Hockey fans saw this coming for months (if not years) now, but it’s official: the Detroit Red Wings’ historic 25-year playoff appearance streak is over.
Detroit Red Wings end historic run, will miss playoffs for first time in 25 years
It was the longest playoff streak in North American pro sports.
James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
Three things had to happen for that inevitability to occur. The Red Wings had to lose to the Carolina Hurricanes. They did. The Toronto Maple Leafs had to beat the Florida Panthers. They did. And the Boston Bruins had to beat the streaking Nashville Predators. They did.
It’s somewhat fitting that it took so much to end such a long streak.
The Red Wings’ streak lasted from 1991-2016. Along the way, Detroit visited the Stanley Cup Finals six times and paraded through downtown Detroit with the most hallowed trophy in sports four times. Those 25 years of success turned the Red Wings into one of the most iconic franchises in American pro sports, let alone hockey.
But the fall from grace was inevitable for a while now, as aging veterans like Johan Franzen, Henrik Zetterberg, and Pavel Datsyuk all retired or saw significant decline in their play. The Red Wings relied on savvy drafting to keep the streak alive, but the prospect pool has dried up as their Eastern Conference rivals leapt ahead.
A rebuild is past due, but 25 years is a heck of an accomplishment. The streak’s end finishes off a truly transitional year for the franchise. The Red Wings are moving out of Joe Louis Arena after the season, and long-time owner Mike Ilitch passed away earlier this year.
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