Detroit — The Red Wings were, again, for the 10th consecutive year, cleaning out their lockers, holding exit meetings, and preparing for another long summer Friday rather than preparing for the first round of the NHL playoffs.
Something about this particular one, though, might have stung a bit more than the others.
The fact the Wings were playing so well the first half of the season. They were among the Eastern Conference leaders even into the month of January, 12 points clear of making the playoffs. They made two key acquisitions at the trade deadline (defenseman Justin Faulk, forward David Perron).
The stars appeared aligned to finally play Stanley Cup playoff hockey.
But the inevitable collapse, again, happened. The Wings only won eight of their final 24 games (8-12-4) and plummeted down the standings.
It was a weary, frustrated and sullen group of Wings meeting the media Friday at Little Caesars Arena.
“Frustration, honestly disbelief,” forward Alex DeBrincat said of how he felt about the season. “From where we were, and are, it’s not acceptable. We’re embarrassed with the spot where we are. There are so many emotions, none of them good or none of them we want to recreate.
“We had ourselves in such a good spot and our play drops toward the end of the season. Now we’re sitting here talking to you rather than playing more games.
“All of us are frustrated and frankly, embarrassed is a good word for it. It’s kind of tough to do what we did.”
A predominant theme Friday was the fact when the games became tighter the last six to eight weeks of the season, the Wings played tighter also, but not in a good way. They weren’t as loose or confident. The mistakes became magnified. Offense, particularly at even strength, was long an issue but became even more of an issue late in the season.
“When the games get tighter, it’s tough for this team to be successful; that’s been clear,” defenseman Ben Chiarot said. “The mistakes get higher and things get tough for us and we don’t succeed in those situations.”
Chiarot, with so much playoff experience early in his career, felt confident this Wings roster had the ingredients to figure out how to get into the plyaoffs.
“For about 65 games there wasn’t a second I didn’t think this team was going to be a playoff team,” Chiarot said. “Then we got into the last six or seven weeks and things started to go sideways on us and we pissed it away. We really did. We had a team to get it done, get into the playoffs, and that’s just the starting point.
“It’s as frustrating stretch as I’ve had in my career.”
For captain Dylan Larkin, it’ll be another playoff-less spring. Larkin made it his rookie season with the team, 2016, and has yet to return.
“Difficult end of the season,” Larkin said. “It’s never a fun time when you miss the playoffs. But especially in this fashion, kind of being here again. It’s not a pleasant day around the rink, that’s for sure.
“We need to get the Detroit Red Wings back in the playoffs, not just me.”
Larkin acknowledged a lower-body injury March 6, the night of the trade deadline, hampered him the rest of the season, including missing eight games.
“I wasn’t able to move as well,” Larkin said. “It was unfortunate but kind of lucky that it wasn’t more serious. I was able to come back but I was in pain for a while.”
The timing of the injury confounded Larkin.
“That’s where you start to feel like, it’s just unbelievable,” Larkin said. “Why now? I know it’s a part of sports, injuries (are), but it was just unfortunate timing.”
Fans increasingly showed their displeasure as the season concluded. The Wings getting booed off the ice in the home finale against New Jersey, and being officially eliminated from the playoffs with the loss, was particularlly eye-opening.
“We didn’t perform to our standard,” defenseman Moritz Seider said. “It was the most important game and we didn’t show up, so the fans deserve to show their emotions.”
Roster construction, personnel movement, and schematic decisions on the ice are all on the front office and coaching staff, and those decisions will be made as the summer moves on. General manager Steve Yzerman and coach Todd McLellan will meet the media for an end-of-season press conference in the coming days.
All the players can do is continue to improve and have this particular disappointment fuel them.
“It’s the worst feeling you have, not going to the playoffs,” defenseman Simon Edvinsson said. “You’re so close. Everybody worked so hard and it still doesn’t get it done. We need to figure it out.
“I know everyone is so tired of being here (missing the playoffs).”
tkulfan@detroitnews.com
@tkulfan
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: ‘Embarrassed’ Red Wings head home for summer smarting from flat finish
Reporting by Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
