It’s been a remarkable reversal, but McLellan realizes that maintaining their spot will be just as difficult as it was getting there. The Red Wings play 16 of their final 29 on the road and have the most difficult remaining schedule based on opponents’ points percentage (.583), according to tankathon.com.

Believe it or not, the Detroit Red Wings are the hottest team in the NHL. After a sluggish first half of the season, the team is starting to build steam heading into the NHL Trade Deadline and has quickly become a playoff contender.

The Detroit Red Wings, after winning their sixth straight game, finished Sunday in the Eastern Conference's first wild-card playoff spot.

Alex DeBrincat lifts the Red Wings to an overtime victory in Vancouver and the first wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference

Jonaten Berggren, Simon Edvinsson, Albert Johansson, Marco Kasper and Elmer Söderblom ignited the Detroit Red Wings' playoff chase in January.

With an overtime win in Vancouver and a successful western Canada swing, the Red Wings are firmly back in the Eastern Conference race.

The Wings are in the midst of a six-game winning streak and are 14-4-1 since Todd McLellan took over as head coach, playing their way from near the bottom of the Eastern Conference into a playoff spot.

The Red Wings are six games above NHL .500 (27-21-5) and with 59 points, are only one point from third-place Ottawa in the Atlantic Division.