From now through the start of the NHL season on Oct. 4, TSN.ca presents '30 Teams In 30 Days,' a quick glimpse at each NHL club as the 2008-09 campaign approaches. Get the lowdown on every lineup, storylines to follow and Scott Cullen's fantasy analysis. It continues today with the Detroit Red Wings.
There isn't a team in the National Hockey League that has been run more successfully over the last 15 years than the Detroit Red Wings, and the team proved its worth on and off the ice once again last spring, winning their fourth Stanley Cup in 11 seasons.
And they have what it takes to do it again this season.
No team has won back-to-back Stanley Cups since the Wings did it in 1997 and 1998, but this year's edition of the team - which kept the core of its lineup intact over the summer and even made some dramatic improvements - doesn't seem to have any obvious weaknesses on paper.
That's not a promising outlook for the league's 29 other clubs, who could be hoping the Red Wings suffer a bit of post-championship complacency.
General Manager: Ken Holland (11th season)
Head Coach: Mike Babcock (4th Season)
2007-08 Record: 54-21-7 (1st in Conference)
Points Leader: Pavel Datsyuk - 97
Goals Leader: Henrik Zetterberg - 43
Assists Leader: Pavel Datsyuk - 66
PIM Leader: Aaron Downey - 116
+/- Leader: Pavel Datsyuk 41
PP Goals Leader: Henrik Zetterberg - 16
SH Goals Leader: Kris Draper - 2
What they did: The news kept getting better for the Red Wings after their Stanley Cup victory. Despite heavy courting and multi-year offers from a handful of the league's teams, free agent forward Marian Hossa - the most sought-after player of the summer - settled for a one-year contract with the very team that beat him and his Penguins in the final. Buried under the Hossa headline was Detroit's signing of goaltender Ty Conklin, who replaces the retired Dominik Hasek in the backup role. Conkin played exceptionally well for the Penguins in place of the injured Marc-Andre Fleury last season. The Wings also re-signed Brad Stuart, a reliable blueliner who excelled for the club after they picked him up at the trading deadline.
What to watch for: The addition of Hossa brings a Cup-hungry presence to a group of players that will be accepting their Stanley Cup rings on opening night. After coming so close to hoisting the trophy last season, a one-year contract with the Wings provides the right incentive for him to concentrate on finally winning a championship. Another prominent forward playing for a contract is Henrik Zetterberg. TSN's Player of the Year from last season will command a jaw-dropping payday with another standout campaign. While Pavel Datsyuk, Johan Franzen, Jiri Hudler and Valtteri Filppula round out a skilled group of forwards, there may be a bit of concern about toughness up front. Dallas Drake retired over the summer and the team will likely rotate Aaron Downey or Darren McCarty (if he signs) in the mix.
The Wings are all set on the blueline with everyone from the Cup-winning team back for another year. Nicklas Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski are the top duo, followed by Niklas Kronwall and Brad Stuart and Andreas Lilja and Brett Lebda. There will be a lot of competition at training camp for the final spot, with Derek Meech, Kyle Quincey and Jonathan Ericsson lobbying for ice time.
The Wings went with Dominik Hasek as their No. 1 netminder last season until his first-round struggles against Nashville. Babcock replaced him with Chris Osgood, and the veteran goaltender went 14-4 the rest of the way and garnered some serious consideration for the Conn Smythe Trophy. Osgood will have the top job all to himself this season, and the Wings added some solid insurance in Conklin.
Parting Shot: Going into this season, the defending Stanley Cup champions have an enviable problem - a championship-contending roster with a handful of NHL-ready prospects itching to come aboard. With Osgood and Conklin in goal, 24-year-old Jimmy Howard (who signed a multi-year deal this summer) will be developing his game further in Grand Rapids. Making the competition stiffer for Meech, Quincey and Ericsson is the presence of Chris Chelios, who still has plenty of energy left in his frame. Darren Helm (who played very well in the Wings' Cup run last year) and winger Ville Leino are also long-shots for full-time jobs because of the depth they have up front. Holland may make a deal or two to accommodate some of them on his roster.
Scott Cullen's Fantasy Analysis: Conn Smythe winner Henrik Zetterberg has put up better than a point-per-game in three straight seasons and there's little reason to think that trend will reverse itself. Given the talent surrounding him, it's possible that Zetterberg could push 100 for the first time in his career, provided he stays healthy. More.