Fraser's Detroit Red Wings' 2009-10 Season Preview

(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

I will be previewing all 30 NHL clubs. I will be looking at their available salary cap room, the additions and deletions from the 2008-09 rosters, and where I think they will stack up in their division and conference for the 2009-10 season. 

Let's get a move on with the Detroit Red Wings, which play in the Central Division and the Western Conference.

"To be the man, you have to beat the man." Wrestling World Champion Ric Flair’s catch phrase also applies to the Detroit Red Wings. Since current General Manager Ken Holland joined the Wings' front office in 1985, the team has only missed the playoffs twice (1986 and 1990).

The Wings have won four Stanley Cups, six Clarence Campbell Trophies (Western Conference Championship), six President's Trophies, 10 Western Conference Finals appearances, and 14 Division titles.

Until a team can prove otherwise, all roads in the Western Conference will eventually have to go through Michigan. Since 1994, when the NHL changed the playoff format from Divisional to Conference seedings, the Stanley Cup or Western Conference champs have either defeated the Wings or were defeated by the Wings in the Finals, 10 out of 14 years.  The Wings have been in the playoffs each of these years.

Hockeytown U.S.A. is alive and well.

They have built teams under both the free-spending system and the cap-system. Has the pieces to the puzzle leave due to retirement or unrestricted free agency, Holland just replaces them, either through the draft or going out and finding affordable UFA that can take over the roles of the departed pieces. Players know if they want to win a Stanley Cup and Ken Holland’s number comes up on their cell phones, they definitely better listen.

Case in point, prior to the 2008-09 season, Marian Hossa turned down a number of multi-year contracts worth millions for one shot with the Red Wings. It didn’t work out for Hossa, but for many players it has, such as Larry Murphy, Luc Robitaille, and Dominik Hasek. 

Let’s take a look at the 2009-10 version of the Detroit Red Wings.

Significant Additions

The unrestricted free agent deals that were signed to join the Red Wings this season are as follows: Patrick Eaves (Boston and Carolina), Todd Bertuzzi (Calgary), Doug Janik (Montreal) Jason Williams (Columbus), as well as Jeremy Williams and Kris Newbury (Toronto).

Significant Deletions

The unrestricted free agents that have moved on from Detroit are: Ty Conklin (St. Louis), Marian Hossa (Chicago), Mikael Samuelsson (Vancouver), Darren Haydar (Colorado) and Tomas Kopecky (Chicago).  Jiri Hudler has been awarded a two-year, $2.875 million contract, through salary arbitration, but has also signed with Dynamo Moscow of the KHL, in Russia.

Remaining Red Wings, who have yet to sign a deal with another franchise are: Chris Chelios, Aaron Downey, Darren McCarty, and Randall Gelech.

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