After an exciting return to play Stanley Cup Qualifiers round in the NHL this past week featuring games all day every day, Monday brought a sudden empty schedule as the dust settled. For eight teams it was a day of packing up to leave the playoff bubble after what probably seemed like the blink of an eye. For their respective fan bases it gave a bit of time to reflect on the sudden onslaught of do or die hockey followed now by a not yet fully determined off-season.
But what did it mean for the Red Wings and their fans?