1992/93 Season to the (current) 2012/13 Season. Put together your team. The greatest Red Wings of the last 20 years? Your personal favorite Red Wings of the last 20 years? The combination of Red Wings over the last 20 years that you think would mesh into the greatest team? Greatest single-season peak performers? Greatest overall contribution over-time performers? The choice, or combination of choices, is yours ~ lot of lee-way. (*I know I've started threads like this before, but I love it, and some others seem to as well...so, if you personally don't, please just move on along).
Here's my squad...to start things off:
Forwards:
H. Zetterberg-S. Yzerman©-B. Shanahan(A)
M. Hossa-P. Datsyuk-S. Fedorov
V. Kozlov-I. Larionov-B. Hull
B. Probert-K. Primeau-D. McCarty
D. Ciccarelli, R. Sheppard
.....Explanation: I know Ciccarelli and Sheppard had some high-point seasons in the early 90's, but being born in 1987, I don't remember them - so I kind of screwed them into scratch roles as the 13th and 14th forwards (I'm guessing old Dino'd eventually make into the lineup somewhere as the net-front presence on the PP lol). I wanted a bad-ass fourth line grind line, so I took the two baddest wings I've ever seen (Probert and McCarty), and put the most physical wing center I've ever seen (Primeau) in between them. I'm guessing a lot of people are going to have beef with Primeau's inclusion here, but I recall him being quite good prior to being traded - and he did once fight Probert in practice. The next nine selections really weren't that difficult for me - I don't feel I left any forwards off the roster - it was just arranging them that was tough. Really wanted to have the Russian-five together, but it didn't quite work out.
Defensemen:
N. Lidstrom(A)-L. Murphy
P. Coffey-C. Chelios
V. Fetisov-V. Konstantinov
B. Rafalski
.....Explanation: This was a much tougher group to pick than the forwards. I left off some great players in Chiasson (who I didn't remember much of) and Schneider (who really put up impressive numbers in his time here). Rafalski is probably the best right-side PP option of the bunch, but I hated him so much in the defensive end that I couldn't include him in the regular lineup above these other stalwarts. He might find his way onto the squad somehow..
Goalies:
D. Hasek
C. Osgood
M. Vernon
.....Explanation: This was a relatively easy group for me. Hasek's no doubt the best goalie I've ever seen in a red wings uniform, and he won us a cop. Osgood was here for the long haul, and he won us our last cup as well (I consider his first a cup we won in spite of him...and there are perhaps a couple more we could've had along the way with someone else). Vernon in our first cup was a true beauty; and his performance in that run I felt merited him a spot ahead of Howard.
HC: S. Bowman
GM: J. Devellano
.....No questions here.
