Detroit Red Wings: First Round Preview

Since the All-Star break the Preds have been playing playoff hockey. Each win, a step closer to the postseason while each loss was yet another hurdle to overcome. Meanwhile, the Wings have been on autopilot for weeks, cruising through victories and shrugging off the few losses they’ve succumbed to.

Despite losing Peter Forsberg, Paul Kariya, Scott Hartnell, Tomas Vokoun and Kimmo Timmonen to trades and free agency, as well as offensive sparkplug Steve Sullivan to injury, the Preds managed to slap common sense in the face on route to their fourth straight postseason appearance. This feat was no easy task considering that at the start of the season the teams permanent residence was still up in the air. With a giant ‘For Sale’ sign slapped on the franchise, Barry Trotz did his best “Reggie Dunlop” impression and found a way to help his team win.

Jason Arnott is a big reason the Preds are still playing hockey in April. He is playing, perhaps, the best hockey of his career while J.P. Dumont, Alexander Radulov and Dan Hamhuis have filled the holes left by those who blew out of the Music City last summer.

Nashville likes to play a fast, aggressive, smash-mouth brand of hockey that will force the Wings defensemen to make quick split-second decisions. Dominik Hasek’s ineptitude for handling the puck will also play into their strategy featuring an abundance of dump-and-chase hockey. Detroit will once again rely on the rock-solid play of Captain Nick Lidstrom to keep the Wings rearguards composed during these onslaughts.

Detroit would be wise to reciprocate, getting to Nashville’s younger, more inexperienced defense. Ryan Suter, Shea Weber and Ville Koistinen have a mere 14 playoff games between them. Rugged wingers Dan Cleary, Kirk Maltby, Johan Franzen, Aaron Downy and Darren McCarty must expose their inexperience with hard, relentless play in the corners and along the boards.

A young defense is not the only question mark on the Predators roster. Thirteen times this season, Trotz has been forced to replace his netminder.

Dan Ellis is slated to be the starter for Game 1 and while he has been stellar at times, shutting down some of the leagues more potent offensives, he has had his share of moments where stopping the puck appeared to be a chore.

With the return of Tomas Holmstrom and the red-hot play of Johan Franzen the Wings will have two large, potent, crease-crashing presences in front of Ellis on nearly every shift. Like Koistinen, Ellis has yet to see postseason action in the NHL. Dealing with #96 and #93 on a regular basis over the course of a grueling 1^st round match-up can be trying for even the most seasoned veteran. It remains to be seen if the 27-year-old native of Orangeville, ONT can stand up to the pressure and help carry his team to the conference semi-finals.

The Wings will need to use their depth, experience and home ice advantage to shake off the tenacious underdogs from Nashville. The opening round is always the hardest and in this respect it might serve the Wings well to face some adversity in the early going.

However, with a favorable travel partner, it could prove even more beneficial if the Wings can jump out to a fast start and dispense of this band of overachievers as quickly as possible, while the rest of their Western Conference rivals bloody and bruise themselves in their pursuit of hockey’s holy grail.

If the first 82 games of the season have proven anything, it’s that the Predators won’t go quietly. Let’s hope the Wings can make some noise of their own.

Henry Dyck