Who’s up for going out on a high note?
The Detroit Red Wings play game 82 tonight in Toronto, taking on the Maple Leafs at 7 p.m. Since being eliminated from postseason contention, the Red Wings have played pretty well… albeit against a couple of depleted rosters that chose to rest players, having their standings position locked up already.
We could see the same tonight from the Maple Leafs, who will re-ignite the Battle of Ontario with a first-round matchup against the Ottawa Senators, as all eight first-round matchups are set after Montreal clinched a playoff spot last night.
At this point, we all know how we got here and that the game doesn’t mean much… but there’s still plenty worth watching for. This feels like the end of a pretty crucial audition for Jonatan Berggren, who’s been getting a chance on the top line after a season in which he blended in too often. He’s had an impact in two games so far, but could use a big night to showcase that he’s worth holding onto for next season — he’s under contract, but I expect the Red Wings will need to make a trade or two while they try to retool the roster.
Similarly, Marco Kasper can put a bow on the great second-half story of his offensive surge, which has seen him rack up 13 points in his last 17 games — definitely the second-line production Detroit has sorely needed for a while. Simon Edvinsson’s been moved to the top pair with Moritz Seider, which feels more like an experiment than an audition. He’s certainly up to the task of top-line minutes, but right now, it feels like it benefits Detroit to have its two best defensemen on separate pairs.
On the opposite end of the age spectrum, is tonight the final NHL game for Jeff Petry? He’s not been a fan favorite in Detroit, but he’s still had an impressive NHL career and is, by all accounts, well-liked in the dressing room. Similarly, Patrick Kane is of the age where he’s sure to get that question from the media next week, but Detroit has felt like a great fit for him on and off the ice, so I’m hoping both parties want to extend the relationship.
All those questions will surely be answered over the next few months, but for the last time in 2024-25, we have a game to play.
How to Watch
Time: 7:00 p.m. EDT
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Detroit
Radio: 97.1 The Ticket
Red Wings Projected Lineup
Berggren – Larkin – Raymond
DeBrincat – Kasper – Kane
Rasmussen – Compher – Tarasenko
Smith – Motte – Watson
Edvinsson – Seider
Chiarot – Petry
Lagesson – Johansson/Holl
Mrazek
Lyon
Maple Leafs Projected Lineup
Knies – Matthews – Marner
Domi – Tavares – Nylander
McMann – Holmberg – Robertson
Lorentz – Laughton – Jarnkrok
Benoit – Tanev
Rielly – Myers
Mermis – Carlo
Woll
Stolarz
