Detroit Red Wings announce that the worst is confirmed for a top line forward

The postseason drought for the Red Wings is officially continuing into a 9th straight year, the longest in team history.

It's hard to believe, considering that next year is Detroit's centennial season, and that even the poor teams known as the "Dead Wings" in the 1970s made the postseason once in a while.

With just 3 games left before breaking for the summer, the Red Wings have announced that top forward Elmer Soderblom is being shut down and won't play again this year.

Right now, there isn't a plan to bring up anyone else from Grand Rapids to take his place in the lineup. They skated with the following forward line combos during practice today:

Berggren-Larkin-Raymond
DeBrincat-Kasper-Kane
Rasmussen-Compher-Tarasenko
Smith-Motte-Watson

Soderblom hasn't played since Detroit's devastating loss to the Montreal Canadiens on April 8.

He has 11 points (4G, 7A) in 26 games since being re-called from the American Hockey League.

The Red Wings host the Dallas Stars on Monday for the final home game of the year before heading for one last road trip with stops against the New Jersey Devils and the divisional foe Toronto Maple Leafs.

Had the Red Wings been able to claim the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, they likely would have met the Leafs in the postseason in what would have been their 1st playoff matchup since 1993.