2021–22 Detroit Red Wings season

The 2021–22 Detroit Red Wings season was the 96th season for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established on September 25, 1926. It is the Red Wings' fifth season at Little Caesars Arena.

The Red Wings were eliminated from playoff contention for the sixth consecutive season on April 9, 2022 1971–72 season and the 1976–77 season.

Off-season On June 30, 2021, the Red Wings hired Alex Tanguay as an assistant coach.

On July 18, 2021, the NHL released the full list of players protected in the 2021 NHL expansion draft.

On July 21, 2021, the Seattle Kraken selected defenseman Dennis Cholowski during their expansion draft.

Standings

Divisional standings

Conference standings

Schedule and results

Preseason 2021 preseason game log: 4–4–0 (Home: 3–1–0; Road: 1–3–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Recap 1 September 29 Detroit 4–3 Chicago SO Pickard — 1–0–0 2 September 30 Buffalo 2–6 Detroit Nedeljkovic 14,352 2–0–0 3 October 2 Columbus 1–5 Detroit Greiss 14,827 3–0–0 4 October 3 Detroit 1–5 Pittsburgh Nedeljkovic 15,554 3–1–0 5 October 4 Chicago 6–4 Detroit Greiss 14,769 3–2–0 6 October 6 Detroit 2–4 Columbus Nedeljkovic 10,374 3–3–0 7 October 7 Pittsburgh 2–4 Detroit Greiss 14,812 4–3–0 8 October 9 Detroit 1–3 Buffalo Nedeljkovic 6,607 4–4–0

Regular season 2021–22 game log 32–40–10 (Home: 18–16–7; Road: 14–24–3)October: 4–3–2 (Home: 2–1–2; Road: 2–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 14 Tampa Bay 7–6 Detroit OT Nedeljkovic 19,515 0–0–1 1 2 October 16 Vancouver 1–3 Detroit Greiss 19,515 1–0–1 3 3 October 19 Columbus 1–4 Detroit Greiss 19,515 2–0–1 5 4 October 21 Calgary 3–0 Detroit Nedeljkovic 19,515 2–1–1 5 5 October 23 Detroit 1–6 Montreal Greiss 19,706 2–2–1 5 6 October 24 Detroit 6–3 Chicago Nedeljkovic 19,042 3–2–1 7 7 October 27 Detroit 3–2 Washington OT Greiss 18,573 4–2–1 9 8 October 29 Florida 3–2 Detroit OT Nedeljkovic 15,593 4–2–2 10 9 October 30 Detroit 4–5 Toronto Greiss 18,921 4–3–2 10 November: 7–6–1 (Home: 5–1–0; Road: 2–5–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 10 November 2 Detroit 0–3 Montreal Nedeljkovic 19,547 4–4–2 10 11 November 4 Detroit 1–5 Boston Greiss 17,850 4–5–2 10 12 November 6 Detroit 4–3 Buffalo OT Nedeljkovic 8,171 5–5–2 12 13 November 7 Vegas 2–5 Detroit Greiss 19,515 6–5–2 14 14 November 9 Edmonton 2–4 Detroit Nedeljkovic 19,515 7–5–2 16 15 November 11 Washington 2–0 Detroit Greiss 19,515 7–6–2 16 16 November 13 Montreal 2–3 Detroit OT Nedeljkovic 19,515 8–6–2 18 17 November 15 Detroit 3–5 Columbus Greiss 15,293 8–7–2 18 18 November 16 Detroit 2–5 Dallas Nedeljkovic 17,764 8–8–2 18 19 November 18 Detroit 2–5 Vegas Greiss 18,002 8–9–2 18 20 November 20 Detroit 1–2 Arizona OT Nedeljkovic 12,906 8–9–3 19 21 November 24 St. Louis 2–4 Detroit Nedeljkovic 19,515 9–9–3 21 22 November 27 Buffalo 2–3 Detroit OT Nedeljkovic 19,515 10–9–3 23 23 November 30 Detroit 2–1 Boston Nedeljkovic 17,850 11–9–3 25 December: 4–5–0 (Home: 4–2–0; Road: 0–3–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 24 December 1 Seattle 3–4 Detroit SO Greiss 18,963 12–9–3 27 25 December 4 NY Islanders 3–4 Detroit OT Nedeljkovic 19,152 13–9–3 29 26 December 7 Nashville 5–2 Detroit Nedeljkovic 15,539 13–10–3 29 27 December 9 Detroit 2–6 St. Louis Nedeljkovic 18,096 13–11–3 29 28 December 10 Detroit 3–7 Colorado Nedeljkovic 18,021 13–12–3 29 29 December 14 NY Islanders 1–2 Detroit Nedeljkovic 16,884 14–12–3 31 30 December 16 Detroit 3–5 Carolina Nedeljkovic 16,017 14–13–3 31 31 December 18 New Jersey 2–5 Detroit Greiss 19,015 15–13–3 33 — December 20 Colorado Detroit Postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. — December 23 Detroit Minnesota Postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. — December 27 Detroit NY Rangers Postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. — December 29 Detroit NY Islanders Postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 32 December 31 Washington 3–1 Detroit Greiss 17,721 15–14–3 33 January: 5–6–3 (Home: 3–4–1; Road: 2–2–2) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 33 January 2 Boston 5–1 Detroit Nedeljkovic 17,973 15–15–3 33 34 January 4 San Jose 2–6 Detroit Nedeljkovic 14,524 16–15–3 35 — January 6 Detroit Anaheim Postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 35 January 8 Detroit 0–4 Los Angeles Nedeljkovic 17,321 16–16–3 35 36 January 9 Detroit 3–4 Anaheim SO Greiss 12,043 16–16–4 36 37 January 11 Detroit 2–3 San Jose OT Nedeljkovic 10,489 16–16–5 37 38 January 13 Winnipeg 3–0 Detroit Nedeljkovic 16,829 16–17–5 37 39 January 15 Buffalo 0–4 Detroit Nedeljkovic 19,515 17–17–5 39 40 January 17 Detroit 3–2 Buffalo OT Nedeljkovic 8,839 18–17–5 41 — January 18 Detroit Philadelphia Postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 41 January 21 Dallas 5–4 Detroit OT Nedeljkovic 18,522 18–17–6 42 42 January 22 Detroit 1–4 Nashville Nedeljkovic 17,455 18–18–6 42 43 January 26 Chicago 8–5 Detroit Pickard 16,578 18–19–6 42 44 January 28 Detroit 3–2 Pittsburgh SO Pickard 18,369 19–19–6 44 45 January 29 Toronto 7–4 Detroit Nedeljkovic 19,515 19–20–6 44 46 January 31 Anaheim 1–2 Detroit OT Nedeljkovic 14,545 20–20–6 46 February: 3–4–0 (Home: 1–3–0; Road: 2–1–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 47 February 2 Los Angeles 5–3 Detroit Nedeljkovic 11,553 20–21–6 46 48 February 9 Detroit 6–3 Philadelphia Nedeljkovic 13,243 21–21–6 48 49 February 12 Philadelphia 2–4 Detroit Greiss 15,965 22–21–6 50 50 February 14 Detroit 4–7 Minnesota Nedeljkovic 18,098 22–22–6 50 51 February 17 Detroit 3–2 NY Rangers SO Greiss 16,461 23–22–6 52 52 February 23 Colorado 5–2 Detroit Greiss 18,562 23–23–6 52 53 February 26 Toronto 10–7 Detroit Nedeljkovic 18,791 23–24–6 52 March: 3–8–3 (Home: 2–1–3; Road: 1–7–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 54 March 1 Carolina 3–4 Detroit OT Nedeljkovic 14,874 24–24–6 54 55 March 4 Detroit 1–3 Tampa Bay Nedeljkovic 19,092 24–25–6 54 56 March 5 Detroit 2–6 Florida Greiss 15,890 24–26–6 54 57 March 8 Arizona 9–2 Detroit Nedeljkovic 14,621 24–27–6 54 58 March 10 Minnesota 6–5 Detroit SO Nedeljkovic 17,461 24–27–7 55 59 March 12 Detroit 0–3 Calgary Greiss 17,658 24–28–7 55 60 March 15 Detroit 5–7 Edmonton Nedeljkovic 15,311 24–29–7 55 61 March 17 Detroit 1–0 Vancouver Nedeljkovic 18,893 25–29–7 57 62 March 19 Detroit 2–4 Seattle Nedeljkovic 17,151 25–30–7 57 63 March 22 Philadelphia 3–6 Detroit Nedeljkovic 15,521 26–30–7 59 64 March 24 Detroit 2–5 NY Islanders Greiss 16,429 26–31–7 59 65 March 26 Tampa Bay 2–1 Detroit OT Nedeljkovic 19,515 26–31–8 60 66 March 27 Detroit 2–11 Pittsburgh Nedeljkovic 17,842 26–32–8 60 67 March 30 NY Rangers 4–5 Detroit OT Nedeljkovic 16,375 26–32–9 61 April: 6–8–1 (Home: 1–4–1; Road: 5–4–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 68 April 1 Ottawa 5–2 Detroit Nedeljkovic 17,563 26–33–9 61 69 April 3 Detroit 2–5 Ottawa Greiss 16,402 26–34–9 61 70 April 5 Boston 3–5 Detroit Nedeljkovic 15,734 27–34–9 63 71 April 6 Detroit 3–1 Winnipeg Greiss 13,484 28–34–9 65 72 April 9 Columbus 5–4 Detroit OT Nedeljkovic 19,515 28–34–10 66 73 April 12 Ottawa 4–1 Detroit Greiss 16,093 28–35–10 66 74 April 14 Detroit 3–0 Carolina Nedeljkovic 17,811 29–35–10 68 75 April 16 Detroit 0–4 NY Rangers Greiss 18,006 29–36–10 68 76 April 17 Florida 6–1 Detroit Nedeljkovic 14,566 29–37–10 68 77 April 19 Detroit 4–3 Tampa Bay Greiss 19,092 30–37–10 70 78 April 21 Detroit 2–5 Florida Nedeljkovic 16,238 30–38–10 70 79 April 23 Pittsburgh 7–2 Detroit Greiss 19,515 30–39–10 70 80 April 24 Detroit 3–0 New Jersey Nedeljkovic 11,492 31–39–10 72 81 April 26 Detroit 0–3 Toronto Nedeljkovic 18,107 31–40–10 72 82 April 29 Detroit 5–3 New Jersey Hellberg 14,597 32–40–10 74 Legend:

Awards and honours

Awards

Regular season Player Award Awarded NHL Rookie of the Month October 2021 NHL Rookie of the Month November 2021 NHL First Star of the Week December 20, 2021

Milestones

Regular season Player Milestone Reached 1st career NHL game1st career NHL point1st career NHL assist October 14, 2021 1st career NHL game1st career NHL point1st career NHL assist October 14, 2021 Lucas Raymond 1st career NHL goal October 19, 2021 200th career NHL point October 19, 2021 Lucas Raymond 1st career NHL hat-trick October 24, 2021 Moritz Seider 1st career NHL goal November 6, 2021 500th career NHL game November 7, 2021 900th career NHL game November 9, 2021 100th career NHL game November 9, 2021 300th career NHL point November 13, 2021 1st career NHL game March 24, 2022

Player statistics

Skaters Regular season Player 71 31 38 69 –18 47 68 30 32 62 –11 47 82 23 34 57 –32 16 82 7 43 50 –9 34 78 5 33 38 –29 36 82 15 21 36 –11 22 81 13 18 31 –4 32 66 17 13 30 –23 35 80 15 12 27 –25 66 ‡ 60 13 12 25 +1 34 74 10 14 24 –24 10 26 13 6 19 –8 16 79 6 13 19 –22 34 ‡ 55 1 15 16 –33 16 71 3 13 16 -1 28 66 8 7 15 –14 22 63 1 12 13 –12 22 59 0 11 11 –8 26 † 18 4 4 8 1 17 45 2 6 8 –7 4 46 4 3 7 –6 108 26 4 2 6 –4 0 27 0 6 6 –8 8 15 1 3 4 –5 4 † 19 0 4 4 –6 4 6 0 2 2 +1 2 3 0 1 1 –2 5 ‡ 16 1 1 2 –6 9 † 8 0 0 0 –1 4 4 0 0 0 –2 7 2 0 0 0 +1 0 2 0 0 0 –1 0

Goaltenders Regular season Player 1 1 60 1 0 0 3 3.00 20 .870 0 0 0 0 59 52 3,231 20 24 9 178 3.31 1,618 .901 4 0 0 0 31 28 1,508 10 15 1 92 3.66 750 .891 0 0 0 0 3 1 126 1 1 0 9 4.29 72 .875 0 0 0 0 †Denotes player spent time with another team before joining the Red Wings. Stats reflect time with the Red Wings only. ‡Denotes player was traded mid-season. Stats reflect time with the Red Wings only. Bold/italics denotes franchise record.

Transactions The Red Wings have been involved in the following transactions during the 2021–22 season.

Trades Date Details Ref To New York IslandersRichard Panik2nd-round pick in 2021To Detroit Red WingsNick Leddy To Carolina HurricanesJonathan Bernier3rd-round pick in 2021To Detroit Red WingsAlex Nedeljkovic To Tampa Bay Lightning6th-round pick in 2022To Detroit Red WingsMitchell Stephens To Los Angeles KingsTroy Stecher To Detroit Red Wings7th-round pick in 2022 To St. Louis BluesNick LeddyLuke Witkowski To Detroit Red WingsOskar SundqvistJake Walman2nd-round pick in 2023 To Dallas StarsVladislav Namestnikov To Detroit Red Wings4th-round pick in 2024

Free agents Date Player Team Contract term Ref Luke Glendening to Dallas Stars 2-year Joe Hicketts to Minnesota Wild 2-year Jordan Oesterle from Arizona Coyotes 2-year Dominic Turgeon to Minnesota Wild 1-year Alex Biega to Toronto Maple Leafs 1-year Pius Suter from Chicago Blackhawks 2-year Dylan McIlrath to Washington Capitals 2-year Ryan Murphy from Henderson Silver Knights 1-year Darren Helm to Colorado Avalanche 1-year Dan Renouf from Colorado Avalanche 1-year Luke Witkowski from Syracuse Crunch 2-year Brian Lashoff from Tampa Bay Lightning 1-year Kevin Boyle to HC Bolzano 1-year Valtteri Filppula to Geneve-Servette HC 1-year Carter Rowney from Anaheim Ducks 1-year Evgeny Svechnikov to Winnipeg Jets 1-year Magnus Hellberg from HC Sochi 1-year Turner Elson from Grand Rapids Griffins 1-year Pontus Andreasson from Lulea HF 1-year Steven Kampfer from Ak Bars Kazan 1-year Brian Lashoff to Grand Rapids Griffins 1-year Ryan Murphy to Salavat Yulaev Ufa 1-year

Contract terminations Date Player Via Ref Frans Nielsen Buyout

Waivers Date Player Team Ref Gemel Smith from Tampa Bay Lightning Gemel Smith to Tampa Bay Lightning Olli Juolevi from Florida Panthers

Signings

Date Player Contract term Ref Michael Rasmussen 3-year Alex Nedeljkovic 2-year Marc Staal 1-year Gustav Lindstrom 2-year Taro Hirose 1-year Sam Gagner 1-year Calvin Pickard 1-year Tyler Bertuzzi 2-year Chase Pearson 1-year Jakub Vrana 3-year Adam Erne 2-year Filip Hronek 3-year Givani Smith 2-year Robby Fabbri 3-year Cross Hanas 3-year Simon Edvinsson 3-year Taro Hirose 2-year Elmer Soderblom 3-year Victor Brattstrom 1-year

Draft picks