HIGHLIGHTS
- Pavel Datsyuk believes the Red Wings are going to make a deep playoff run next season
- The HOFer made a bold prediction for his former team, while saying the Panthers won’t win another Cup
- Read below to see what Datsyuk said
The Detroit Red Wings missed the playoffs in 2024-25 for the ninth straight season. But, franchise legend Pavel Datsyuk believes they’re going to end that drought in 2025-26.
Speaking to Sergey Demidov of RG.org, Datsyuk predicted that the Red Wings will not only qualify for the postseason, but make a run all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals. Oh, and he believes the Florida Panthers are going to fall short of the three-peat:
“Here’s my prediction – Detroit will reach the conference final. As for Florida, which has won two Stanley Cups, it will be hard to win a third in a row. I think it will be very difficult for them – partly because of the short summer, and also because motivation won’t be quite the same.”
Bold from Datsyuk, who lifted two Stanley Cups during his time with the Red Wings. The club finished with a 37-35-7 record last season, with their winning percentage dipping for the first time since Steve Yzerman took over as GM.
But there remains optimism in Detroit due to a talented young core. Lucas Raymond had a breakout campaign last year with 80 points, while defenseman Moritz Seider is a reliable figure who led the Red Wings in ice time. Alex DeBrincat and captain Dylan Larkin both put up impressive numbers, while veteran Patrick Kane re-signed with the Red Wings in free agency. He brings boatloads of experience to the table and is still producing.
Reaching the conference finals will be a tall task for this franchise, but one of the greatest to ever put on a Red Wings sweater believes they have what it takes. As for the Cats, well, they re-signed Sam Bennett, Brad Marchand, and Aaron Ekblad. Florida is definitely a favorite to lift Lord Stanley again, despite what Datsyuk may think.
