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They are in the same place as they were a year ago, the only one of the four remaining teams in the chase for the Stanley Cup that is back in the semi-finals for the second year in a row.
But the differences between then and now are night and day, for the Detroit Red Wings. Last year, they were missing two of their three top defencemen – Nicklas Kronwall and Mathieu Schneider – at this stage of the playoffs, meaning Methuselah (a.k.a. Chris Chelios) was playing upward of 20 minutes a night. Kyle Quincey, a minor-leaguer, got into 13 playoff games. Andreas Lilja was a top-four rearguard.
You get the picture. Even with all the injuries, the Red Wings gave a good account of themselves, losing in six heart-breaking games to the Anaheim Ducks, who relied on a lucky goal by Scott Niedermayer – in overtime, off the shaft of Nicklas Lidstrom's stick – to turn the series their way.
So for the Red Wings to come in healthy, rested and confident means they are far better prepared for the Western Conference final against the Dallas Stars, beginning this evening at the Joe Louis Arena, where they are a perfect 5-0 in these playoffs.
When Red Wings' coach Mike Babcock was asked how much a healthy defence corps means as the playoffs enter their second month, he answered: “I think it's huge. I mean, last year when we lost Kronwall, [the Stars' Joel] Lundqvist hit him just near the end of the season, and I remember thinking, ‘My God, there's our playoff opportunity.' Then when we lost Schneider, you didn't even know if we'd win another game. But our guys really battled.
“We're fortunate this year. We're much healthier in the back end. You know, no team is totally healthy. I had to laugh the other day when everyone is saying how healthy we are. They don't see the ice packs and they don't see the other stuff you're doing painkiller-wise to get through.”
For all of their regular-season success, the Red Wings haven't been to the Stanley Cup final since the 2002 season when they won it all under Scotty Bowman. Babcock has been there more recently himself, as the Ducks coach in 2003 when they upset the Red Wings in the opening round. Dallas's drought has been even longer, however, dating to 2000, when they lost the final to the New Jersey Devils. They have been one-and-gone in each of the past three seasons and have won just a single playoff series in the Marty Turco era, which began in 2002-03 after the Stars parted ways with Eddie Belfour.
Much will be made of the fact that Turco's numbers against the Red Wings pale in comparison to those that he's posted against the rest of the NHL in his time as a starter. He is quick to dismiss history now that he is in the conference final for the first time in his career.
“There's not anything that has done in the past, positive or negative, that really affects you going into the playoffs that eventually really matters at the end of time,” Turco said this week. “Our focus and everyone playing this time of year, it's all about your next save, your next shift, the next game.
“In preparing to play now against anybody anywhere – rink, pond, day or night – it doesn't matter. It's all about preparing to do so. I've always known in the back of my mind playing these guys and having a lack of success, I always knew it hasn't happened in the playoffs, and that would be the ultimate test to see where you stand.”
Dallas eliminated the Ducks and the San Jose Sharks in consecutive series – first, the Stanley Cup defending champions, then the team that finished with the No. 2 record overall in the regular season and was viewed as an odds-on favourite going into the playoffs. So Dallas's path has been far more challenging than that of Detroit, who thus far knocked off a No. 6 and a No. 8 seed.
Still, the Red Wings were the NHL's regular-season champions and have finished with 108 points or more in seven consecutive seasons. They are the gold standard from October to April, trying to find some of the spring magic again.
“Of course, you thought if you were going all the way to the finals, you would see at least one of those teams [Anaheim or San Jose],” the Red Wings' Henrik Zetterberg said. “But it's been a different look this year in the playoffs. We've been playing some teams we haven't in a while. It's been fun for us. It's been fun for the fans.
“We're going for the Cup, the same as every year. If you don't go all the way, we will not be happy. That's the expectation in this town. As a player, you know that and you like it.”
