
Unless you're the Nashville Predators, and then you're out of it.
Um.
Mm.
But really, like, you look up and down, And, you know, the Leafs were the worst team in the conference.
And now they're, like, a couple points out of a playoff spot.
And Tampa Bay has gone up and down.
You know, I talked to Jon Cooper about this the other night, and, you know, he was basically saying, like, "No one is playing well."
Mm.
Like, for whatever reason, no one has been able to find that consistency where you can just... You know, unless you're the Colorado, uh, Avalanche or maybe the Dallas Stars.
Mm.
Like, every other team has been like, "All Right, four games.
We're on a four-game winning streak.
Okay, now we're on a five-game losing streak.
And, you know, Detroit has been that team as well.
I think they're a playoff team this year.
Um, I think they're good enough to win a couple rounds.
Um, they, they have a roster that's young, but that's also got some experience.
And like you mentioned, when you've got a goaltending duo of Gibson and Talbot, I think that, you know, that was maybe the missing puzzle piece for the Red Wings.
Mm.
Yeah, I do wonder, too, uh, even though, like, a Dylan Larkin has almost no playoff experience.
If I'm not mistaken, he did play one series, before the streak began.
I think he might have even been a rookie with the Red Wings.
But you do have Patrick Kane, who has won multiple Cups.
Mm.
Uh, you do have Alex DeBrincat, who's been there before.
Uh, so I wonder how some of those guys will help out in the room, uh, if and when they get there.
Uh, Drew, I'll put it to you.
When you look at this Red Wings team, Do you see a unit that can make some noise?
They do also have cap space.
I will point out.
Yeah.
Uh, they are one of those...
They are one of the teams...
I think there's only San Jose and Chicago.
The only two teams that have spent less on the cap this year.
So the Red Wings are actually one of those teams where if they wanted to add a big name at the deadline, they actually could do it, even with the new playoff salary cap.
