2011-12 record: 48-28-6
Lost to Nashville in Conference quarterfinals
Captain: TBD
In the time since Detroit was last seen on the ice, Nicklas Lidstrom retired, Brad Stuart went to San Jose, Columbus refused to trade Rick Nash to them, and Zach Parise and Ryan Suter spurned them for Minnesota. So, how did Detroit get better in the offseason, you ask? Their best signings were Mikael Samuelsson, who can pot 30 goals when healthy (something he has not been the last two seasons), and Jordin Tootoo, who provides much needed sandpaper to a team that needs it. Make no mistake, there is still offense, as Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk are still around, but they are also on the wrong side of 30. Even without Jiri Hudler, who took the money in Calgary, the offense is the least of the team's problems, though the fact that they were kicking the tires on Nash and Parise suggests that there is never enough. Goaltending is also not an issue, as Jimmy Howard made his first All-Star appearance last year. However, he does need to find consistency, as his playoff numbers aren't exactly that great, and given that he will be working behind a considerably weaker blue line, he will need to step his game up even more. Speaking of the blue line, Niklas Kronwall is the team's best defenseman, but like Howard, consistency will have to come sooner than later. It's time that the likes of Jakub Kindl and Brendan Smith make their marks because the team lacks depth, and having either or both be the guy that was drafted in the first round (Kindl in 2005 and Smith in 2007) would go a long way in shoring up the blue line problems.
Prediction: 9th in the West
Band: Dark Tranquillity
A model of consistency for a large period of time, Dark Tranquillity hit a pothole with the 2010 release We are the Void. Detroit did not miss a playoff appearance in the 20 years that Lidstrom played for them. This coming season just might be that pothole.
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