Early exit

updated: 7/3/12
Detroit Red Wings MVP 2012 - Henrik Zetterberg

I chose z as the mvp for detroit this year. He didnt have his best year stat wise, slight drop in production but he was the most consistant player all year and his line of filppula and hudler stayed together most of the year. At times he carried our team when we had half of our top talent out due to injury.

It was a season filled with promise that was cut very short in the playoffs this year after being eliminated in 5 games by the Nashville Predators. Injuries up until the final day of the regular season really seemed to hamper the Wings players after a season which saw them win an NHL record 23 consecutive home games. We saw the breakout year that everyone has been anticipating, of Valtteri Filppula (23G, 66 pts), Hudler had himself a bounce back year and likely earned himself a pay increase albeit as a UFA. Bertuzzi played solid and earned himself a contract extension as teams grandpa for the next 2 years, the emergence of Gustav Nyquist late in the season was exciting to see. A full season of Nyquist, Helm, Eaves together could be explosive. For the most part it was a good regular season and we fell short in the playoffs but I don't think anyone feels that far off from another long playoff run and maybe another cup so that Lidstrom can go out on top.


There are a number of interesting free agents about to hit the market that Detroit could really use to bolster their depth and we have the money to do it. The Wings are going to make a strong push for Zach Parise and Ryan Sutter, as I'm sure any contending team with the money to shell out will be doing so. I have faith that we could land one of these super stars and this will hopefully make up for the loss of Brad Stuart when we lose him to his family and some lucky California team, and of course the incomprehensible retirement of Nick Lidstrom. We should be letting Hudler go and getting an upgrade along the wing. Our Top line collection of wingers has begun to show their age and some of them are looking like good 3rd liners. But inserting even one new top winger and move maybe Bertuzzi down to 3rd line and we have an entire new look. And of course for all of this to work Nick Lidstrom needs to come back for one more year! How could he pass up a Detroit Winter Classic?

This will probably be my last post until the next season so take care everyone. Go Wings!

-Chris