Preseason Preview: Detroit Red Wings

Well, its August and that means there's not a whole much of anything going on. That said, I'm gonna try and nail out 30 team evaluations before the preseason is underway.

Now, the Detroit Red Wings

Team M.O.: The Wings use their combination of finesse and intelligence to master their puck-possession style of play. Their method wins them plenty of games and I mean a bunch of them. Sports Illustrated named the Red Wings as the most successful NHL franchise and with 4 Stanley Cup victories since 1997 have started to show that they're in a league of their own. Their lack of toughness, however, is a major detraction from fans who prefer the North American style of game. Sometimes it hurts them, sometimes it doesn't.

Last Season: The 2008 Stanley Cup Champions took their title defense to seven games in the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals only to lose to the Pittsburgh Penguins by a goal. It sucks for their fans that they didn't repeat, but considering how many of the recent defending Cup champions have either been eliminated in the conference quarterfinals or missed the playoffs entirely, that speaks highly of how well organized this club is.

Offense: Pavel Datsyuk and Hendrik Zetterberg have emerged as two of the best players in the NHL, as they're capable of playing at both sides of the ice and are absolutely dangerous when they have the puck. Johan Franzen graduated from a fourth line grinder to becoming one of the top scoring power forwards in the league. Dan Cleary is starting to reclaim his status as a first round draft pick by breaking his way into the Red Wings' top six forward group while Valtteri Filppula is emerging as a second line center. Darren Helm has made the team with his 45 levels of fast while Kris Draper still provides a veteran checking presence than can win faceoffs. Tomas Holmstrom and Kirk Maltby will be returning this season but I have a feeling it might be their last in a Red Wings uniform, as time and injuries have taken a toll on both players. The Wings will be bringing in Ville Leino from the minors along with Patrick Eaves and Jason Williams (who's returning for his second tour with the Wings) to help round out the offense who'll play the two-way, puck possession style of game the Wings are known for. The Wings would do well to sign or trade for an agitating winger who can fight as well as an enforcer who can be smart enough to do well with both the payers and the coaches on the team. Justin Abdelkader is great but would be better off eating up minutes in Grand Rapids than he would be in playing either a checking or depth role for the Wings this season.

Defense: When your first defensive pair is Niklas Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski, all is right in the world. These guys have consistently been two of the top scoring defenders in the league. Niklas Kronwall and Brad Stuart have settled in as a legitimate shut down second-pairing, but both need to stop the occasional brain cramps they've been suffering lately. Jonathan Ericcson is going to be doing what he can to break into the top pairings with his blend of offensive skill and willingness to fight while Brett Lebda gives the team a solid puck-moving depth defensemen. The team has Derek Meech and Andreas Lilja tabbed for the number 7 or 8 spots, but Meech hasn't shown the ability to get into the lineup on a regular basis while Lilja is still in the infirmary because he tried to fill a role for the team needed that he just wasn't entirely prepared for: a defensive defensman who can fight. If the Red Wings could unload or reassign Meech and maybe someone else for someone who can fill that role, their blueline would look delicious.

Goaltending: A lot of people like to doubt Chris Osgood and rightfully so because consistency has been an issue, but when he's in the pressure cooker, he battles through it and is exceptionally well at it. He's starting to get up there in age though, so now he's going to work with Jim Howard, who for financial and waiver reasons is now the Red Wings second goaltender. His individual numbers are excellent, but his win-loss numbers don't look good for the team so he'll have to figure out a way to help them win. Detroit has a bumper crop of young goaltenders brewing in the minors, so should something happen to their first two options, they'll probably look for within for help and not through trades or free agency.

Expectations: Say what you will about them being "soft" but the Red Wings are still the measuring stick for which all other teams are judged by. Its going to be tough for them this year, especially now that the Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, and St. Louis Blues have really improved as teams, but they've still got almost everything necessary to go deep into the playoffs, if not win it all. If Ken Holland can add some toughness and Mike Babcock can lead the team to victory, then they'll be the best team in the league... again.