Same Old Song and Dance for Red Wings

It wasn't that long ago when the Detroi Red Wings were one of the NHL's model franchise, if not the model franchise. Their 25-year playoff appearance streak from 1991-2016 was tied for the third-longest in NHL history, and with four Stanley Cups in that time, they were on a historically great run.

Now, though, the Red Wings find themselves on the other side, and it's not a good feeling.

The Red Wings were eliminated from playoff contention after the Montreal Canadiens gained a point in an overtime loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday, marking the ninth-straight year they've missed the postseason. They're now tied for the fourth-longest playoff drought in league history.

Last season, the Red Wings came agonizingly close to the playoffs, losing out on the final wild card spot due to tiebreakers and fighting tooth and nail to get in. For a while, it looked like they might be able to end the drought this year, until they didn't.

Detroit lost six-straight games in regulation from Feb. 27-Mar. 10, a streak that essentially killed its playoff chances. What makes it all the more disappointing is that the Red Wings were on a 17-5-2 run under new head coach Todd McLellan before that losing streak, but seemingly forgot how to play overnight. They've been playing around .500 hockey since the streak ended, and that simply isn't good enough to claw back into the playoff picture.

It also doesn't help that Detroit has been almost completely reliant on its power play this season. The Red Wings' power play is the fourth-best in the league at 27.3 percent, but their 138 goals at 5-on-5 are the fourth-fewest in the league. Their penalty kill is also downright atrocious at 70 percent, the worst in the league this season and one of the worst on record.

Detroit still has plenty of promising young players to be excited about. Lucas Raymond, 22, leads the team in scoring with 78 points (27 goals, 51 assists) in 80 games, and Moritz Seider, 23, is a clear-cut No. 1 defenseman. Other youngsters like 21-year-old Marco Kasper and 22-year-old Simon Edvinsson have come on lately as well.

No, it's the veterans that have struggled. Free agent acquisitions such as Vladimir Tarasenko, J.T. Compher, Erik Gustafsson and more have simply not played up to the level they've shown, and it's cost the team this year. That reflects poorly on general manager Steve Yzerman, who's now been at the helm for six years and doesn't have a single playoff appearance to show for it.

There's enough potential to stay the course with Yzerman, especially with McLellan having more time to settle in. However, the fanbase's patience is running out, or at least it's close to that point.