Red Wings turn early-season weaknesses into deeper team strengths

Detroit blanked Montreal 4-0 as recent goaltending and broader scoring depth have shifted the club from a star-driven attack to a more balanced lineup.

The Detroit Red Wings beat the Montreal Canadiens 4-0 on Saturday, a result that highlights a broader turnaround for the team this season. Early optimism about the club’s standing rested largely on the performances of Dylan Larkin, Alex DeBrincat and Lucas Raymond. Many observers raised questions about depth scoring and long-standing inconsistencies in net. Acquiring goaltender John Gibson and contributions from depth players have been central to the change in momentum. Key details: - Detroit recorded a 4-0 win over Montreal in the most recent game. - John Gibson was acquired on day two of the 2025 NHL Draft and posted a 4-7-1 record with a 3.59 goals-against average and a .865 save percentage through his first 13 starts with the Red Wings. - Over his last 14 starts, Gibson showed a marked turnaround with a 12-2-0 record, a 2.01 goals-against average and a .932 save percentage, a strong run over the past two months as reported. - Through the first 27 games of the season, only three players (Larkin, DeBrincat and Raymond) were averaging a point per game; over the subsequent 19-game stretch, the team had eight players averaging a point per game. - Andrew Copp recorded 17 points in the 19-game stretch, James van Riemsdyk had 13 points in his last 16 games, Axel Sandin-Pellikka posted 11 points over that stretch, and Dylan Larkin had 12 points in his last 19 games. - The combination of deeper scoring across multiple lines and improved goaltending has been cited as the reason the team no longer appears to be relying solely on its top trio. Summary: The Red Wings’ recent mix of stronger goaltending and expanded scoring has shifted the team from a star-driven profile toward more balanced contributions across lines. Whether Detroit can sustain this pace for the full season is undetermined at this time.