NHL Playoff Race: Sabres, Red Wings, and Mammoth Updates

NHL Playoff Landscape: Teams Eyeing Postseason Berths

The Buffalo Sabres have endured the NHL's longest playoff drought, failing to qualify for the postseason for the past 14 seasons. A significant turnaround began following the replacement of general manager Kevyn Adams with Jarmo Kekalainen on December 15.

At the time of the GM change, the Sabres were struggling, sitting eighth in the Atlantic Division and six points behind the Boston Bruins, who held the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Since December 15, Buffalo has achieved a remarkable 22-5-2 record, which is the best in the NHL during that period.

This dramatic performance improvement has since propelled the Sabres to second place in the Atlantic Division, now just two points behind the Tampa Bay Lightning for first place.

The Detroit Red Wings are navigating their own extended playoff absence, currently at nine consecutive seasons. This marks the longest drought in their 100-year history and is the second-longest active streak in the league.

Last season, at the trade deadline, Detroit was poised to contend, only one point behind the Ottawa Senators for the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. The team's primary move involved acquiring goalie Petr Mrazek and forward Craig Smith from the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for center Joe Veleno. However, the Red Wings concluded that season with a disappointing 9-8-2 record, failing to capitalize on their position.

Captain Dylan Larkin publicly expressed disappointment regarding the trade deadline's impact on team morale.

Larkin stated that players were "kind of down" and suggested that adding something to spark morale would have been beneficial.

General Manager Steve Yzerman responded by emphasizing expectations for the team's best players and leaders to provide a morale boost, later downplaying the significance of Larkin's remarks. Currently, the Red Wings hold third place in the Atlantic Division, a comfortable seven points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are the first team outside of playoff contention in the East.

The Utah Mammoth are on the cusp of making their first-ever playoff appearance. The team recently bolstered its roster with the acquisition of defenseman MacKenzie Weegar from the Calgary Flames.

In their second season in Salt Lake City, the Mammoth (32-25-4) currently hold the first wild card spot in the Western Conference, four points ahead of the San Jose Sharks, the first team outside of playoff contention in the conference.

Weegar, a 32-year-old veteran right-shot defenseman, is known for his puck-moving ability. He is in the third year of an eight-year, $50 million contract signed with Calgary on October 7, 2022. The Mammoth traded defenseman Olli Maatta, forward prospect Jonathan Castagna, and three second-round picks in the 2026 NHL Draft to complete the acquisition.

The establishment of the NHL franchise in Utah and the team's acquisition of the Arizona Coyotes' hockey assets has shown considerable progress. The Mammoth are also set to host the Colorado Avalanche in the 2027 Discover NHL Winter Classic at Rice-Eccles Stadium, further solidifying their presence in the league.