Henrik-Zetterberg-1-24-14

Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg said his team needs another late-season surge, similar to 2010 and 2013, to keep playoff streak alive.

(The Associated Press)

TAMPA, Fla. – The Detroit Red Wings have qualified for the postseason by a comfortable margin almost every year during their 22-year playoff streak.

On a couple of occasions they needed a strong late-season push to make it. They went 16-3-2 after the Olympic break in 2010. Last season, they went 12-6-3 in the final 21 games, winning their last four.

"Probably got to pull something similar this year," Detroit captain Henrik Zetterberg said after a 4-2 loss at Tampa Bay Saturday, the final game before the Olympic break. "Our playoffs basically start when we come back after the break. That's the kind of hockey you want to play."

The Red Wings’ first game back is Feb. 26 at Montreal.

The Red Wings (26-20-12) hold the second wild-card position in the Eastern Conference – the final playoff spot. But it’s an extremely tight battle. They lead Columbus, Ottawa and Washington by only one point. Just six points separate eight teams competing for the final three spots.

Riddled with injuries, the Red Wings have had to scrounge for points. They've squandered points by blowing leads or allowing late goals, like on Saturday. But they were optimistic heading into the break with a 6-3-2 mark in their past 11 games.

“I think we’ve done a lot of good things,” coach Mike Babcock said. “I think we’re a way better team than we were. We’re way quicker. We skate, our young kids are good players. We need a few more of our veterans to be better than they’ve been and we’ll be fine.”

They have gotten a tremendous boost from young forwards Gustav Nyquist and Tomas Tatar, each of whom has 24 points. Nyquist has nine goals in his past 10 games and 14 for the season. Tatar has 13 goals.

Nyquist spent the first 22 games of the NHL season with the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins due to the Red Wings’ roster and salary-cap squeeze. Tatar was a healthy scratch in eight of the first nine games due to Babcock’s preference for veterans.

Riley Sheahan, Tomas Jurco and Luke Glendening have come up from Grand Rapids at various times to provide scoring and/or energy.

“It’s encouraging to see these young guys that really have taken steps in their development,” defenseman Niklas Kronwall said. “That’s made us a faster team and a better team.”

Kronwall said they are headed in the right direction.

“We’ve been playing some good hockey, we just got to stick with the program, just keep believing in the system,” Kronwall said. “Guys are working hard; it’s just a matter of bearing down when we get the chances and make sure we stay a little patient at the end of games.”

They hope to be deeper and better after the break.

Center Stephen Weiss, the big free agent acquisition who had a disastrous first two months before undergoing surgery for a sports hernia, is due back the first game after the break. The club hopes Johan Franzen, who had been on a roll before suffering a concussion on Dec. 15, can return after the break as well.

“I think it’s hard to judge our team because there have been so many injuries and guys in and out,” Daniel Alfredsson said. “But overall we’re right in the mix. Hopefully we can be healthy; if we are we feel we’re a pretty consistent team that’s going to give ourselves chances to win every night.

“It’s going to be a dogfight until the end. The break hopefully will help us to be healthy going forward.”

The Red Wings have cumulative record of 57-19-7-6 (W-L-T-OTL) after the Olympic break from 1998 to 2010.

They need more consistent play from goaltender Jimmy Howard and better defense.

If they make a move before the March 5 trade deadline, they’re more apt to pursue a top-four defenseman than a forward. But the pickings are slim, and to acquire any player the soon-to-be capped out Red Wings would need to shed an equal amount of salary. That will make it tough to deal.

If they have to make do with what they have, that’s fine by them.

“I think we’ve been playing a lot better the last 10 games, going the right way,” Zetterberg said. “Hopefully we get some guys back after the break. We’re going to have a fun run all the way into the postseason.”