Red Wings Rant Podcast

Detroit just beat the Bruins — but the analytics still scream danger.
Second-worst PDO. Fifth-worst save percentage. Second-worst shooting percentage. And a massive gap between expected goals and actual goals.

Tonight we break down the advanced stats behind Detroit’s inconsistency, why 5-on-5 offense keeps stalling, how the defense collapses without Edvinsson, and what the team can fix on this road trip.

We’ll also cover which trade targets make sense from Toronto, Nashville, Calgary, and Vancouver — and how Steve Yzerman should approach the market heading into the New Year.

Hosted by Simpleca...

The Detroit Red Wings lost 4–3 to the New Jersey Devils, but unlike so many of their blowout losses this season, this one showed real fight. Detroit heavily out-chanced the Devils at 5-on-5, dominated long stretches of play, and nearly tied the game with a frantic two-minute barrage in the final moments. This was one of those rare “good” losses — not something we celebrate often on Red Wings Rant — but the effort in periods two and three showed what this team can be when they lock in.

Still, the problems are real. Early defensive mistakes continue to sink the Wings...

The Red Wings reached the 20-game mark in first place in the Atlantic Division. But does the record match the reality?

This week on Red Wings Rant, we break down:

The Red Wings are one of the strangest teams in the NHL right now.
By straight win percentage, Detroit ranks like a top-10 team. But watch the games — or just check the box scores — and you see a team that either plays fast, structured, playoff-caliber hockey … or completely falls apart for long stretches.

In this episode, we break down why the Wings keep swinging between dominant and disastrous, including:

Why their win percentage paints a WAY better picture than their actual record

The Detroit Red Wings finish their five-game road trip sitting second in the Atlantic Division — and the analytics show exactly why. Detroit currently sits around 51.5% in expected goals for percentage (xGF%) at both five-on-five and all strengths, signaling a team that’s genuinely driving play and out-chancing opponents most nights.

But dig deeper, and the cracks appear:
Detroit’s high-danger scoring chance percentage dips below 50%, and their high-danger shooting percentage ranks in the league’s bottom third. Meanwhile, they’re above 50% in both medium- and low-danger shot possession, meaning they’re getting volume — just not finishing quality looks...

The Detroit Red Wings’ rollercoaster start to the season continues — but this week, it’s all trending upward.

After being booed off home ice, Todd McLellan’s explosive timeout lit a fire under Detroit, leading to a six-goal comeback and a dominant 5-2 follow-up in St. Louis. Matt and Mike dive into what Max Bultman called “the night that showed both sides” of this team — one that can look disjointed and unstoppable in the same 60 minutes.

We’ll break down:

The Detroit Red Wings’ five-game win streak is over — but the message from Todd McLellan is loud and clear. After a 4-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres, Matt and Mike break down what went wrong, what still looks strong, and what this team must fix to keep their hot start alive.

In this episode of Red Wings Rant, we react to Max Bultman’s latest reporting on the Sabres game, dive into McLellan’s postgame comments about preparation and focus, and examine why structure and pace remain the Red Wings’ biggest strengths — and their biggest vulnerabilities.

From John...

Hi everybody, and welcome to Red Wings Rant: Where tirades and impassioned pleas about your Detroit Red Wings finally have a home. Matt and Mike are back from Little Caesars Arena — and the Detroit Red Wings are officially on a roll. After taking down the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers 4-1, the Wings have now strung together three straight wins to move to 3-1-0.

The guys break down what it was like inside the arena, who passed the eyeball test (spoiler: Axel Sandin-Pellikka looked like a seasoned pro), and how Todd McLellan’s influence is alre...

Hi everybody, and welcome to  Red Wings Rant: Where tirades and impassioned pleas about your Detroit Red Wings finally have a home. 

The wait is over — Red Wings hockey is BACK.
In this Red Wings Rant Season Preview, Matt and Mike dive into what could be the most exciting opening night in years as Detroit’s youth movement takes center stage.

We break down:
🔥 Roster shake-up: Gustafsson and Holl waived, clearing the way for rookies Emmitt Finnie, Michael Brandsegg-Nygård, and Axel Sandin-Pellikka
🚀 Finnie on the top line: Wha...

Hi everybody and welcome to Red Wings Rant! Where tirades and impassioned pleas for your Detroit Red Wings finally have a home!

The Detroit Red Wings are halfway through the preseason, and it’s time to check in on who’s trending up, who’s trending down, and what it means for the opening night roster.

In this episode of Red Wings Rant, we break down:

🚀 Emmitt Finnie’s breakout camp — is he ready for Larkin & Raymond’s top line?

💪 Michael Rasmussen – Andrew Copp – Mason Appleton line clicking as a heavy, effective third line.<...

Hi everybody, and welcome to  Red Wings Rant: Where tirades and impassioned pleas about your Detroit Red Wings finally have a home. 

Mike and Matt break down the Detroit Red Wings Red & White Game with fresh eyes from inside Little Caesars Arena. Who passed the eyeball test? Who left us worried?

We spotlight Emmitt Finnie’s relentless camp performance—tenacity, smarts, and a little bit of “hate” in his game—that’s making him impossible to ignore. Is he a real contender for the top line with Larkin and Raymond, or are the Wings dangerously thin if it com...

The Detroit Red Wings wrapped up their 2025 Prospect Showcase in Frisco, Texas against the Dallas Stars with a 6–2 win and a 6–5 loss. In this episode of Red Wings Rant, we break down the biggest takeaways from The Athletic, The Hockey News, and NHL.com: Amadeus Lombardi: Elite playmaking, 1G 4A — NHL-ready? Nate Danielson: Defensive IQ, added size — the next Seider? Shai Buium: 2 goals, strong pairing with ASP. Michael Brandsegg-Nygård: Physical, high-volume shooter. Axel Sandin-Pellikka: Confident two-way play — future PP QB? Emmitt Finnie: High-motor bottom-six potential with 2 goals. Carter Bear: Injury precaution, but impact on camp? We’ll also cover team tr...

Hi everybody, and welcome to  Red Wings Rant: Where tirades and impassioned pleas about your Detroit Red Wings finally have a home. 

We’ll kick off with some quick hits before diving into rebuilds and trade chatter:

The first day of NHL Free Agency is in the books, and the Detroit Red Wings have upgraded, but not by much.

We’re going live to break down the Day 1 action:

Who the Wings missed out on — including Mitch Marner, Gavrikov, K’Andre Miller, and the Florida exodus

Who they did sign — James Van Riemsdyk signs, Patrick Kane returns, trade for John Gibson, plus Berggren and Johansson ink new deals

What still needs to happen for this offseason to be a win, like targeting Ehlers

Potential trade targets now that...

Hi everybody, and welcome to  Red Wings Rant: Where tirades and impassioned pleas about your Detroit Red Wings finally have a home. 

This week on Red Wings Rant, we break down our final thoughts ahead of the 2025 NHL Draft and free agency frenzy. Using Prashanth Iyer’s offseason blueprint and the Daily Faceoff Top 50 Free Agents list, we explore:

Hi everybody, and welcome to  Red Wings Rant: Where tirades and impassioned pleas about your Detroit Red Wings finally have a home. 

Let's kick things off by celebrating Axel Sandin Pellikka's 2025 Elite Prospects Award.

We also discuss more trades with Chris Kreider, Nic Hague, Mitch Marner, Martin Necas, Elias Pettersson, Jason Robertson, Marco Rossi, and more!

The Red Wings are staring down a pivotal moment in the 2025 NHL Draft with the 13th overall pick. With glaring needs at both wings and the blue line, and a clear organizational preference for prospects coming out of...

Hi everybody, and welcome to  Red Wings Rant: Where tirades and impassioned pleas about your Detroit Red Wings finally have a home. 

The Red Wings missed the playoffs (again), and we don’t even get the catharsis of knowing what moves are on the table yet. So, let’s do the next best thing—scout the winners. 

This week, we’re breaking down the Final Four teams in the NHL Playoffs and analyzing which of their strategies the Red Wings could reasonably copy. 

Should we go all-in on elite top-line scoring like the Oilers? Embr...

Hi everybody, and welcome to  Red Wings Rant: Where tirades and impassioned pleas about your Detroit Red Wings finally have a home. 

In this episode of Red Wings Rant, we take a hard look at where the Yzerplan stands after Year 6 and what Steve Yzerman had to say in his postseason press conference. With a ninth straight playoff miss and glaring roster holes, fans are asking: What's next?

We dig into:

Hi everybody, and welcome to  Red Wings Rant: Where tirades and impassioned pleas about your Detroit Red Wings finally have a home. 

Captain Dylan Larkin finally opens up about the 2024-25 Red Wings season — and he's not holding back. In this episode, we break down Larkin’s honest assessment of how a lack of effort from the front office, specifically GM Steve Yzerman, drained morale in the locker room and left the team struggling to make progress without support. Did Yzerman's quiet trade deadline and roster inaction undermine the team’s playoff push? Are the players l...

Hi everybody, and welcome to  Red Wings Rant: Where tirades and impassioned pleas about your Detroit Red Wings finally have a home. 

The Red Wings are about to miss the postseason for the ninth straight year, and with this being Episode 360, we’ve officially gone full circle. 

Like the 2016–17 team that kicked off this drought, this year’s squad is heading to the tee box—with a few extra pity points and a lot of déjà vu.

We break down what went wrong again, and why the playoff push fizzled out despite de...

The Detroit Red Wings are officially out of the playoff race — and in this episode of Red Wings Rant, we’re pointing the finger at Steve Yzerman’s 2023 free agency decisions. We dig into why Vladimir Tarasenko and Justin Holl didn’t live up to expectations and how those signings may have cost the Wings a chance at postseason hockey. Meanwhile, the Montreal Canadiens just signed Ivan Demidov, continuing their rebuild with purpose and precision. We compare where Montreal is heading versus where Detroit should be, and ask the tough question: what will it take for the Red Wings to build...

Hi everybody, and welcome to  Red Wings Rant: Where tirades and impassioned pleas about your Detroit Red Wings finally have a home. 

The Red Wings have just 8 games left, are 4 points out of a playoff spot, and own the toughest remaining schedule in the NHL. After yet another soul-crushing loss, we’re here to say what everyone’s thinking: it’s not technically over... but it’s over.

In this episode, we break down why this collapse should spark bigger changes than most fans expect—especially with Detroit’s all-time worst Penalty Kill dragging the team down. We...

Hi everybody, and welcome to  Red Wings Rant: Where tirades and impassioned pleas about your Detroit Red Wings finally have a home. 

The Detroit Red Wings are still clinging to a playoff spot, but with the hardest remaining schedule in the NHL and another tough loss—this time to the Washington Capitals—how much longer can they hold on? The Wings could have won this game, but at this point in the season, do moral victories even matter? We break down the latest loss, the team's struggles, and whether they can still turn things around before it's too la...

Hi everybody, and welcome to  Red Wings Rant: Where tirades and impassioned pleas about your Detroit Red Wings finally have a home. 

The Red Wings are in a tailspin, dropping six straight and making no major moves at the trade deadline to shake things up. So… is the season over?

Should the Wings ride it out with their veterans and hope for a miracle, or is it time to call up the kids and see if a prospect-heavy lineup can bring some energy—and maybe even sneak into the playoffs? We break down Detroit’s options...

Hi everybody, and welcome to  Red Wings Rant: Where tirades and impassioned pleas about your Detroit Red Wings finally have a home. 

With the NHL Trade Deadline just days away, the Detroit Red Wings are coming off tough losses to the Blue Jackets and Hurricanes. Do these setbacks change how you feel about the team buying at the deadline? We’ll break down Detroit’s playoff hopes, their brutal remaining schedule, and what Carter Mazur’s call-up could mean for the final stretch. Did the Wings’ decision to retain salary in a trade for Tampa Bay hint at Steve Y...

Hi everybody, and welcome to  Red Wings Rant: Where tirades and impassioned pleas about your Detroit Red Wings finally have a home. 

In this explosive episode of Red Wings Rant, we kick things off by celebrating Patrick Kane’s sensational overtime winner over the Anaheim Ducks—a moment of brilliance that lit up the ice. But while Kane’s heroics spark celebration, we can’t ignore the bitter déjà vu: last year, despite an easy remaining schedule, our team fell short of the playoffs, thanks in no small part to Yzerman’s failure to upgrade at the...

Hi everybody, and welcome to  Red Wings Rant: Where tirades and impassioned pleas about your Detroit Red Wings finally have a home. 

The Four Nations Face-Off is proving to be everything the NHL All-Star Game wasn’t—intense, competitive, and packed with energy! We break down how this tournament has completely revitalized mid-season international play, bringing fans the excitement they’ve been craving.

Lucas Raymond has been electric for Sweden, while Dylan Larkin has been a key force for Team USA, both putting on standout performances. With the tournament’s grand finale set for Thur...