from Ansar Khan of Mlive,
The Detroit Red Wings followed a good November (8-4-1) with a rotten December, including their current 1-5-2 stretch that has them just two points out of the Eastern Conference cellar.
They have drifted nine points away from the final playoff spot. That in itself seems insurmountable, but to make matters worse, the three teams ahead of them chasing the final wild card spot each have three games in hand.
Here is a look at some trends and things to watch for this week:
Abdelkader, Vanek struggling
The Red Wings aren't getting much production from veterans Justin Abdelkader and Thomas Vanek.