NHL playoff scenarios: How Red Wings can still clinch wild card spot

The Red Wings aren’t dead yet.

With two regular season games left, the Detroit Red Wings are still actively in contention for the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Red Wings enter the final stretch with 87 points, tied with the Washington Capitals, who own the tiebreaker with the Wings.

Detroit’s final two games are against the Montreal Canadiens, while the Caps take on Boston and Philadelphia. Pittsburgh and the Islanders are also still alive.

The Wings need at least three points out of their final two games to have a shot, but really, they need four. And they need some help.

There are two ways the Red Wings can steal the spot from the Capitals. Here’s what needs to happen.

Red Wings wild card playoff scenarios

Wings win both games, Caps lose one

If the Wings win both of their final games, gain four points and finish with 91 points, they’ll need Washington to lose one of its last two games in any fashion, which would leave them with 90 points.

If this happens, the Wings are in. It’s as simple as that.

UPDATE: Epic comeback rally keeps Red Wings alive in playoff bid

Wings win one, lose one in overtime, gaining three points

Here’s where things get dicey. In this scenario, Washington would need to lose one of their games, leaving them with only two points in their last two games.

The Wings would also need Pittsburgh to lose one of its last two games, leaving the Pens and Caps with 89 points, and Detroit with 90.

Or, they’d need the Islanders to lose both of their last games in regulation, and for the Penguins to lose in regulation to Nashville. The Caps would finish third in the Metropolitan Division, the Islanders would move into the Wild Card spot, where the Wings own the tiebreaker.

The Red Wings haven’t made the playoffs since 2016, where they got bounced in the first round vs. the Lightning.

A playoff berth would be a huge step forward for the Wings, who are in year five of a rebuild under Steve Yzerman.

The Wings finish the season with back-to-back games, staring tonight at Little Caesars Arena, and then on the road Tuesday in Montreal.