Detroit Sports Blog: Red Wings Evolution

The Red Wings are quietly having a remarkable season. Why then isn’t there more of a buzz about the Red Wings? Why is Joe Louis not sold out? The answer is that the regular season has little meaning in the NHL. In other words, we don’t get interested until the playoffs. It’s too bad, too, because the Red Wings have a 33-8-3 record, easily the best in all of hockey.

The Red Wings domination of the league wasn’t supposed to happen. The salary cap was supposed to be their downfall after the strike. Instead, the Wings have succeeded where other pre-strike teams have failed because the Wings’ management keeps putting young, talented players in the system year after year, slowly building up the team’s core. For instance, Henrik Zetterberg in his 4th season in the NHL leads the team with 56 points – and that’s with an injury.

While the young players add youth and talent, they also infuse the team with new energy and determination. A case in point is Chris Osgood, who got booted off the Red Wings a few years ago and failed with the Islanders and the Blues. This season for the Wings, he has been outstanding, coming up with huge saves when needed. He is presently 19-2 for the season with only 1.68 goals against him.

The question is whether the Wings’ success in the regular season will carry into the Stanley Cup playoffs? I think it will. Our interest in the contest may change, but the makeup of the team remains the same.