Detroit Wins! Detroit Wins!

Detroit Red Wings General Manager Ken Holland, along with team owner Mike Ilitch both strongly agree that this recent Stanley Cup victory holds some special significance when compared to the previous three that they have captured in the past 11 years. On Wednesday night, when the Wings won that clinching game in Pittsburgh, Holland talked about how Wings defenseman Nicklas Lindstrom became the first European to captain a winning team, and how gifted forward Henrik Zetterberg became the second European (Lindstrom was first in 2002), to win the Conn Smythe Award on the strength of his 27 playoff points. 

“Our Europeans also proved that they were tough, so I don’t think we’ll be hearing about our team being soft anymore.” Another significant aspect to this Cup is that they dispelled past rumors that their previous championships came on the strength of spending the most money in the league on players. “We’ve always drafted and developed players and that is really paying off now,” said Ilitch.

Looking at their track record at the draft table, it’s amazing to see how many stars they have picked in the late rounds who have contributed mightily to not only winning this years Stanley Cup but also the Presidents Trophy. Zetterberg who is only 27, was selected an astounding 210^thoverall in the 1999 draft and Lindstrom, who is a future first ballot hall of famer, wasn’t picked until the third round two decades ago. Another late round selection who had an exceptional playoff run was Johan Franzen, who was tied with Zetterberg for first overall with 13 playoff goals. Currently, and during the season, Detroit was under the salary cap with lots of wiggle room. “People probably thought we were going to drop off a little bit, and the team didn’t lose a beat,” Lindstom said. “I think we’ve just been getting better and better under coach Mike Babcock.”

Reflecting on the win, there were many feel good inspirational stories that Holland mentioned as being another reason why this cup had some extra significance. The biggest inspirational story was rugged forward Darren McCarty, who hit rock bottom last summer after going through bankruptcy, a divorce, and trying to overcome a drinking problem. At the beginning of the season, McCarty was out of hockey and didn’t know where his life was headed. Holland, approached the veteran and eventually McCarty signed a non-guaranteed contract with no promises. With the odds stacked against him, McCarty went to work and in the last month or so of the season found his way back to the Red Wings. Though he was in and out of the lineup during the finals, he was still very excited and in a reflective mood when it was his turn to hoist the Stanley Cup. “When I lifted the Cup, the last year went through my mind,” said McCarty who has been a member of all four Stanley Cup winning Detroit teams since 1997. “To go from where where I was to be in this moment right now is unbelievable.”

Another fantastic story that Wings coach Mike Babcock touched upon involved his goalie Chris Osgood, who in Detroit is affectionately known as Ozzie. During game four of their first round series against the Nashville Predators, Babcock pulled starter Dominick Hasek for Osgood, in a move that made the Wings bench boss look like a genius.  “When you pull your goalie in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, that usually means you’re going fishing in about three days,” said Babcock. “I think Ozzie is a fantastic story.”  In the past Osgood has always been labeled as not an elite goalie. Critics often said that in 1998, the Wings won despite of Osgood. At one point in his early years, the Red Wings put him on waivers and over the years he was labeled as a journeyman goalie as he went from the New York Islanders to the St. Louis Blues before eventually coming back to Detroit.    

This Cup had special significant to former New Jersey Devil defenseman Brian Rafalski, who is a Michigan native. This veteran who signed a lucrative deal as a free agent last summer grew up as a Red Wings fan and found it pretty special to win with the team he rooted for as a youngster. “This is what I dreamt about,” he said. “I watched the tough times in the 1980’s when the team was known as the Dead Wings and played in the Snorris Division,” Rafalski said. “I was there in the stands when they lost in the first round to San Jose in 1994. “Then I watched them getting better from afar the rest of the 1990’s and now I’m here.”

Another emotional sub plot to this Stanley Cup win is that veteran forward Dan Cleary will be the first native of Harbour Grace N.L. to have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup.   “I think everybody back in Newfoundland is proud,” he said. “I’m proud. I can’t wait to bring the Cup home.” Heading into the off season, it has all their core players under contract for next year which means that Detroit known as HockeyTown has a good chance of having a dynasty for years to come. 

 

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