The Detroit Red Wings are set to miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the tenth consecutive year, marking the seventh instance under General Manager Steve Yzerman’s tenure. Yzerman, who left the Tampa Bay Lightning to rebuild the Red Wings, had a successful track record of drafting with the Lightning before their dominant era under new GM Julien BriseBois.
Recent seasons have been particularly painful for the team and its fans. Despite being on the cusp of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, they ultimately missed out, losing a tiebreaker to the Washington Capitals. For a team that held first place in the Atlantic Division as late as January 25, 2026, failing to make the playoffs is a significant disappointment for both the players and the fanbase.
Some Players on the Detroit Red Wings Feel Steve Yzerman is Too Patient
The pressure on Steve Yzerman in Detroit is palpable. While reports suggest owner Chris Ilitch remains loyal to Yzerman, unlike his predecessor Mike Ilitch, questions surrounding Yzerman’s future as general manager are inevitable.
At some point, the Red Wings must achieve playoff success. Competitors like the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators have made consecutive playoff appearances, while the Buffalo Sabres recently ended their 14-year drought. The Red Wings now hold the longest active drought at ten years, with teams such as Ottawa, Philadelphia, Columbus, Boston, and Washington surpassing them in the standings.
As discussed by Elliotte Friedman on the 32 Thoughts Podcast, Steve Yzerman’s fate with the Detroit Red Wings hinges on his own desire to continue in the role.
Elliotte Friedman commented: “And we’re going to talk more about these teams in the next pod, as we get some time to process it. But if, I was shocked, I could only imagine what hardcore Red Wings fans are thinking. And to me, the first question is Yzerman. And, we joke about Yzerman on this pod about him, and how we’ve had our run-ins and things like that. But I have an enormous amount of respect for everything he’s accomplished in his life, and I have even more respect for the fact that he doesn’t need to do this.
He grinds, Yzerman grinds, and he’s won everything that a player could win. He’s won gold medals as a, as an Olympic GM. He’s built the Lightning. He was gone before they started winning Cups, but he built them. He doesn’t need this, but he does it because he’s competitive as heck, and he tries to do it the right way.
Steve Yzerman Has To Be More Aggressive For Detroit Red Wings To Succeed
I’m trying to put myself in his head, and a part of him has to be saying, like, this is so disappointing. Why do I keep coming back and doing this? And to me, I’m wondering if that’s almost as big a decision as do the Red Wings want to make a change in that spot? And I don’t know, I just, I can’t see him. He doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy who would walk away from this. Particularly since it’s really shocking, but that unprotected number one pick. There’s still a chance Detroit could drop a bit here.
You know that pick, if Detroit was to win the lottery, could be a pretty high pick, and it’s just, I don’t think anyone would have thought Detroit would be in that particular position. But how it’s all of a sudden you find yourself in that position. And people are like, ‘Okay, how did this happen?’ I think, to me, that the biggest question with him is, not so much, is he in trouble, but how does he feel about all this?
And I can’t imagine he’d want to walk away. We’ve discussed on this pod, does he kind of bump himself up and promote someone I don’t know? I just, I’ve been thinking about this a lot the past 24 hours, because I think that’s one of the big questions people are asking: is Yzerman in trouble?
NHL Rumors: Will the Detroit Red Wings Consider a General Manager Change?
To me, the more unanswered question is, does any part of him say, I’ve had enough of this? Because of how much he’s burning inside, this happened. He may not be playing, but he feels that disappointment as much as anybody does who’s wearing the jersey.
Questions have been raised about some of his signings and trades, particularly the decision to give up an unprotected first-round pick for Justin Faulk while overlooking Axel Sandin-Pellikka. Poor March records, Dylan Larkin’s injuries, and a costly penalty by Patrick Kane against the Minnesota Wild have also contributed to the Red Wings’ predicament.
While many issues need addressing, the primary question before dissecting the roster is the future of Steve Yzerman with the Detroit Red Wings.
English Translation:
The Detroit Red Wings are poised to miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the tenth consecutive year, marking the seventh such occurrence under General Manager Steve Yzerman’s leadership. Yzerman, who departed the Tampa Bay Lightning with the ambition to rebuild the Red Wings into a winning team, had a strong history of drafting with the Lightning prior to their dominance under new GM Julien BriseBois.
The last few seasons have been particularly heartbreaking for a team that was on the verge of making the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs but ultimately fell short due to a tiebreaker disadvantage against the Washington Capitals. For a team that led the Atlantic Division on January 25, 2026, missing the playoffs will undoubtedly be a bitter pill to swallow for the fans, and indeed, the players.
Some Players on the Detroit Red Wings Feel Steve Yzerman is Too Patient
However, Steve Yzerman must be feeling the mounting pressure in Detroit. While reports indicate that owner Chris Ilitch, unlike his predecessor Mike Ilitch, maintains loyalty to Yzerman, questions about Yzerman’s tenure as general manager are becoming unavoidable.
At some juncture, the Red Wings must qualify for the playoffs. Both the Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators have achieved consecutive playoff berths, while the Buffalo Sabres recently ended their 14-year playoff drought. The Red Wings now hold the longest active streak of missing the playoffs at ten years. Teams like Ottawa, Philadelphia, Columbus, Boston, and Washington have all surpassed them in the standings.
As discussed by Elliotte Friedman on the 32 Thoughts Podcast, the future of Detroit Red Wings General Manager Steve Yzerman will ultimately depend on whether he wishes to continue in his role.
Elliotte Friedman stated: “And we’re going to talk more about these teams in the next pod, as we get some time to process it. But if, I was shocked, I could only imagine what hardcore Red Wings fans are thinking. And to me, the first question is Yzerman. And, we joke about Yzerman on this pod about him, and how we’ve had our run-ins and things like that. But I have an enormous amount of respect for everything he’s accomplished in his life, and I have even more respect for the fact that he doesn’t need to do this.
He grinds, Yzerman grinds, and he’s won everything that a player could win. He’s won gold medals as a, as an Olympic GM. He’s built the Lightning. He was gone before they started winning Cups, but he built them. He doesn’t need this, but he does it because he’s competitive as heck, and he tries to do it the right way.
Steve Yzerman Has To Be More Aggressive For Detroit Red Wings To Succeed
I’m trying to put myself in his head, and a part of him has to be saying, like, this is so disappointing. Why do I keep coming back and doing this? And to me, I’m wondering if that’s almost as big a decision as do the Red Wings want to make a change in that spot? And I don’t know, I just, I can’t see him. He doesn’t strike me as the kind of guy who would walk away from this. Particularly since it’s really shocking, but that unprotected number one pick. There’s still a chance Detroit could drop a bit here.
You know that pick, if Detroit was to win the lottery, could be a pretty high pick, and it’s just, I don’t think anyone would have thought Detroit would be in that particular position. But how it’s all of a sudden you find yourself in that position. And people are like, ‘Okay, how did this happen?’ I think, to me, that the biggest question with him is, not so much, is he in trouble, but how does he feel about all this?
And I can’t imagine he’d want to walk away. We’ve discussed on this pod, does he kind of bump himself up and promote someone I don’t know? I just, I’ve been thinking about this a lot the past 24 hours, because I think that’s one of the big questions people are asking: is Yzerman in trouble?
NHL Rumors: Will the Detroit Red Wings Consider a General Manager Change?
To me, the more unanswered question is, does any part of him say, I’ve had enough of this? Because of how much he’s burning inside, this happened. He may not be playing, but he feels that disappointment as much as anybody does who’s wearing the jersey.
Questions have been raised regarding some of his signings and trades, notably the decision to forfeit an unprotected first-round pick for Justin Faulk while sidestepping Axel Sandin-Pellikka. Furthermore, poor March performances, Dylan Larkin’s injuries, and a ill-timed penalty by Patrick Kane against the Minnesota Wild have been cited as factors that sealed the Red Wings’ playoff fate.
While numerous questions surround the team, the primary inquiry, before delving into roster analysis, pertains to Steve Yzerman’s future with the Detroit Red Wings.
