1 - Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock has spent the summer doing what he always does, jotting down line combinations and defense pairings on napkins while enjoying time with his family at their lake house in Saskatchewan. And, as always, Babcock's stomach churns with nervous energy and excitement when he thinks about the upcoming NHL season. "I'm scared to death," he told NHL.com. "I'm always scared to death in the summer." He has more reason to be scared this summer than any other since he took over in Detroit. For the first time in seven years, Babcock can't write down the name Nicklas Lidstrom on his array of napkins. Lidstrom announced his retirement early in the offseason, ending a decorated playing career that includes winning the Stanley Cup four times and the Norris Trophy seven times. Lidstrom, who is now a scout for the Red Wings, leaves a considerable hole on Babcock's lineup card, one the coach knows is impossible to fill. "Nick Lidstrom is like a security blanket, he just makes you feel good," Babcock said. "When he leaves, like when Stevie (Yzerman) left, it makes you uneasy. But what's the matter with change? Embrace it. Get the old adrenaline pumping and let's go." As scared as he is, Babcock's adrenaline is pumping and his excitement for the 2012-13 edition of the Detroit Red Wings is high because he wants to see which players will step up and emerge as leaders and go-to guys in the absence of arguably the greatest defenseman in a generation or more. "We can't replace him. We're not trying to replace him, his quiet confidence and his ability to coach the coach, to run the team with no ego," Babcock said. "But (Henrik) Zetterberg, (Pavel) Datsyuk and (Niklas) Kronwall, they're not slouches. They were watching Stevie, and now they got a chance to watch Nick. It's important when you get your turn you embrace it." Once training camp begins, Babcock's finger will immediately point at Kronwall as the guy on the defensive side who has to take over and be the new No. 1 in front of All-Star goalie Jimmy Howard. Jonas Gustavsson will be Howard's new backup. Kronwall was a No. 3 until Brian Rafalski retired after the 2010-11 season. He moved up to No. 2 last season, but with Lidstrom now in the front office, the 31-year-old known for his pulverizing body checks will be counted on to be the steadiest of Detroit's defensemen. Detroit is contemplating adding a veteran blueliner through either a trade or free-agent signing to replace Brad Stuart, who is now with the San Jose Sharks, but as of today they've got Kronwall, Jonathan Ericsson, Ian White, Kyle Quincey, Jakub Kindl and rookie Brendan Smith. "It's their chance now," Red Wings vice president and assistant general manager Jim Nill told NHL.com. Lidstrom's departure obviously has no bearing on the Red Wings' high-end talent up front. Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Johan Franzen and Valtteri Filppula return to lead a talented group of forwards, but Babcock knows for the Red Wings to be at their best, their depth forwards have to take another step forward this season. It also appears that Tomas Holmstrom, a leader for years in Detroit, will not be back. Babcock will look to Darren Helm, Justin Abedelkader and Danny Cleary. He sees them as being just as important to the Red Wings' overall success as Datsyuk and Zetterberg. Detroit won six of the 14 regular-season games Helm missed last season because of injury. The Red Wings won 42 of the 68 games he played in, and Helm produced only 26 points. Helm got hurt in Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals and couldn't return in the series. The Nashville Predators defeated Detroit in five games. "Datsyuk and Zetterberg drive the team, but Helm is one of the drivers and that's what makes him an X-factor," Babcock said.
Additions: RW Mikael Samuelsson, RW Damien Brunner, G Jonas Gustavsson, RW Jordin Tootoo
Subtractions: D Nicklas Lidstrom (retired), D Brad Stuart, LW Jiri Hudler, RW Chris Conner
UFAs: LW Tomas Holmstrom, G Ty Conklin, LW Fabian Brunnstrom
Promotion candidates: D Brendan Smith, LW Gustav Nyquist, LW Tomas Tatar, C Riley Sheahan, C Joakim Andersson

Abdelkader, who will probably start the season as a fourth-line center, could wind up being a third-line wing because Babcock wants to get him as much ice time as possible. He had 22 points in 81 games last season. Cleary, who is 33, has been rehabbing a bad knee all summer. Babcock said Cleary has told him he will be healthy in training camp. Cleary had 12 goals and 33 points last season after putting up 26 goals and 46 points in 2010-11. "The reason he had a poor year is he was hurt all year," Babcock said. "He tried to fight through it, but he needs to skate, and for the first time in his career he played light. When you're playing on one leg you're easy to knock down." The Red Wings will try to introduce a third tier of forwards this season, the prospects. Gustav Nyquist, Tomas Tatar, and 26-year-old Swiss transplant Damien Brunner will have a chance to make the club out of training camp. It's unlikely all three do considering the Red Wings' depth at forward, which includes new additions Mikael Samuelsson and Jordin Tootoo. "These jobs are up for grabs and you gotta grab a job," Babcock said. "I don't decide. I watch the games and if you're good you play, and if you're not you don't play. I want to win. That's it." For the first time in 20 seasons the Red Wings will try to win without Lidstrom. They have the pieces in place to still be a Stanley Cup contender, to make the playoffs for the 22nd straight season, but it would appear that Babcock's fears finally have some substance. The Red Wings might finally be vulnerable. "You gotta get in the tournament at the end, and I'm excited about our group," Babcock said. "But it's like anything, when things change it makes you uneasy."

For the first time in a long time, the Detroit Red Wings are a team at a crossroads. The Red Wings, who have made the playoffs an NHL-record 21 straight seasons, appear to have enough talent to still be a legitimate Stanley Cup contender. However, for the first time in 20 seasons they do not have Nicklas Lidstrom, the player coach Mike Babcock referred to as "a security blanket, a guy that just makes you feel good." New era in Motown without Lidstrom The Wings have made the playoffs in each of the previous 21 seasons, but Nicklas Lidstrom has been part of the past 20 and the Wings now must move on without him. They've got high-end talent, a good core of players still in their mid-to-late 20s, and a solid prospect pool. However, there are more questions about the Red Wings entering this season than there have been in a long time.

Lidstrom is a once-in-a-generation player. Teams don't replace those guys. Teams can't replace those guys. They leave a void and, really, the rest of the team just has to deal with it and move on. The Red Wings already had to do this when Steve Yzerman retired. They won another Stanley Cup. Lidstrom gave Detroit and the NHL pure genius on the blue line for 20 seasons, but just because he's gone doesn't mean Detroit has to change its system or its style. The Red Wings may never have someone as responsible and reliable as Lidstrom, and it's simply unfair to ask anyone to even try to be like him. Instead, Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg and Niklas Kronwall have to step up and fill the leadership void. Jonathan Ericsson, Jakub Kindl and Kyle Quincey have to take the next step in their careers, do what they do best, only do it better than they have before in Detroit. Kronwall has to go from being second in command on the defense to the one in charge, all the while being a mistake-free defender who still delivers those huge hits. Kronwall is a risk-taker and prone to making mistakes. Brendan Smith has to take a huge step in his development to become a top-six NHL defenseman. Ian White, who played primarily with Lidstrom last season, must find consistency with a new partner. He had an inconsistent past before coming to Detroit and pairing with Lidstrom, who was known to make just about everyone around him better. "You never want anything to stop on your watch, so here we go," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock.

In addition to losing Lidstrom to retirement, the Red Wings lost Brad Stuart to the San Jose Sharks. Stuart played 81 games last season, contributed 21 points and a plus-16 rating, and averaged more than 21 minutes of ice time per game, including a team-high 3:10 per game on the penalty kill. Ericsson has to step into Stuart's skates and be as reliable and as durable. That means Ericsson is going to have to play more than 20 minutes a game (he's never done it), stay healthy for a full season (he's never done it), and move into a key role on the top PK unit (he's never done it).

Ericsson has shown flashes of brilliance in his NHL career to date. At 28 years old, it's time he takes the next step and becomes the player the Red Wings have long said he could be. He basically has no choice. "[Ericsson] last year, when our penalty killing turned the corner, we felt it was because of Big E on the back end. That's going to be a huge part," Babcock said. "We don't need Big E to be a star offensively; we need him to move the puck and be the huge man he is. I think he has a chance to be a real nice player for us, and we need growth out of him. We really like him, and we think he's at the time in his career where he's confident in himself. I think he's really ready that way. I think he thinks he is ready. And, let's be honest, we need him to be."

Danny Cleary is known for being one of the most determined players in the game, but at 33 years old and coming off a tough, injury-plagued season, the Red Wings have to be wondering if he's starting down the wrong side of the hill in his playing career. Cleary had 12 goals and 21 assists in 75 games last season after putting up career-highs in goals (26) and points (46) in 68 games two seasons ago. He was shut out in five playoff games last season. The Red Wings could use 20 or more goals from Cleary again to take some of the pressure off Zetterberg and Datsyuk. Detroit lost Jiri Hudler's 50 points, and instead of hoping that Gustav Nyquist and Damien Brunner can make it up, the Red Wings have to count on Cleary to help bridge the gap. He's certainly capable of getting back to being the player he was two seasons ago. "Dan Cleary has done nothing but rehab, rehab, rehab his knee this summer," Babcock said. "He's a skater and he's a great teammate. He had a poor year last year. He'll be back and we need him to be back. He was a huge part of our team in the past and wasn't last year."

Damien Brunner, 26, is arguably the biggest wild card the Red Wings have on their roster. He can either become a top-six forward, a reliable scorer to replace Jiri Hudler's 50 points, or he could be a one-year bust who returns to Switzerland after the season. The Red Wings signed Brunner to a one-year, two-way entry-level contract on July 1 based off his success over the past four seasons with EV Zug in the Swiss National League A. Brunner had 78 goals and 112 assists for 190 points in 167 games with EV Zug. He put up career-highs in goals (24), assists (36), points (60) and penalty minutes (48) last season. Babcock watched Brunner play for Switzerland at the world championships and left impressed with his skill and his speed, so much so the coach encouraged general manager Ken Holland to take a hard look at Brunner. Babcock thinks Brunner has a chance to play in the Red Wings' top six. He wants to give him every chance to succeed. "He likes to score. He plays at high pace," Babcock said. "So here's the question for Brunner: You go to World Championships and watch him, but can he play on the small ice? Is he going to be backed off? "The Swiss play a North American brand of hockey," the coach continued. "I watched him every practice over there. I believe when I go through our guys on our team, if they were to be at the World Championship playing against Canada, there is no way they could be as dominant as he was. He went into the areas to score. He was a darter. He can shoot the puck. He can skate the way the game is played. I saw a real hockey player."

The Red Wings have long been touting Jan Mursak, Gustav Nyquist, Tomas Tatar and Brendan Smith as prospects with potential to become contributors at the NHL level. The time seems right for them to prove why the organization has shown so much belief and patience in them. They will enter the season with limited NHL experience, but with the hope of cracking the roster out of training camp. Smith, 23, who had seven points in 14 games last season, seems to be a good bet to make the 23-man roster and potentially play on the third defense pair, but the three forwards (Mursak, Nyquist and Tatar) will have to stand out in training camp to make the final roster. Their chances are slim as is because the Red Wings have a glut of forwards. "I think Smith is a real player," Babcock said. "The mental side of the game with [Smith] is doing more with less. I think he's a thoroughbred. He played real well for us last year when he played." Mursak, 24, has the most experience with 44 games played over the past two seasons, but he hasn't shown much and has produced two goals and two assists. Nyquist, 22, showed promise last season by putting up seven points in 18 games. Tatar has spent the past three seasons in Grand Rapids. He had 58 points in 76 American Hockey League games last season.

The Red Wings have made the Stanley Cup Playoffs for 21 straight seasons, an NHL record and the longest current streak in any of the four major professional sports leagues. The past 20 of those playoff berths have come with Lidstrom as a cornerstone defenseman. They have won the Stanley Cup four times over the course of the past two decades-plus. The current team, at least on paper, is good enough to keep the streak intact, but there is no denying that for the first time in a long time the Red Wings are vulnerable.

Detroit has made the playoffs in 21 straight seasons, the longest current streak in any of the four major professional sports leagues. Without Lidstrom's presence on the blue line, the team could face its toughest test yet in maintaining that streak. They lost Lidstrom and Stuart off the blue line and did not replace them, hoping instead that Smith is ready for full-time duty and everyone else is capable of doing more than they ever have. That also means White has to show he can be a consistent two-way defender without Lidstrom as his partner. The Red Wings lost Hudler to the Calgary Flames and replaced him with aging Mikael Samuelsson and Brunner, who has never played a professional game in North America. They are hoping that Nyquist and/or Mursak can make the jump to the NHL, but by no means can they say either is a sure thing. Zetterberg and Datsyuk are superstars, but each has been injury prone in the past. Zetterberg did play all 82 games last season, but Datsyuk missed 12 games and was battling injuries throughout the season. Detroit wants to rely on Johan Franzen to be a consistent difference-maker up front. The problem is Franzen can be one of the League's premier power forwards one day and invisible the next. Todd Bertuzzi is 37 and coming off one of the least productive seasons of his career (38 points in 71 games). Cleary is 33 and also took a step backward last season. Minnesota got better. Dallas got better. Anaheim could be a threat again. Calgary and Colorado both believe they have improved. There will be plenty of competition for Detroit in the Western Conference.

 

Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock calls Darren Helm "an everydayer," meaning he always gives maximum effort and has winning on his mind. With last season as proof, the Red Wings need Helm to show up every day in order to win enough games to maintain their Stanley Cup contender status. "The interesting stat is what was our record last year with Helm in the lineup and what was our record without him?" Babcock said. "You're going to be shocked. That right there writes your whole article." Detroit was 42-22-4 with Helm in the lineup last season; 6-6-2 without him. Babcock said he felt Detroit was in a good position when the playoffs began because Helm was back in the lineup after missing the final 10 games of the regular season, but he suffered a deep cut on his right forearm early in Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals and had to undergo surgery. He never returned and the Red Wings lost to the Nashville Predators in five games. "We were the No. 1 team in the NHL after 60-plus games last season and we traded our first-round pick because it was then the No. 30 pick," Babcock said. "Helm got hurt and now we would have had the 19th pick." With Helm healthy and in the lineup, the Red Wings feel they have enough forward depth to compete with any team in the NHL. He's not as gifted as Pavel Datsyuk or Henrik Zetterberg, but Babcock said he thinks Helm is the best third-line center in the NHL because he gives the Red Wings depth, speed and faceoff wins, three elements that make for a dangerous opponent. Babcock went so far as to include Helm in a grouping with Datsyuk and Zetterberg as the forwards who make the Red Wings' offense go. "This guy is just one of those Energizer bunnies. He keeps on trucking," Babcock said. "[Helm] walks in and immediately charges up the room. That's how important he is to our team. You know, sometimes as a coach when you lose a guy the appreciation for that guy goes up." Babcock has never measured Helm's value by his points -- good news for Helm considering he had 26 in 68 games last season after scoring 32 points in 82 games in 2010-11. However, the coach did admit that Helm can improve on his production to become a 40-point guy, and he needs to become more dominant in the faceoff circle. Helm won 51.9 percent of his faceoffs last season (403 of 777). It was a slight decline from the prior season, when he won 52.6 percent of his draws (493 of 938). "I think one of the things you have to be careful of here is you have to do what you do and do it to the best of your ability," Babcock said. "He's at the stage of his career, no matter who they play against us on the road it should be no issue. If it's (Anze) Kopitar, it should be no issue. He can play against anybody, and with his work ethic and tenacity he can wear anybody out."

 

After being two years removed from back-to-back trips to the Stanley Cup Final, the Detroit Red Wings looked primed for one more prolonged playoff run as the 2011-12 regular season came to a close. A combination of age, injury and an upstart foe in the Nashville Predators led to an early exit from the postseason after just five games. The offseason was not kind to the Red Wings, either. An icon, Nicklas Lidstrom, retired. Another key member of the defense, Brad Stuart, wanted to be back on the West Coast. Tomas Holmstrom, another longtime pillar of the franchise, has not been re-signed. The Red Wings were considered favorites to land one of the top defensemen on the market, most notably Ryan Suter, but they all signed elsewhere. General manager Ken Holland did land some added depth at forward. Damien Brunner was considered one of the top unsigned players in Europe, and he could be an impact guy immediately. Mikael Samuelsson should also provide depth scoring. Jonas Gustavsson was signed to be Jimmy Howard's backup, and he could thrive away from oversized expectations in Toronto. There is still plenty of talent in Detroit led by one of the League's best coaches, Mike Babcock. Holland also has lots of salary cap space and a strong set of prospects to work with should he feel additions are needed.

Forwards

Danny Cleary - Pavel Datsyuk - Johan Franzen

Valtteri Filppula - Henrik Zetterberg - Damien Brunner

Gustav Nyquist - Darren Helm - Mikael Samuelsson

Drew Miller - Justin Abdelkader - Todd Bertuzzi

 

Cory Emmerton - Jordin Tootoo

Defensemen

Niklas Kronwall - Ian White

Jonathan Ericsson - Kyle Quincey

Brendan Smith - Jakub Kindl

Goaltenders

Jimmy Howard

Jonas Gustavsson

NOTES: There is quite a logjam at forward in Detroit. Bertuzzi has been a top-six player during his tenure with the Red Wings, but his production has slipped and he'll be 38 in February, he could be in for a Holmstrom-esque dip in ice time. A healthy Cleary and newcomer Brunner look like possible replacements for Jiri Hudler and Bertuzzi in the top six, but don't count out Nyquist or Samuelsson as contenders for those spots as well. This lineup doesn't even leave room for Patrick Eaves, who has two years at $1.2 million per left on his deal, or prospects Tomas Tatar or Jan Mursak, who could force their way into the opening-night lineup with a strong training camp. If the Red Wings only keep six defensemen, holding onto 15 forwards is possible and that would mean another spot for Eaves' or Mursak's one-way contract. It seems rather implausible that Holland won't add a veteran defenseman of some kind before the season begins. Detroit has five guys on one-way contracts plus top prospect Brendan Smith, who is a lock for a roster spot. Beyond those six, someone like Brian Lashoff or Adam Almqvist would be in line for an NHL debut if injury strikes. Both are still young and likely to stay in the American Hockey League until needed, though. If the Red Wings want a seventh defenseman as insurance on the roster, expect them to grab a veteran free agent on a cheap deal.