Red Wings at crossroads with goaltender after two straight solid performances

With NHLers returning to the Olympic Games in February 2026, the official regular-season calendar is much more condensed than in past years.

All teams will play more back-to-back games this year than they did in the past, including the Detroit Red Wings.

In the next four days, the Wings will have three games.

Managing the players' energy is crucial, and what will be interesting to follow is each team's strategy regarding how they use their goaltenders.

The Red Wings started the season on a rough patch with a 5-1 loss against the Montreal Canadiens.

John Gibson, the biggest acquisition made by Steve Yzerman during the 2025 offseason, had a tough first outing as a Red Wing, allowing five goals on 13 shots and being replaced by Talbot between the pipes with only a few minutes left in the second period.

Since then, the Wings haven't lost a game.

Talbot won three straight games after replacing Gibson, and the former Ducks goalie had a chance to redeem himself against the Tampa Bay Lightning last Friday.

He had a strong performance, won, and then won the next game Sunday against the Edmonton Oilers.

As of now, Gibson's 2.99 GAA and .873 SV% don't show the momentum gained in his last two outings.

As for Talbot, the goalie has been very consistent so far, with a 1.78 GAA and a .932 SV%.

The two goalies will play this week, with three games in four nights against the Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, and St. Louis Blues.

But who plays when is the big question. Todd McLellan appears to trust his two players, and unless one performs badly soon, I believe the two are likely to rotate each game.

Stay tuned for an official confirmation from the Detroit Red Wings organization.