When Yzerman took over as the Red Wings' general manager in 2019, his decision brought a lot of hope to the franchise. Yzerman had built the Tampa Bay Lightning into a contender over his time with the team, which resulted in two Stanley Cups following his departure. After six years in Detroit, though, he doesn't have much to show for.

Or are we December to February?” The December-to-February Red Wings were the NHL’s hottest team, going 15-5-1 since McLellan was brought in the day after Christmas as a midseason replacement for previous head coach Derek Lalonde up until the 4 Nations Face-Off break.

The Detroit Red Wings failed to qualify for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the ninth consecutive season, extending the longest drought in the team’s 98-season history. The Red Wings (37-35-7) were eliminated from contention when the Montreal Canadiens got one point against the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday.