Detroit Red Wings

It seems there is some confusion about the current state of health of Red Wing hockey hero Gordie Howe.

Clarification was reported yesterday to ensure that Howe's fans knew the truth. 

Is it too early to start talking Stanley Cup? If you’re like me or most the Red Wings fans I know—it’s never too early. We talk rivalries in the off season, playoffs during pre-season, and certainly the Cup all year round.

I generally refrain from making such drastic statements as the title of this article, but with the way Detroit is currently playing it's hard not to see them making a deep run in the playoffs.

The NHL All-Star Media day in Ottawa on Friday was a great opportunity to hear the All-Stars voice their feelings on how happy they were to be playing and participating in the weekend.

Jimmy Howard was no different in his tone.

Ice hockey, the world’s fastest sport, is played at blinding speed by powerful men gliding along the rink on razor-sharp blades fastened to their boots, swinging fiberglass sticks at a vulcanized rubber disc.

It’s polo played on ice, sans the horses.

The thrills and chills come from the long, effortless strides of a puck-carrier as he bores down at the goalie from the wing, at some 25-30 miles per hour. Until he loses the puck, and the same thing happens, going the other way.

He was the NHL’s original Iron Man—a man of perfect attendance, whose offices were located in six Taj Mahals of indoor sports venues.

Long before the tentacles of corporate sponsorship wrapped themselves around the naming of stadiums and arenas, the NHL of Johnny Wilson was played in a half dozen barns, each wonderfully devoid of anything remotely corporate in name, though several were botanical.

During the NHL offseason, players from every team come and go, and teams get better and worse.

Over the last 15 years, the Detroit Red Wings have been remarkably good at keeping their team mostly in tact, and plugging in the holes left by players who leave.

The signing of Ian White over the offseason to replace retiring Brian Rafalski would be a perfect example of plugging one of those holes.

As one of the greatest teams in the history of the NHL, the Detroit Red Wings have had many great players come and go.

These players are not just some of the best in Red Wings history, but many of them are the best in NHL history.

As a note to readers, while players such as Brett Hull and Dominik Hasek were great players, they only spent a short time with the Red Wings. As a requirement, players will have to meet a five-year minimum to make the list.

The most celebrated goaltender in Detroit Red Wings history—indeed, maybe in NHL history—was a tormented man. It’s been said that you have to be a little off your rocker to want to throw yourself into the path of vulcanized rubber discs for a living. Terry Sawchuk may not have been crazy, but he wasn’t happy.

The Detroit Red Wings had some pieces in place in the 1990s, but it wasn't til a few great acquisitions solidified their defense and bolstered their third and fourth forward lines.

The Red Wings were solid as a team; with the drafting of forwards Steve Yzerman and Sergei Federov, and defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom, they were well on their way to success.

But the Red Wings needed more than just those three individuals to win a Stanley Cup.

In general, I'm not really a "glass half-full" type of guy.

I'm not usually on the lookout for silver linings when dark clouds appear, and I rarely view any door closing as a sure sign that a window will soon be opening.

For the most part, I am a pessimist.

That said, realizing that things cannot get much worse for the Detroit Red Wings right now has nothing to do with one's outlook—it's a fact.