2010-2011 NHL Season: Detroit Red Wings Look To Prove The Doubters Wrong

The Detroit Red Wings, as we all know, have always been a constant force to be reckoned with in the Western Conference.

When Detroit went through its injuries  last year, it was a lot less Detroit Red Wings and a lot more Detroit Griffins.

At one point in time, Detroit had a total of ten regulars out of the lineup due to injuries, including top players Henrik Zetterberg, Johan Franzen, and Tomas Holmstrom.

Throw that in and the fact that the Red Wings got bitten huge by the salary cap the previous summer, it looked like a grim time in Hockeytown.

Detroit, who is usually battling San Jose for top seed in West, was battling the Dallas Stars, Calgary Flames and Anaheim Ducks for eighth place.

Wins were coming few and far between but many broadcasters and analysts ignored the fact that the Red Wings were battling injuries and pointing more towards the fact that the Red Wings are getting too old to compete with the fast, quick-paced NHL.

As the season wore on, it seemed like every game a new wing was clipped.

Everybody started to count Detroit out of the playoffs, 30 games in.

By game 61, the Olympic break, Detroit found themselves in ninth place in the Western Conference with 68 points.

Tomas Holmstrom, who was injured stayed home from the Olympics and teammate Johan Franzen, who had come back two games before from a torn knee ligament, took his place.

Zetterberg, Lidstrom and Kronwall were representing Sweden.

Datsyuk was with Russia.

Rafalski on USA.

Filppula played with his home team Finland.

Luckily for the Red Wings though, Russia, Sweden, and Finland ended early and Rafalski was the only Wing to play in the finals.

When NHL resumed after the break, the Red Wings took off on tear going 16-3-2 to close out the season and sliding into fifth place in the Western Conference.

Detroit faced off in the first round against a younger, much quicker Phoenix Coyotes team. After a couple scares, Detroit disposed of them in seven games and found themselves in the Western Conference semi-finals facing off against the Sharks.

Detroit didn't play poorly and with the help of the refs, the Sharks knocked off the Red Wings in five games.

Detroit headed into the offseason with many RFA's to resign and waiting for the decision of Nicklas Lidstrom and his future plans.

Lidstrom made his decision to come back, and he was re-signed. Next came Holmstrom, than Bertuzzi. 

Holland than made his moves with the RFA's signing Eaves, Miller, Meech, and Helm in that order.

Adding in the return of Hudler, Detroit gained some old scoring touch from 2009.

The biggest news of the summer came in early August when Detroit signed the best American-born scorer, Mike Modano, to a one-year contract.

The reacquires and new additions to the team show that Detroit isn't ready to give up.

The way Detroit came out of the Olympic break shows that Detroit is still the same team that has dominated the NHL since the mid-90's.

With all due respect to the Chicago Blackhawks, they had a tremendous season and a magical Cup run, but they didn't confront the Red Wings on their way to winning their first Cup since 1961.

When the Red Wings played the Blackhawks with a fully healthy team, Detroit defeated Chicago in the three games they played. When Detroit battled injuries, Chicago won the three games.

This upcoming Detroit team has something that they did lack last year: scoring, full health, and depth.

Adding Mike Modano gives Detroit a player that will start on the third line but has the flexibility to move up to the second, and maybe if need be the first line.

Jiri Hudler makes Detroit's power play that much better and another player that will join Modano on the third line but can put in time on the first or second line.

Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk had one of the worst seasons in their respective careers, and know that they will be looking to improve on that.

Mike Babcock wants them to play on the same line, like they did in 2007-2008 and we all know what happened when they did.

Detroit's main focus is to shut up the critics and show the NHL that they are still the dominate force they have been for a while now.

All we can do is wait.

And the last time the Red Wings went into a season where they were deemed 'too old', well, go google '2008 Stanley Cup playoffs'.

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