Offseason report card: Champs even stronger

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

http://www.sportsline.com/nhl/story/10898588

http://www.sportsline.com/nhl/story/10898588/2

Detroit Red Wings

You know life is pretty good when the best free agent on the open market wants to play for your team so badly, he's willing to leave a fortune in cash on the table to do it. But Detroit has the NHL's best organization, it is a perennial Stanley Cup contender, and for a guy like Marian Hossa who is desperate to get a ring, Motown is the place to be.

Hossa took far less than he could have earned elsewhere to fit into Detroit's salary cap structure, signing on for one year in a stunning move that upgrades what was already a superbly talented and balanced lineup. Signing Hossa was the highest profile move the Red Wings have made so far, but it wasn't the only important one. In fact, Detroit convinced defenseman Brad Stuart, a trade deadline acquisition who fit in very nicely, to re-sign for a similar hometown discount, and picked up backup goalie extraordinaire Ty Conklin to replace the retired Dominik Hasek. Repeating as Stanley Cup champions has become nearly impossible in the last couple of decades, but Detroit has all the elements to do it. Grade: A+

[stormboy 47]

the only thing that sucks about this is that all now my non-wing's-fans friends are going to jump all over me if the wings don't easily storm through the regular- and post-season. hopefully our boys handle the pressure and expectations as well as we all know they can.

[Guest Dump-N-Thump]

We may have gotten stronger, but so have other teams in our division, So it'll still be a war. We'll come out ahead, But needless to say, It'll be a freakin war.

[miller76 463]

the division games always seem to be the hardest fought battles. But we will see shortly, the new schedule. Isn't there supposed to be a few less div. games this season?

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

the only thing that sucks about this is that all now my non-wing's-fans friends are going to jump all over me if the wings don't easily storm through the regular- and post-season. hopefully our boys handle the pressure and expectations as well as we all know they can.

Regardless of what happens this upcoming season, when was the last time your friends' teams that are non-Wings-fans won the Cup?

You smell what I'm stepping in?

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

the division games always seem to be the hardest fought battles. But we will see shortly, the new schedule. Isn't there supposed to be a few less div. games this season?

IIRC, 5-6 per team I believe. So atleast 2 less than what we were handed after the lockout.

[Guest mindfly]

I hope we get to meet the canadian teams alot more.. ottawa, toronto, montreal etc... always nice... and washington, philly, ny rangers (did we even met rangers once last season?)

Didn't we meet columbus, nashville, chicago 8 times during last regular season?

Edited July 16, 2008 by mindfly

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

I hope we get to meet the canadian teams alot more.. ottawa, toronto, montreal etc... always nice... and washington, philly, ny rangers (did we even met rangers once last season?

The Wings will play every single team in the NHL atleast once next season.

Didn't we meet columbus, nashville, chicago 8 times during last regular season?

Yes, along with St. Louis

[Guest mindfly]

Oh right... lol I always forget about St.Louis

[Guest Dump-N-Thump]

im praying for Philly/Detroit at the Joe.

[PRStoetzer 1]

im praying for Philly/Detroit at the Joe.

On the other hand, I'm praying for Philly/Detroit at the Wachovia Center.

[Konnan511 1,736]

We may have gotten stronger, but so have other teams in our division, So it'll still be a war. We'll come out ahead, But needless to say, It'll be a freakin war.

That's so good though! Think about it, when we steam-rolled through a few years back we got bounced easily. And now that our own division keeps on getting stronger and making our inner division games tougher, it helps us out that much more.

It's like we were MSU hockey team playing a bunch of scrub club hockey teams. Yeah we dominated, but it was empty domination because once we faced real challenges we faltered. Now we have some Harvards, Michigan Tech, and Ferris varsity teams in our division to make us play at higher levels more frequently.

[MississippiWing 14]

the only thing that sucks about this is that all now my non-wing's-fans friends are going to jump all over me if the wings don't easily storm through the regular- and post-season. hopefully our boys handle the pressure and expectations as well as we all know they can.

I agree, but I think if we pick up maybe 1 more vet for cheap that really wants a ring then we will win it all and repeat. Desire is a wicked thing. Look how the Cupless vets stepped up in the 2002 playoffs. Hasek still had the talent, but his play was pretty close to damn miraculous. Robatille started slappin in shots like it was nobodys business. I don't mind vets coming to Detroit to grab that last chance at the Cup. They just have to realize this isn't Colorado and we aren't retiring your number because you played 1 season with us.