DETROIT — Just how difficult is it to qualify for the NHL playoffs?
While the Red Wings have made a routine out of playoff appearances, this point of the season is not a given for any team and to still be playing hockey in mid-April may not be the end goal, it is an achievement in the NHL’s salary cap era.
“Yea I mean certainly we’re proud that we’ve made the playoffs 24 straight years in a row,” general manager
Going into the salary cap world where we had to shed payroll because we had a very high pay roll the prior season, I think it’s a great job by our scouts in identifying players, great job by Jeff Blashill in Grand Rapids and I think Mike Babcock’s done a great job in playing the young players.