The Detroit Red Wings are the owners of a fabulous history and a tremendous streak. They have currently made the Stanley Cup Playoffs for 25 consecutive seasons. Just take a moment if you are a Hurricanes fan who has not seen the playoffs since 2009 to think about that.
But that streak is in serious jeopardy as we approach Christmas, as the Wings are a pedestrian 14-14-4, and hovering nine points out of a playoff spot. While injuries to Justin Abdelkader, Johan Franzen and Darren Helm have not helped, the aging roster has not quite been fortified by the fresh blood that has allowed more than a generation of Wings teams to clear the regular season bar in the past.