Red Wings Winning Ugly, Top Line Questions, and the Next Test

Jan 8, 2026 • 1:23:00

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OSOttawa Senators PPPittsburgh Penguins DRDetroit Red Wings

Episode Notes

The Red Wings are still winning — but the path hasn’t been clean.

In this extended episode of Red Wings Rant, we break down a critical stretch that includes back-to-back losses to Pittsburgh, a controversial but important win over Ottawa, and what those games reveal about where Detroit actually stands.

The Wings were thoroughly out-chanced against the Penguins at five-on-five, posting just a 38.4% expected-goals share. Against Ottawa, they flipped the script on the scoreboard — despite MoneyPuck giving them only a 27% chance to win — by capitalizing on mistakes, special teams, and timely goaltending.

That contrast leads to the real question: not “is it sustainable?” — but how good teams find ways to survive when they don’t have their best game.

We dig into:

Why Detroit’s underlying numbers vs. Pittsburgh are more concerning than the final scores • Todd McLellan’s blunt assessment of what went wrong — and what must improve • Why Ottawa was the perfect “response test” opponent • What winning ugly actually tells us about structure, goaltending, and maturity • Growing concerns around the top line of Larkin, Raymond, and Emmitt Finnie • Whether Finnie’s stamina is catching up and if it’s time for a new look • Marco Kasper’s role — and whether a reset in Grand Rapids makes sense • Andrew Copp’s December surge as Detroit’s unsung stabilizer • How Moritz Seider’s all-around impact continues to anchor this team • Trade deadline pressure and why Detroit should be part of impact conversations • Two potential fits if the Wings choose to be aggressive: Alex Tuch and Justin Faulk • Why Heated Rivalry matters for hockey culture — and why this conversation belongs in the sport right now