So far, this season is off to a real sub-standard start for the Detroit Red Wings. They are currently hovering around the 16th spot in the league which is a far cry from the smoking hot start of their twice-in-a-row Stanley Cup Finals the Pittsburgh Penguins (currently #2 behind Colorado).

Tonight, they faced the Toronto Maple Leafs and had their asses handed to them after being beat 5-1.  It was a rough night for Detroit goaltender, Chris Osgood, which only highlighted how stellar Jonas Gustavsson in net for the Leafs.  He made 35 saves and continues to be a major factor …read more

The Detroit Red Wings will be without forward, Valtteri Filppula, for up to two months after he broke his wrist during the team’s 6-5 loss against the Edmonton Oilers on Thursday night.

It’s too bad because the 25-year-old is off to a decent start so far this year.  In 11 games he racked up two goals and four assists.  It’s not stellar but it’s good enough to miss in the lineup.  Well, like I’ve been saying about all of the injuries in this first month of the season, it’s better to heal up now than in the postseason so hopefully this …read more

Todd Bertuzzi’s suspicions about not returning to the Calgary Flames have turned out to be right.  He never got that call from Daryl Sutter inviting him back to the team however much he wanted to continue playing with the Flames but he will be returning to the Western Conference.

The Detroit Red Wings have signed the veteran to a one-year, $1.5 million contract.  He’s no stranger to the team since he played in eight games for the Wings during the 2006-2007 regular season and 16 games in the playoffs. 
He might not be as fast or confident as he used …read more

This whole Jiri Hudler drama gets more interesting by the day and I just don’t see why this hasn’t been resolved.  Clearly he knew he was still contractually obligated to the Detroit Red Wings when he signed with the KHL team, Dynamo Moscow, since he filed for arbitration.

First the NHL informed the IIHF about their investigation into the issue and despite all of this, the KHL has officially registered Hudler’s contract which is worth $10 million for two years.  He had been offered a five year deal worth $3 million with the Wings.  I realize that’s it’s pretty much a …read more

After the news broke that Jiri Hudler had signed a two-year deal with the KHL team Dynamo Moscow, it’s been debated whether that contract should be contested since he filed for salary arbitration, which normally means that a player intends to play in the NHL the following season. 
Further, the NHL has asserted that Hudler is contractually obligated to return to the Detroit Red Wings and they have approached the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) and the KHL so that the situation can be mediated and discussed.
Darren Dredger quotes IIHF Communications Director, Szymon Szemberg, as saying:  “The IIHF has been …read more

It has been announced that Detroit Red Wings coach, Mike Babcock, will assume the head coaching duties for Team Canada when they compete at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games.

Steve Yzerman, who currently serves as the executive director of Canada’s Olympic team, knows Babcock well from his time with the Red Wings so, along with the coach’s recent record, it’s not too surprising that he was chosen for the job. 
Also, while he hasn’t coached an Olympic team he did lead Team Canada to a 2004 World Championship title and the 1997 World Junior title.  I am hoping he …read more

It looks like Chris Chelios won’t be donning a Detroit Red Wings jersey again any time soon.  Apparently, a meeting between him and general manager, Ken Holland, ended with the veteran player not being offered a contract.
The Detroit Free Press quoted Holland as saying the following:  "I met with Chelios and told him we would not be offering him a contract.  He wants to play again. I really think that he does have another year in him. I think he can play 10 to 15 minutes. I think he can play on a third pair."
I know that it’s hard …read more

Detroit Red Wings center, Pavel Datsyuk, took home the Frank J. Selke Trophy after his 32 goals/97 points and plus/minus rating of plus –34 secured his spot as the league’s top defensive forward.  His effort was enough to beat out his fellow nominees, Mike Richards (Philadelphia) and Ryan Kesler (Vancouver).
I wasn’t surprised to see him take home the Lady Bing Memorial Trophy for the fourth straight year.  The prize honors players for their sportsmanlike conduct – Datsyuk only incurred 22 penalty minutes in 81 games and beat out Martin St. Louis of Tampa Bay and New Jersey’s Zach Parise.
image: …read more

If you followed this year’s playoffs, you probably heard more than one commentator talking about the fact that Marian Hossa turned down a lucrative, long-term contract (worth almost $50 million) with the Pittsburgh Penguins in order to accept a one-year deal (worth $7.5 million) with the Detroit Red Wings.  The reason for his defection?  He thought he had a better chance of winning Lord Stanley with Detroit.
I really couldn’t believe he did (or said) that but I didn’t think about it too much until it was clear that the two teams were going to get a rematch.  I started mulling …read more

This is it.  This is really, REALLY it.  It’s do-or-die time and I am extremely nervous.  I don’t know what it is about this matchup but seeing the seasoned, experienced Detroit Red Wings take on the younger Pittsburgh Penguins is very exciting to me.  It was all over in Game 6 last year and I think it’s absolutely amazing that we get to see a rematch.

I thought history might repeat itself since the Red Wings only needed one more win and could have eliminated the Pens (again) in Game 6 but Pittsburgh dug deep and sent out a message that …read more