The Detroit Red Wings dropped to 1-6-2 on the season with their 3-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday night, prompting veteran defenceman Niklas Kronwall and head coach Jeff Blashill to express their frustration with the team's play.

“It’s starting getting a little old coming in here after games and talking to you guys and trying to explain things,” Kronwall said, per the Detroit Free Press. “It’s madness what we’re doing to ourselves. Carolina is a good team, but when you don’t even play, it’s tough to give yourself a chance.”

The Red Wings own an NHL-worst minus-19 goal differential this season and sit last in the Eastern Conference. Their loss Monday came two days after the team's first victory of the season – a 4-3 overtime win over the Florida Panthers.

“I think the biggest thing in here is everyone in here feels like there’s a lot more than what we’ve shown so far,” Kronwall said. “Both the Tampa game and the Florida game, both the games on the west coast – that’s the effort you have to have every night. It doesn’t work to show that every second or third game. That’s something we have to take to heart – we have to start working and competing in every situation.

“Tomorrow is a new day. The sun is going to be up and we have to go to work.” 

The Hurricanes had 14 shots on net Monday before the Red Wings finally put their first on goaltender Petr Mrazek. Blashill called the team's effort "inexcusable."

“This was getting outcompeted and outworked and I haven’t seen this,” he said. “This wasn’t Boston, this wasn’t Montreal. As bad as those scores looked, that was 100 per cent you lose your way, you start cheating like crazy to try to score and make it up. This was just getting outworked and outcompeted.

“This wasn’t about talent. This was 100 per cent inexcusable. This is no good.”

The Red Wings have a four-day break before returning to the ice Friday night against the Winnipeg Jets.