Calvin Pickard got the start in net. Jakub Vrana put the Wings up early, but Cam Atkinson took advantage of being left alone to tie the game in the first period. Danny DeKeyser scored for the second time in two games when he fired a shot that snuck underneath Matiss Kivlenieks’ left arm, but Oliver Bjorkstrand scored less than two minutes later.
With Columbus Max Domi serving a penalty for roughing Gustav Lindstrom, the Blue Jackets converted on a shorthanded goal by Eric Robinson , but the Wings also converted, with Sam Gagner scoring a power play goal to tie the game 3-3 .
The final game of the season.
To some, it’s music to their ears, to others, it’s a sad milestone that means no more Red Wings hockey. Expectations have always been low, given how banged up the team.
Factors for Steve Yzerman to consider in deciding Jeff Blashill’s future
Updated May 06, 2021;
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The offseason begins Sunday for the Detroit Red Wings, and general manager Steve Yzerman’s first order of business is deciding who will be his coach in 2020-21.
Jeff Blashill’s contract is expiring and Yzerman has indicated they will talk quickly after the season to discuss the future.
The Red Wings have missed the playoffs the past five seasons under Blashill, after being eliminated in the first round during his first year as head coach.
That’s not unexpected, given the lengthy rebuild that began following the franchise’s 25-season playoff streak.
We re into the final week-plus (for most teams) of the 2021 NHL season, and while 16 of them will be competing for the Stanley Cup this spring and summer, 15 of them will begin to devise their plan to get back in the playoff mix in 2021-22.
Usually, it s a pretty straightforward exercise of determining which free agents to re-sign and which to let explore the market, along with tweaks to be made via trade, and additions to the pipeline courtesy of the draft. This summer, however, there s the added wrinkle of the Seattle Kraken expansion draft and any side deals that must be made to sway GM Ron Francis to stay away from choosing certain players to join his roster.
How Red Wings’ young players progressed in 2021
Updated May 04, 2021;
Posted May 04, 2021
Detroit Red Wings forward Filip Zadina (11) skates the puck up the ice in the second period of their NHL game against the Carolina Hurricanes at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, on Thursday, January 14, 2021. (Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)Mike Mulholland | MLive.com
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A rash of injuries and COVID protocol decimated the Detroit Red Wings lineup this season. Many key players have missed a lot of games, forcing the team to continually plug holes.
It created opportunity for young players – first- and second-round draft picks from 2015 to 2018. Some who ordinarily would have been with the Grand Rapids Griffins have played a lot of games with the Red Wings. Others who had been established as NHL players saw their ice time increase and roles (top six, special teams) elevated.