2014-15 record: 43-25-14 (100 points)
Lost to Tampa Bay in Conference quarterfinals
Captain: Henrik Zetterberg
The Detroit Red Wings cracked the 100 point barrier last year and were one of the better balanced teams in the league. However, cracks started to show, as a goalie that started the year in the minors had to rescue them from falling out of playoff contention and their leading scorer had trouble finding the back of the net late in the season. Not even a well-played series against eventual Eastern Conference champion Tampa Bay could take some of the hurt out of the Red Wings. The departure of coach Mike Babcock for greener pastures in the off-season didn't help matters, nor did Pavel Datsyuk needing surgery that will likely force him to miss the start of the season. However, there is good news, as the man that will be replacing Babcock as head coach is Jeff Blashill, who despite having no NHL coaching or playing experience, is a familiar face to many of the Red Wings players thanks to a year as an assistant coach with the team and more recently, three years as head coach in Grand Rapids, where Detroit has their AHL affiliate.
Unlike recent years, the Red Wings didn't lose anyone of significance, as only Stephen Weiss was bought out. In addition, the Red Wings finally got the right-handed shot from the blue line they wanted, as Mike Green will be coming over from Washington. Brad Richards was also signed in the hope that he has something left as a second line center. Still, it will be all about youth up front, particularly since Datsyuk may miss the start of the season and Zetterberg may be experiencing the early stages of a decline. That means guys like Justin Abdelkader, Gustav Nyquist, and Tomas Tatar will be expected to lead they way offensively and beyond while Zetterberg will continue to provide leadership by example. Defensively, even with Green, depth remains a concern, as beyond the top three, the other defensemen are either unproven still or average, at best. In goal, there will now be a fight for the starting job, as Jimmy Howard struggled mightily after an injury not only derailed what was a stellar season, but also his momentum. Those struggles, plus Jonas Gustavsson's injuries, opened the door for Petr Mrazek to take the job late in the season and for the playoffs, where he showed that he belonged. With the competition, it will be the best man winning the starting role.
Prediction: 2nd in the Atlantic Division
Despite ongoing issues on the back end, the problems there aren't nearly as glaring as one may think. Up front, it is scoring by committee, as five players (Datsyuk, Tatar, Nyquist, Abdelkader, and the since departed trade deadline pick-up Erik Cole) scored 20 goals or more. That balance, plus familiarity with the new coach, should help the Red Wings make the playoffs once again.
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