The 2006-2007 Playoffs
When the Anaheim Ducks became the first team to bring the Stanley Cup to California, they were chosen by and large to repeat. There were few who would disagree. Their defensive unit that included the likes of Scott Niedermayer, Chris Pronger, Beauchemin and others was hard for the rest of the NHL to match. Combined with their potent offense headed by Teemu Selanne it wasn't a stretch to imagine that they could repeat.
Yet fans of the Detroit Red Wings felt overwhelmingly that they were robbed of the Cup that year, citing many controversial calls, including a major one against center Pavel Datsyuk that changed the direction of the series. Many felt that the Wings would have beaten Eastern Conference Champ Ottawa Senators for the Stanley Cup, but were cheated out of their chance. All off-season long this mantra drove the fanbase and the Red Wings themselves to prove that they deserved to win it all.
The Red Wings Win the Stanley Cup
For much of the season the Red Wings made mincemeat of the opposition, featuring an overwhelming offense, a hall of fame defense including Nicklas Lidstrom, Brian Rafalski, and Chris Chelios, and unexpected play by goaltender Chris Osgood that earned him an All-Star berth and along with Dominik Hasek they won the team the Jennings Trophy for least goals allowed. With very few exceptions they dominated their opponents all the way to the Stanley Cup, where they defeated the young Pittsburgh Penguins.
But having proved their critics wrong repeatedly, the Wings now face the danger of becoming complacent. Some wonder if they have anything left to prove, if the drive exists to demolish the rest of the NHL again. And watching the Anaheim Ducks fall apart in their defense of the Cup certainly raised questions about the ability to repeat in today's NHL.
The Red Wings Sign Marian Hossa, Ty Conklin
None of this worries the Red Wings. They are the definition of professional. Never panic. Never overreact. They calmly watched as Dominik Hasek and Dallas Drake retired from hockey, leaving gaps in their lineup that would need to be filled.
When teams like the Tampa Bay Lightning began a feeding frenzy after the opening of Free Agency on July 1st, the Wings quietly inquired about star winger Marian Hossa, the player who very nearly stole the Cup from the Wings in the dying second of the 3rd Period in Game 6 of the Finals. In a shock to the hockey world, Hossa shunned multi-year contracts and massive amounts of money to sign a single year, 7 million dollar contract with the Wings.
Hossa claimed he wanted to win the Cup and turned down many offers to join the Wings. Delirious fans could hardly believe their luck. Not only did they acquire Hossa to join the ranks of Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg as three of the best players in the league, but GM Ken Holland signed veteran goalie Ty Conklin (also from Pittsburgh) to replace Hasek as a backup.
The Wings Look to the 2008-09 Season
The Wings now celebrate their Cup victory with one eye on the upcoming season. The hunger must be there to win sports most gruelling competition. Once again the Wings will have to prove critics wrong and show that the Stanley Cup can be won twice in a row by the same team in this day and age. And if their track record is any indication, they will get the job done.
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