USA Today: Red Wings are obvious #1, but...

[Shutemdown 23]

Taken from the Detroit Free Press, August 26th:

USA Today: Red Wings are obvious No. 1, but don't count your chickens ...

I have no scoop about Mats Sundin’s intentions. In fact, at this point, I’m perfectly content to allow him to live on an island and study the works of Socrates if that’s what he prefers to playing hockey.

As an antidote to Sundin rumor fatigue, I offer my pre-labor special power rankings, fully acknowledging that they will undoubtedly change dramatically once Sundin decides whether he loves this game or not.

1. Detroit Red Wings: The Red Wings are the New York Yankees of the NHL. You can hate them if you want, but they have more talent than any other team by far. The only caution is that there was another pro sports team in Detroit that was supposed to march to the title this summer and that didn’t go as planned.

2. Montreal Canadiens: This team may score 280-plus goals this season. Mike Komisarek is one of the more underrated players in the league. I didn’t like Bob Gainey’s decision to turn over the goaltending to Carey Price last spring, but I think he will be ready this season.

3. Pittsburgh Penguins: I’m not sure I believe Miroslav Satan and Ruslan Fedotenko can make up for the loss of Hossa and Ryan Malone. But I do believe that Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin can be among the scoring leaders even if they had a trained chimpanzee on their wing. The Penguins will be in the Stanley Cup mix as long as Crosby is captain.

4. San Jose Sharks: It’s almost as if everyone has forgotten that San Jose had more regular-season wins than any NHL team except the Red Wings. Dan Boyle’s arrival will improve the transition and new coach Todd McLellan will freshen the outlook.

5. Dallas Stars: With Sean Avery now joining Brenden Morrow and Steve Ott, this team will have the annoyance factor of fingernails across a chalkboard. They have enough offense now and their goaltending and defense is better than you think.

6. Anaheim Ducks: You have every right to worry about whether this team has enough offense, particularly if Teemu Selanne doesn’t come back. But as long as they boast Scott Niedermayer and Chris Pronger anchoring the defense, they will be in contention.

7. New Jersey Devils: Marty Brodeur is still king of the goaltenders and the defense is dependable, and that means their goals-against total will again be in the 210 range at the end of the season. They will be in the hunt.

8. Washington Capitals: As I’ve mentioned before, this is the NHL’s most intriguing team. I usually don’t believe it’s advisable to sign players to contracts over five years, but I think the Capitals' move of signing Ovechkin to 13 years was shrewd. He eventually will be to the Washington Capitals what Gordie Howe was to the Red Wings.

9. Calgary Flames: Mike Keenan, Jarome Iginla and Dion Phaneuf are painful to play against. Keenan is also painful to play for. The Flames need more goals, but their defense and goalkeeping are enough to carry them.

10. New York Rangers: Henrik Lundqvist is No. 2 behind Brodeur among Eastern goalies. Regardless of how the offseason moves work, he keeps the Rangers in the hunt.

11. Ottawa Senators: I don’t like their goaltending, but I still like their offense. Who’s betting that Martin Gerber doesn’t finish the season as the team’s No. 1 goalie?

12. Tampa Bay Lightning: Owners Oren Koules and Len Barrie moved around their pieces this summer like they were running a pea and shell game. It’s difficult to know exactly where they are at right now, but they have a lineup that fascinates me. I honestly don’t know if they will be first or last in their division, but my hunch is they could improve as dramatically as the Flyers did this past season.

13. Buffalo Sabres: Tomas Vanek scored 36 scored at 23 and somehow fans view him as a disappointment because the Sabres are paying him a bundle. Daniel Briere and Chris Drury left and Jason Pominville and Derek Roy stepped up. They look like a playoff team to me.

14. Philadelphia Flyers: Paul Holmgren is a rising managerial star. He runs wide open in his race to make this team a contender. He seems to manage with intensity, looking at every possible scenario. He manages the way he played.

15. Carolina Hurricanes: The ‘Canes were 10 games over .500 last year and were banged up all season with injuries. If Cam Ward is sharp, this will be Hurricane season.

16. Chicago Blackhawks: This is my guilty pleasure selection. Sure they aren't there yet, but I like the direction Dale Tallon has them headed.

[edicius 3,269]

Slight tangent here...

I hate that whole "New York Yankees" of the NHL bit. Yankees have been perennial postseason chokers for the past 6 years (and they likely won't even make it into the postseason this year) despite throwing all sorts of money at free agents over that period, whereas we've had three Conference Final berths and two Cups in the same period of time. Sure, I won't deny that we choked like crazy in '03 and '06. But if you're going by legacy, the Habs are the Yankees of the NHL. If you're going by recent success, you're probably better off comparing us to the BoSox.

So, that aside...

Rankings seem relatively fair. There are a few teams that appear to be ranked a bit high IMO, but it's subjective.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

The author is correct in stating that no team (regardless of talent) should count their chickens before they've hatched, because plenty of times the Wings were supposed to win it all and came up short. Where he/she loses you is the Yankees comment, simply because of what it used to mean. The old expression was used because they always won and had an unlimited pocketbook. Now, if teams or fans hate the Wings, its simply because they can't compare to the way the Wings organization is run and the success that it breeds.

As for the rest of the rankings....MTL 2nd? PIT 3rd? SJ 4th? DAL 5th? I disagree with all those.

Here's mine:

1: Detroit

2: San Jose (Slim margin over Dallas)

3: Dallas

4: Montreal

5: Pittsburgh

[Chunkylover 26]

Little bit of an East bias.

I think I'd put Dallas and San Jose above Montreal and Pittsburgh as well, but maybe that's my West bias.

I'd swap Carolina with New York and Philadelphia with Washington, and bump Ottawa and Tampa for Nashville and Edmonton in the playoff-style bracket.

Ug, imagine us having to face either Chicago, Nashville, or Edmonton in the first round next year (or possibly the second)....

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

Little bit of an East bias.

I think I'd put Dallas and San Jose above Montreal and Pittsburgh as well, but maybe that's my West bias.

I'd swap Carolina with New York and Philadelphia with Washington, and bump Ottawa and Tampa for Nashville and Edmonton in the playoff-style bracket.

Ug, imagine us having to face either Chicago, Nashville, or Edmonton in the first round next year (or possibly the second)....

I considered people thinking I was West biased, but it really isn't the case here. The bottom line is that if you put Dallas or SJ against MTL or PIT, I honestly believe either West team would beat either East team 6-7 games out of 10.

[Shutemdown 23]

Meh...

The only teams that I'll actually be looking out for are Chicago, Dallas, and Montreal.

Pittsburgh is s***ty.

Edmenton isn't going to be amazing.

Tampa Bay looks to have a good team this year.

Philly and Washington will be solid.

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

Meh...

The only teams that I'll actually be looking out for are Chicago, Dallas, and Montreal.

Pittsburgh is s***ty.

Edmenton isn't going to be amazing.

Tampa Bay looks to have a good team offense this year.

Philly and Washington will be solid.

Fixed it for you.

[Shutemdown 23]

Fixed it for you.

Haha... there we go. Now it looks accurate!

[Faust222 0]

I think it's most accurate to say the Wings are the San Antonio Spurs of the NHL.

[Chunkylover 26]

Meh...

The only teams that I'll actually be looking out for are Chicago, Dallas, and Montreal.

Pittsburgh is s***ty.

Edmenton isn't going to be amazing.

Tampa Bay looks to have a good team this year.

Philly and Washington will be solid.

I don't think Pittsburgh lost enough to be a bad team and I don't think Montreal will be that much better than they were last season. One of them will be tops in the East.

I see Philly, Chicago and Edmonton building on their relative success at the end of last season and predict each will see an improvement in the standings.

Washington will have defense issues beyond, but likely including goaltending.

I'm not drinking the Tampa Kool-Aid.

[Chunkylover 26]

I think it's most accurate to say the Wings are the San Antonio Spurs of the NHL.

I think it's more accurate to say that the Spurs are the Red Wings of Basketball.

[FedorovYzerman1991 0]

That, or the NE Patriots.

NEVER!! EVER!! EVER!!!

Don't compare us to NE i ******* hate them.

Go Chargers ;0

Think of us like the LA Lakers or something, but not the New England pats.

[zata40 3]

The Red Wings are the New York Yankees of the NHL?

no

the New York Yankees are the Detroit red wings of the MLB

[Dabura 12,207]

The Wings-Yankees comparison is outdated, and referencing another Detroit sports team is just lame.

The Habs have done nothing to prove they're a serious contender. This, don't forget, is the same team that had its collective ass handed to it by a depleted Flyers team, which then went on to have its collective ass handed to it by the Pens, who then went on to have their collective ass handed to them by the Wings. Putting the Habs at #2 might as well be affirmative action; they'll need Sundin, a revelatory run from Price, and a lot of luck before even thinking about winning it all.

People can blabber on and on about Crosby and Malkin and "learning from the loss" and "needing to lose before winning" until the cows come home, but the bottom line is this: right now, the Pens are looking to be an inferior version of last season's team, even with their "hard lessons" learned. They're going to miss Hossa and Malone; their defense is still shallow; and anyone with half a brain can tell there's tension behind the scenes. Furthermore, Crosby's going to have to start playing the PK, which should take a toll on him -- both physically and mentally. Having said all this, I expect them to come out of the East this season. Landing Gaborik would go a long way in helping the cause.

With the addition of Blake, Boyle and Todd McLellan, the Sharks are looking to be a more defensive-minded team -- which is what they need to be. But in the battle for the #2 spot in the West, I give the edge to the Stars, who've been playing a solid defense-first game for a little while now and have crafted an identity around it. This could be a shaky transitional season for the Sharks, which, in theory, would be good for them in the long run, but maybe not so great in the short run. We'll see. I'd take them over the Pens in a best-of-seven. I'm not sure the Pens even know what defense is, even after that clinic the Wings put on.

The Stars are, in my opinion, the biggest threat to the Wings' quest for a repeat. If a team is going to beat the Wings in a best-of-seven, they'll need to play the kind of game the Stars play -- that is, a grinding defensive game. Their downfall last season was a lack firepower on offense. They haven't addressed this issue (yet), which is a bit puzzling. Still, I expect them to finish second in the West. And just to keep up the theme of East-bashing: they'd beat the Pens or Habs.

Edited August 26, 2008 by Dabura

[Chunkylover 26]

The Red Wings are the New York Yankees of the NHL?

no

the New York Yankees are the Detroit red wings of the MLB

You stole my bit!

[Chunkylover 26]

Putting the Habs at #2 might as well be affirmative action.

the Pens are looking to be an inferior version of last season's team

This could be a shaky transitional season for the Sharks

they'll need to play the kind of game the Stars play -- that is, a grinding defensive game. Their downfall last season was a lack firepower on offense. They haven't addressed this issue (yet), which is a bit puzzling.

Montreal's centennial next season is the reason for the love.

Even though the Pens will be inferior to last season's playoff roster, they'll still be good.

I think the Sharks will probably stumble somewhat as they transition between coaching styles.

The Stars lost a lot of quality depth players (Halpern, Jokinen, Miettinen, Hagman) so I think they will have some difficulty getting beyond that. They will have Richards and Brunnstrom so that should help their offense (I know, I know, I put Brunnstrom in there. Sorry).

[dobbles 252]

Slight tangent here...

I hate that whole "New York Yankees" of the NHL bit. Yankees have been perennial postseason chokers for the past 6 years (and they likely won't even make it into the postseason this year) despite throwing all sorts of money at free agents over that period, whereas we've had three Conference Final berths and two Cups in the same period of time. Sure, I won't deny that we choked like crazy in '03 and '06. But if you're going by legacy, the Habs are the Yankees of the NHL. If you're going by recent success, you're probably better off comparing us to the BoSox.

So, that aside...

Rankings seem relatively fair. There are a few teams that appear to be ranked a bit high IMO, but it's subjective.

i dont think they are making the comparison based on recent playoff success. i think the comparison is that year in and year out the wings are the best team on paper. additionally before the cap era, there was the fact that we, like the yankees, would pay a lot of money for players. additionally, the yankees have the reputation of always winning the championship which the wings have been successful at several times recently. so i think in that sense they are compared because they get championships. but overall i agree with the poster that said montreal is a better comparison for that aspect. additionally, you have to factor in the aspect that the wings like the yankees are a very polarizing team. fans either love them or hate them.

[toby91_ca 620]

Slight tangent here...

I hate that whole "New York Yankees" of the NHL bit. Yankees have been perennial postseason chokers for the past 6 years (and they likely won't even make it into the postseason this year) despite throwing all sorts of money at free agents over that period, whereas we've had three Conference Final berths and two Cups in the same period of time. Sure, I won't deny that we choked like crazy in '03 and '06. But if you're going by legacy, the Habs are the Yankees of the NHL. If you're going by recent success, you're probably better off comparing us to the BoSox.

I don't man.....

Since 1996:

Wings - Stanley Cups - 4, WC Champs - 5, Division Champs - 9

Yankees - WS Champs - 4, AL Champs - 6, Division Champs - 10

Sox - WS Champs - 2, AL Champs - 2, Division Champs - 1

Maybe more comparable to the Sox simply because they won the WS more recently and the Wings are the reigning cup champs, but come on....the Wings didn't do a lot of damage in the playoffs for the 2003-2007 years.

[Shutemdown 23]

Montreal's centennial next season is the reason for the love.

Even though the Pens will be inferior to last season's playoff roster, they'll still be good.

I think the Sharks will probably stumble somewhat as they transition between coaching styles.

The Stars lost a lot of quality depth players (Halpern, Jokinen, Miettinen, Hagman) so I think they will have some difficulty getting beyond that. They will have Richards and Brunnstrom so that should help their offense (I know, I know, I put Brunnstrom in there. Sorry).

Don't forget about Sean Avery!

I know people disregard him as a clown or a no-talent fashion diva, but he'll add some production to their team, while ever-increasing their "instigation" factor... With Ott, Avery, and Ribiero (I think there might even be one more), they're going to be the most annoying team to play.

However, looking at it from the Stars' side, I can believe they're fine with that...

[GMRwings1983 8,794]

Dallas kind of reminds me of the 2007 Wings. A team that finally overame past playoff disappointments, to make it all the way to the conference finals.

I just hope they don't wind up like the 2008 Wings because of it. With that said, I still think we're way above them because their best players always struggle against the Wings.

[Louisville 112]

That Yankee's BS always annoys me...I stopped reading it after that.

[DEVILSWATERBOY 10]

OK who is the butt wipe who wrote this in USA Today what does he have his head up his butt news flash this team already won the cup, us as WINGS fan know there failures and do not count are chicks with the Wings oh yea didnt tyhe media say the Tigers were going to take it all give me a break RICHARD CRANIUM

[sergei_is_still_a_wing 1]

"signing Ovechkin to 13 years was shrewd. He eventually will be to the Washington Capitals what Gordie Howe was to the Red Wings."

BOLD statement.

No team should expect everyone else to roll over when they are the favorite. if you do you will lose and you are naive.

that said, we have the best squad in the league. end of story. 100% effort everynight and we are unbeatable IMO.

Go Chargers ;0

HELL YES! went to the bolts/seashawks preseason game last night. looking forward to watching LT cram the ball down everyones throat this year.

[Doc Holiday 0]

I don't man.....

Since 1996:

Wings - Stanley Cups - 4, WC Champs - 5, Division Champs - 9

Yankees - WS Champs - 4, AL Champs - 6, Division Champs - 10

Sox - WS Champs - 2, AL Champs - 2, Division Champs - 1

Maybe more comparable to the Sox simply because they won the WS more recently and the Wings are the reigning cup champs, but come on....the Wings didn't do a lot of damage in the playoffs for the 2003-2007 years.

Well consider every team we lost to since 2003 has beaten everyone else in the Western Conference. Why are the Red Wings the chokers when other high ranked teams were defeated by the same "underdog" teams? Plus all those teams went to game 7 in the finals against the "top" team in the East.

Edited August 26, 2008 by Doc Holiday

[toby91_ca 620]

Well consider every team we lost to since 2003 has beaten everyone else in the Western Conference. Why are the Red Wings the chokers when other high ranked teams were defeated by the same "underdog" teams? Plus all those teams went to game 7 in the finals against the "top" team in the East.

Did you consider a similar scenario with the Yankees?

Since 1996 (12 seasons):

Won the world series - 4 times

Lost to the eventual world series champs - 5 times

Lost to a team that made it to the world series but lost - 2 times

Lost to a team that didn't make it to the world series - only once in the last 12 seasons