Although it was a tough pill to swallow for fans of the Detroit Red Wings, it was the Atlantic Division rival Ottawa Senators who returned to the Stanley Cup Playoffs this past season, thanks to a late-season surge that included two crucial victories over Detroit.
Ottawa complied a record of 45-30-7 for a total of 97 points, 11 more points in the standings than Detroit's 86.
Adding insult to injury was the fact that former Red Wings forward David Perron, who played such an important leadership role in the Detroit dressing room, scored in both games for his new team.
David Perron is up to seven goals since March 1st. 😳
What a run he's been on! pic.twitter.com/gbFpjvlgTZ
— NHL (@NHL) March 28, 2025
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While the Senators would ultimately fall short in the opening round of the postseason against the Toronto Maple Leafs, they did manage to make life uncomfortable for them and appear poised to take another step in their rebuilding process this season.
Meanwhile, the Red Wings missed out on claiming a postseason spot for the ninth consecutive season thanks in large part to yet another prolonged losing streak in the month of March.
If the Red Wings are to return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season, they'll need to improve their fortunes against the Senators, who have had their number over the last few campaigns.
Ottawa has been on a remarkable run of success against the Red Wings in their last 10 matchups, winning eight of them.
Additionally, the core of Ottawa is just getting started. They have a solid foundation led by forwards Brady Tkachuk and Tim Stützle, while their top-six is rounded out by Dylan Cozens (who was linked to the Red Wings in the weeks leading up to last season's NHL Trade Deadline) and Drake Batherson.
Jake Sanderson and Thomas Chabot anchor the Ottawa defense, while Linus Ullmark holds down the fort in the crease.
With veterans Perron and Claude Giroux returning for next season, the Senators appear poised to not only build off their success last season but to take another step toward once again becoming a major problem in the Eastern Conference for their opposition.
The Red Wings won't face the Senators until after the calendar has changed to 2026, a matchup on January 5 in Ottawa. This will be followed by matchups on January 18 at Little Caesars Arena, February 26 in Ottawa, and Mach 24 back in Detroit.
All four games will have a valuable two points up for grabs in the standings, points that the Red Wings will need to accumulate to help increase their chances of ending their playoff drought.
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