Cup Winning Wings Will Stay Intact For 08-09 Season

No. I'm not going to use that dreaded R word that always seems to come around after a team wins the cup.

Every team's prospects look good directly after winning hockey's Holy Grail. People say "if they play like this next year, we'll repeat for sure" a phrase I'm already sick of. A lot can happen in 8-10 months.

However, there's no denying the Wings prospects for next season for the time being at least appear to be pretty sunny.

For one, there are no significant UFA's on this team. Dominik Hasek, Andreas Lilja, Brad Stuart, and Chris Chelios are the four biggest ones and none are vital to the team.

Let's start with Hasek and Chelios. Hasek has already talked about getting another chance next year and Holland has said he hasn't ruled out bringing him back, but I see otherwise.

Hasek is 43 years old going on 50. If he comes back only a team like Detroit suits him because he won't have to face many shots. However he's become incredibly inconsistent and can't step it up in big games like he used to.

Detroit has Jimmy Howard primed to be Osgood's backup next season. Another year in the minors will do him no good at this point, and he'd be considerably cheaper than Hasek.

Chelios has already said he's coming back. That is if management lets him. At 46 years old, Chelios can still play, however he's definitely a depth defenseman on any team.

Here's why the Wings don't need him. Kyle Quincey, Derek Meech, and Jonathon Ericsson. All three of them are ready to play on the Wings and all three can at least be considered greater than or equal to Chelios at this point. Same goes for Andreas Lijla who is rumored to want at least $1.5M-$2M next year. No thanks.

Brad Stuart is the only one of the four worth keeping. As a No. 4 D-man you'd be hard pressed to find a counterpart that's better or equal. If Stuart hangs around, the Wings unquestionably retain the best defense in the NHL.

Stuart might command as much as $4M. A hefty sum for a No. 4 D-man, but they'll have the cap room to keep him, and he is in his prime. I think if Stuart wants to stay, the Wings will keep him on.

Throw in the fact that Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Osgood, Franzen, Holmstrom, Cleary, Lidstrom, Rafalski, Kronwall, Hudler, and Filppula are all returning and the Wings will be calling up/bringing back more young talent in Helm, Howard, Leino, Kopecky, and possibly Abdelakder and its looking pretty good.

This is without factoring in that the Wings might make a splash on the free agent market. Mats Sundin is a possibility that's being thrown out there. He'd make a nice fit for the second line.

Yes, the Wings 2008-2009 prospects look solid as any in the last decade but I'm going to stop short of throwing out the "R" word. Slumps happen, trades happen, injuries happen. Let's also not forget that the Wings didn't have to face the No. 2 or No. 3 seeds in the West this year. It could have been different.

So enjoy this now Hockeytown and feel good about next season. But let's not let the expectations get too out of hand.