Until this season, it had been more than a quarter of a century since the Detroit Red Wings missed the NHL playoffs. But their loss Tuesday, coupled with wins by the Bruins and Maple Leafs, spelled the end of that run.

Longest active streak in major pro sports

Year after year Longest NHL postseason appearance streaks Bruins 29 1967-96 Blackhawks 28 1969-97 Red Wings 25 1990-2016 Blues 25 1979-2004 Canadiens 24 1970-94

The Red Wings had not missed the playoffs since the 1989-90 season. The 25-season streak of making the postseason was the longest active streak in the NHL. The Pittsburgh Penguins now have the longest active NHL playoffs streak, at 11 seasons, including this season.

The Red Wings’ streak was the longest active streak in any of the four major North American pro sports leagues.

The longest now belongs to the San Antonio Spurs, who have made the playoffs 20 seasons in a row (including this season). The Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots have the longest streaks in the NFL (eight seasons), and the Los Angeles Dodgers have the longest run in Major League Baseball (four).

ESPN Stats & Information

From the 1990-91 through 2015-16 seasons, the Red Wings recorded more than 100 more wins than any other NHL team. During that stretch, the Red Wings had more playoff wins than the Flames, Jets, Predators, Islanders, Wild, Panthers, Blue Jackets and Coyotes combined.

How things have changed

NHL Then and now 1989-90 2016-17 Teams 21 30 Canada teams 7 7 California teams 1 3 Florida teams 0 2

The last time the Red Wings missed the playoffs, the NHL had 21 teams. Four of those franchises have since relocated, and one franchise that didn’t exist in 1990 -- the Atlanta Thrashers -- has also relocated (to Winnipeg). The Stanley Cup champions in 1990 (Edmonton Oilers) just ended a 10-year streak of missing the playoffs -- the longest active streak of missing the playoffs.

ESPN Stats & Information

Fourteen Hockey Hall of Fame players suited up for the Red Wings during their 25-season run. Pavel Datsyuk, who left the team after last season, and current captain Henrik Zetterberg are strong candidates to join that list.

Did you know?

Elias Sports Bureau research shows that more than half of the active players in the NHL (393 of 768, which includes players on injury lists) hadn't been born on April 4, 1990, the last time an NHL postseason started without the Red Wings.