It’s that time of year, the Tigers have faded into the basement of the Central Division (again), the Lions have played a game and 
dashed our hopes at any type of a winning season (again), and there’s that other team that’s looking to disappoint us (The Pistons).
Oh yeah, but we do have the best team in Professional Sports ramping up for us:
The Detroit Red Wings have entered their training camp, and have begun preparing for their Wednesday, September 22nd Preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins in their brand new stadium.
What does this mean for Detroit? Well, we’ll have something to watch that actually defines winning for one.
Also, it means you get to hear a LOT more from me, your resident Hockey nut, Aaron.
So as I write, I’m thinking of questions that you might want to know from me.
I’ll cover what comes to mind;
First: What will our lineup look like?
Good question, readers. The Red Wings have stacked the deck pretty well into one of, if not the, best rosters in the NHL in terms of overall play. They may not have flashy scorers like Kovalchuk, Gaborik, Ovechkin, … *gag* Crosby or Malkin.
But what they do have is a fundamentally solid puck possession and two way team that WILL light the lamp, and give Jimmy Howard, your starting goaltender, the support he needs, and lacked, last year.
My projected (best) lines are:
#40 Henrik Zetterberg (LW) – #13 Pavel Datsyuk (C) – #96 Tomas Holmstrom (RW)
#44 Todd Bertuzzi (LW) – #51 Valtteri Filppula (C) – #93 Johan Franzen (RW)
#26 Jiri Hudler (LW) – #90 Mike Modano (C) – #11 Daniel Cleary (RW)
#8 Justin Abdelkader (LW) – #43 Darren Helm (C) – #17 Patrick Eaves (RW)
Forward Reserves: #20 Drew Miller (LW), #33 Kris Draper (C)
Forwards likely starting in the AHL (Grand Rapids): #42 Mattias Ritola (RW), #18 Kirk Maltby (LW)
#5 Nicklas Lidstrom (LD) – #55 Niklas Kronwall (RD)
#23 Brad Stuart (LD) – #28 Brian Rafalski (RD)
#52 Jonathan Ericsson (LD) – #– (Unknown, wore 24 in Colorado) Ruslan Salei (RD)
Defensive Reserves: #46 Jakub Kindl
Defense likely starting in the AHL (Grand Rapids): #14 Derek Meech (RD/RW), #37 Doug Janik (RD)
#35 Jimmy Howard (G)
#30 Chris Osgood (G)
(Whew) That looks to be your 23 man roster, in all honesty. The lines look about what Babcock has insinuated from the beginning of August till now. Look for him as always to toss the lines like spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks if they don’t show chemistry beyond the first and fourth lines.
Second: Who will be our biggest threat in the Central Division/Western Conference?
We’ll split this up accordingly, in the Central I see not the reigning Stanley Cup “Champion” Chicago Blackhawks, but a bit of a dark horse. I think the St. Louis Blues will be our biggest contender in the Central this year. My preview of the final standings after 82 games is:
1. Detroit Red Wings
2. St. Louis Blues
3. Nashville Predators
4. Chicago Blackhawks
5. Columbus Blue Jackets
Yes, I knocked Chicago that far down. The Central is just too stacked of a division. I think possibly you could see four teams from the Central make the playoffs yet again.
Now, in the Western Conference? I think the biggest challenge will come from the San Jose Sharks. They are an incredibly talented team, but can they have a goalie perform as well as Evgeni Nabakov did for them in the regular season? I don’t see them contending for the Presidents Trophy, but they will definitely be one of the teams to beat. The other I would say is the Vancouver Canucks.
#3: What Red Wing will be the best this season, and who will be leaned on most for the Red Wings?
I think the most important player for the Red Wings will obviously be Jimmy Howard. You see it all the time in the NHL, goalie’s who have incredible Rookie campaigns, only to fall flat their second year when expectations are high. Look no further than 2009 Calder Trophy winner Steve Mason of the Columbus Blue Jackets. After single handedly leading his team to the postseason (albeit a First Round sweep by your Detroit Red Wings), he fell fairly flat his Sophmore season (in no small part to a lackluster team).
What Red Wing will be the best this season?
I’m betting my money on Johan Franzen having a breakout season. This is his sixth season in the NHL, and since his rookie season, he’s never cracked more than 72 games, or had an entirely healthy season. If how he came back after his debilitating knee injury last year is any indicator, not to mention his previous totals in goals/games played in the past two years (playoffs included), I think it’s entirely possible you could see the aptly nicknamed “Mule” crack 40 goals this season, if he remains healthy.
So, that’s all I’ve got right now.
Any questions, feel free to shoot them out on the Majors wall! I’ll be sure to get back at them ASAP.
Feel free to ask about ANYTHING hockey. I’m not limited to just the Wings, I’ll cover any NHL teams you wanna know about, NCAA, AHL, IIHF, throw it at me!
dashed our hopes at any type of a winning season (again), and there’s that other team that’s looking to disappoint us (The Pistons).Oh yeah, but we do have the best team in Professional Sports ramping up for us:
The Detroit Red Wings have entered their training camp, and have begun preparing for their Wednesday, September 22nd Preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins in their brand new stadium.
What does this mean for Detroit? Well, we’ll have something to watch that actually defines winning for one.
Also, it means you get to hear a LOT more from me, your resident Hockey nut, Aaron.
So as I write, I’m thinking of questions that you might want to know from me.
I’ll cover what comes to mind;
First: What will our lineup look like?
Good question, readers. The Red Wings have stacked the deck pretty well into one of, if not the, best rosters in the NHL in terms of overall play. They may not have flashy scorers like Kovalchuk, Gaborik, Ovechkin, … *gag* Crosby or Malkin.
But what they do have is a fundamentally solid puck possession and two way team that WILL light the lamp, and give Jimmy Howard, your starting goaltender, the support he needs, and lacked, last year.
My projected (best) lines are:
#40 Henrik Zetterberg (LW) – #13 Pavel Datsyuk (C) – #96 Tomas Holmstrom (RW)
#44 Todd Bertuzzi (LW) – #51 Valtteri Filppula (C) – #93 Johan Franzen (RW)
#26 Jiri Hudler (LW) – #90 Mike Modano (C) – #11 Daniel Cleary (RW)
#8 Justin Abdelkader (LW) – #43 Darren Helm (C) – #17 Patrick Eaves (RW)
Forward Reserves: #20 Drew Miller (LW), #33 Kris Draper (C)
Forwards likely starting in the AHL (Grand Rapids): #42 Mattias Ritola (RW), #18 Kirk Maltby (LW)
#5 Nicklas Lidstrom (LD) – #55 Niklas Kronwall (RD)
#23 Brad Stuart (LD) – #28 Brian Rafalski (RD)
#52 Jonathan Ericsson (LD) – #– (Unknown, wore 24 in Colorado) Ruslan Salei (RD)
Defensive Reserves: #46 Jakub Kindl
Defense likely starting in the AHL (Grand Rapids): #14 Derek Meech (RD/RW), #37 Doug Janik (RD)
#35 Jimmy Howard (G)
#30 Chris Osgood (G)
(Whew) That looks to be your 23 man roster, in all honesty. The lines look about what Babcock has insinuated from the beginning of August till now. Look for him as always to toss the lines like spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks if they don’t show chemistry beyond the first and fourth lines.
Second: Who will be our biggest threat in the Central Division/Western Conference?
We’ll split this up accordingly, in the Central I see not the reigning Stanley Cup “Champion” Chicago Blackhawks, but a bit of a dark horse. I think the St. Louis Blues will be our biggest contender in the Central this year. My preview of the final standings after 82 games is:
1. Detroit Red Wings
2. St. Louis Blues
3. Nashville Predators
4. Chicago Blackhawks
5. Columbus Blue Jackets
Yes, I knocked Chicago that far down. The Central is just too stacked of a division. I think possibly you could see four teams from the Central make the playoffs yet again.
Now, in the Western Conference? I think the biggest challenge will come from the San Jose Sharks. They are an incredibly talented team, but can they have a goalie perform as well as Evgeni Nabakov did for them in the regular season? I don’t see them contending for the Presidents Trophy, but they will definitely be one of the teams to beat. The other I would say is the Vancouver Canucks.
#3: What Red Wing will be the best this season, and who will be leaned on most for the Red Wings?
I think the most important player for the Red Wings will obviously be Jimmy Howard. You see it all the time in the NHL, goalie’s who have incredible Rookie campaigns, only to fall flat their second year when expectations are high. Look no further than 2009 Calder Trophy winner Steve Mason of the Columbus Blue Jackets. After single handedly leading his team to the postseason (albeit a First Round sweep by your Detroit Red Wings), he fell fairly flat his Sophmore season (in no small part to a lackluster team).
What Red Wing will be the best this season?
I’m betting my money on Johan Franzen having a breakout season. This is his sixth season in the NHL, and since his rookie season, he’s never cracked more than 72 games, or had an entirely healthy season. If how he came back after his debilitating knee injury last year is any indicator, not to mention his previous totals in goals/games played in the past two years (playoffs included), I think it’s entirely possible you could see the aptly nicknamed “Mule” crack 40 goals this season, if he remains healthy.
So, that’s all I’ve got right now.
Any questions, feel free to shoot them out on the Majors wall! I’ll be sure to get back at them ASAP.
Feel free to ask about ANYTHING hockey. I’m not limited to just the Wings, I’ll cover any NHL teams you wanna know about, NCAA, AHL, IIHF, throw it at me!
