The Detroit Red Wings went a perfect 3-0 in week 15

Welcome to my 15th regular season Detroit Red Wings weekly recap. The Red Wings played three games last week and ended up a perfect 3-0.

They started the week beating a slumping Los Angeles Kings team, 5-3. They then proceeded to beat a tough Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 and then finished the week with a 3-2 overtime win against the Florida Panthers.

Positives

The Red Wings have played extremely well in 2024, getting a point in seven straight games. Detroit is 6-0-1 to start the new year and have outscored opponents 26-18.

The 3-0 week consisted of Detroit beating three playoff-eligible teams and should put Detroit back on the radar for teams to watch out for. Captain Dylan Larkin led the team in points this week with five points on four goals and one assist.

The offense continues to be the driving force of this team. They have scored 158 goals this season, ranking fourth in the league and have done well with contributions throughout the lineup.

Detroit has 11 players with 20 or more points, six players with 10 or more goals, and 14 players with a shooting percentage of 10% or higher. This roster is solid from top to bottom and could be the most depth scoring the team has had in years.

Goaltender Alex Lyon continues to shine between the pipes and give the Red Wings solid, consistent goaltending.

He has been on a roll since joining the team and is now 10-4-1 with a 2.54 goals-against-average and a .923 save percentage with one shutout. In his last five games, he is 4-0-1 with 13 goals against and a .931 save percentage.

He signed a two-year contract on July 1, 2023, but should be in line for a new contract after his performance this season. While he did not make the NHL all-star team, he has had one of the seasons to put Detroit within reach of a playoff spot.

Negatives

Detroit needs to approach every game with a killer instinct when they have the lead going into the third period. Oftentimes, teams will get back into the game due to Detroit and their collapses in the third period.

The Red Wings would play a laid-back system and protect the lead, with those leads often going away. To make the playoffs, the Red Wings need to keep applying constant pressure inside the offensive zone instead of protecting the lead.

If this style of play continues, Detroit will lose all the momentum they have right now and surpass the success so far in the new year.

Center Joe Veleno has cooled off a bit since his hot start. Although his point totals are still career-highs, his last 10 games have not produced the same results. In his last five games, he has a goal and assist for two points and has been solid in the defensive zone.

With Detroit playing well, it is not much of a concern now but for the Red Wings to make a push in the second half, Veleno and the bottom-six will have to contribute more on the scoresheet.

Detroit needs a bigger gap between goals scored and goals against per game. They are fourth in scoring an average of 3.55 goals per game, yet are allowing an average of 3.32 goals. While it is still a plus, the gap is too close.

If Lyon continues his stellar play and the red-hot penalty kill remains hot, this gap should figure itself out. The offense is there so there is nothing to fix but the defense could use some retooling.

The pairing of Moritz Seider and Jake Walman was red hot at the beginning of the season over two months but recently has been an average pairing. If the defense can tighten up and play a solid 60 minutes, this will also help lower the goals against.

Weekly record: 3-0

Season record: 23-16-5, 51 points, 3rd in the Atlantic Division