2011-2012 Detroit Red Wings Season Outlook

With the NHL season being just around the corner and most of the major offseason moves being completed, I felt that it was time to provide a comprehensive overview of the Detroit Red Wings for the 2011-2012 season. Ill preview the forwards, including possible line combinations, the defensemen, including possible pairings, the goaltending, and finally some key prospects that might play large roles during the season.  Ill offer some projections for each player and finally how I think the team will finish during the regular season and how far they will go in the postseason.

Forwards:
Line 1 - Danny Cleary-Pavel Datsyuk-Tomas Holmstrom
- Datsyuk - What more can be said about Pavel Datsyuk? The man dangles, he snipes, he shoots, he scores, he does it all. As long as Datsyuk can stay healthy, I foresee him returning to his 2008-2009 form where he posted 97 points and was a Hart Trophy finalist. I think if Datsyuk can stay healthy, and his linemates stay healthy, I feel fairly confident in projecting Datsyuk for a 26-65-91 season (26 goals, 65 assists, 91 points for those unfamiliar with that delineation of stats). I also see a Selke Trophy nomination and a Lady Byng nomination for Datsyuk.
- Cleary - Cleary is the type of forward that every team needs to win a Stanley Cup. He can play anywhere from the 1st line to the 4th line. He can check, he can pass, and he can score. He plays well in his own zone and forechecks hard in the opposition's. If he remains Datsyuk's linemate for the majority of the year, I don't think it is out of the question for him to score 20+ goals and put up a nice 40-45 point season. Ultimately I think Cleary will fall into a 21-20-41 season.
 - Holmstrom - Even though his career is nearing an end, Holmstrom's abilities in front of the net have not diminished at all. Sure he doesn't skate as well as he used to and thus becomes a liability sometimes in close games, but there is no denying his ability to mix it up in front of the net and tip pucks home. Again playing on a line with Datsyuk I see Homer posting a quieter season than normal as his ice time diminishes and the years of playing in front of the net take a toll on him. I think Homer is in line for a 16-15-31 season, giving him the lowest point total since 2003-2004. I expect Homer won't spend the entire season playing with Datsyuk, otherwise I would have these numbers higher. I think he'll score a majority of his goals on the powerplay as usual, but during even strength, he will be relegated to skating with the 4th line while Franzen will be bumped up.

Line 2 -  Todd Bertuzzi-Henrik Zetterberg-Johan Franzen

- Zetterberg - Hank is what every forward should be - a defense first player that still has an incredible knack for putting the biscuit in the basket. He has been a rock for the Wings the last 4 years, posting point totals in excess of 70 each year while still playing fantastic two-way hockey. Playing with some big bodies in Bertuzzi and Franzen will allow him to stay out of the corners and save some wear and tear on his body. I feel that Zetterberg will post another fantastic season and finally get some recognition by getting himself into the Selke Trophy conversation again. I see a 33-49-82 season for Hank along with a Selke Trophy nomination
- Bertuzzi - Big Bert is slowing as each year passes by, but every now and then we get to see a flash of the brilliance that this big man used to possess. His spin-o-rama backhand in the playoffs against Antti Niemi was a thing of beauty and a not-so-subtle reminder that he still has talent. Bert has the potential to post another 40-50 point season for the Wings, which would be perfect for the 2nd line. I think Bert has a 17-27-44 season playing alongside Hank and the Mule.
- Franzen - The past 4 seasons, Franzen has shown us unbelievable potential in the postseason, leaving us all in anticipation of what he might do over the course of the regular season. His 2008 playoff series against the Avalanche where he scored 9 goals in 4 games was something out of this world. However, his past few regular seasons have left us a little disappointed. Most feel that he has 40 goal potential and playing with guys like Datsyuk and Zetterberg, it feels like a no-brainer that he should get there. I once again see him falling short, but I feel like he will post a much more consistent season and will give the Wings a nice 60-70 point player. I list Franzen on the 2nd line solely because that's the way the Wings usually list it, but I expect him to skate mostly with Datsyuk and thus I think he'll go for a 36-30-66 season, which would be career highs for him in goals, assists, and points. It may be a bit of a stretch to expect this from him, but I think he's more than capable.

Line 3- Jiri Hudler-Valtteri Filppula-Patrick Eaves

- Filppula - Similar to Franzen, many of us have been waiting for Filppula to take the next step in his development and progress in to a 50-60 point player. However, last season left us with yet another disappointment as he was thrust in to a bigger role, but still failed to deliver the point production. This is a crucial season for Filppula as he once again will be pushed in to a slightly bigger role, and the points have to come. While the talent is there for a 50-60 point season, I just don't see Filppula making that big of a jump. I right now see him at 17-29-46 which would be career highs across the board. I think he is capable of this as his playmaking in the playoffs was pretty good (see the give and go he ran with Datsyuk against the Sharks).
 - Hudler - If any player is on a short leash, it's Jiri Hudler. Before last season, Coach Babcock was touting Hudler as a 70 point player for sure. Instead, Hudler barely managed half of that, recording just 10 goals and 37 points and ended up spending the entire season in Babcock's dog house. If Hudler does not start the season strong, we may see him scratched in place of a guy like Tomas Tatar. I personally feel that all of the skills are there, but the work ethic is missing. I don't see him finishing out the season with the Wings as he could be a useful trade chip, being that he is a young talented player with an expiring contract. If the Wings decide to make a move at the deadline for a guy like Zach Bogosian or Shea Weber/Drew Doughty if they aren't locked up by then, Hudler could be included in that. However, Hudler has the potential for a 50 point season, which may save him. I personally feel that he will go for 16-35-51 point season, and it still won't be enough to save his job. I think Hudler has to hit 20 goals to save his job.
- Eaves - Eaves is in an interesting position. Eaves scored 20 goals his rookie year and has failed to hit that mark since. However, this past season Eaves showed flashes of that goal scoring touch, even potting a hat trick in one game. Eaves managed to score 13 goals in 63 games of inconsistent playing time. With Modano and Draper both gone, Eaves will be given the opportunity for more regular playing time and I think he can deliver. I seee Eaves going with a 16-11-27 season.

Line 4 - Justin Abdelkader-Darren Helm-Drew Miller
- Helm - Nobody on the Red Wings aside from Datsyuk excites the fans like Helm. Every time he turns on the jets, the crowd has this tingly-on-the-edge-of-your-seat feeling and he's starting to score more. Helm is on the up and up as a defensive forward and in the coming years will certainly warrant Selke consideration. Helm's numbers have gone up the last 3 years and I see them going up once again. Helm has the potential to develop in to a 50-60 point player in the next 3 years or so, and I see this season being another stepping stone to that goal. Helm will post a 15-25-40 season as he continues to mature and develop.

DEFENSE

Pairing 1 - Nicklas Lidstrom-Mike Commodore
- Lidstrom - There is really nothing left to say about Nick. He is the perfect human. He won his 7th Norris trophy last season and the playoffs showed that he's far from done. Playing with Mike Commodore will allow Nick to save his body as he won't get beat up in the corners. I see Nick posting a 19-43-62 season and garnering another Norris Trophy nomination. I also expect Nick to rectify his +/- numbers by posting a positive season for the 19th time in 20 years.
- Commodore - Commodore is a new addition to the Wings, but he's had his fair share of battles against them. He is a big tough defenseman that will add another dimension of physicality to this team as well as a player capable of hitting the corners hard and retrieving dump-ins to protect Nick Lidstrom. He's not an offensive minded guy, but that's not what the Wings are looking for. If he can come in, play 16-18 minutes a night, play physical, throw some hits, and play safe in his own zone, then the Wings have found a gold mine. His example should be Brad Stuart. I think a 3-13-16 season is in line for Commodore.

Pairing 2 - Niklas Kronwall-Brad Stuart
- Kronwall - The heir to the throne of the Wings #1 defenseman, Kronwall has an important season in front of him. This past postseason marked the beginning of the transition from Nick to Nik as Kronwall played more minutes than Lidstrom and play extremely well in them. He stepped up on the right people (Heatley, Clowe) and still made solid offensive plays. I expect Kronwall's production to jump again as he might become the Wings horse, playing around 23-25 minutes a night. I think Kronwall jumps up to 14-35-49 for this season as he starts to play more offensively with Rafalski gone.
- Stuart - Brad Stuart is the perfect guy to complement Nicklas whether its Kronwall or Lidstrom. He is very solid in his own zone, can throw the big hit, and is a great shot blocker on the penalty kill. All in all he resembles Brooks Orpik of the Penguins and he's that type of player for the Wings. I think he posts another solid 5-16-21 season assuming that he can stay healthy.

Pairing 3 - Ian White-Jonathan Ericsson

- White is the other newcomer on the Wings blue line and he will be expected to pick up some of Rafalski's production along with Kronwall. White is a solid offensive defenseman with the capabilities of making a good first pass from his own and being a decent powerplay QB. I expect Mike Babcock to hand White the reins of the 2nd PP unit and thus we can expect a spike in his production. As long as White plays solid in his zone and provides those good outlet passes, he will receive consistent minutes and be able to post a 7-26-33 season.
- Ericsson - Jonathan Ericsson may be the biggest question mark on the Red Wings behind Jiri Hudler right now. His development has progressed very slowly and he has shown very few flashes of brilliance, but somehow warranted a big contract this offseason. Well it's put-up or shut-up time for Ericsson because Jakub Kindl and Brendan Smith are chomping at the bit to take his spot. I personally feel that Ericsson will manage to hold on to this spot, but will end up splitting lots of time with Kindl and ultimately the Wings will go with Kindl for the playoffs. I think Ericsson is far too turnover prone and doesn't use his size well enough in his own zone. He is 6'5 230 lbs but does not throw his weight around or make his presence felt. I think Ericsson will go with a 3-11-14 season, but it will not be enough to keep his job and the Wings will have yet another trade chip come deadline time.

GOALTENDING
- Jimmy Howard - Ty Conklin
- Howard - Jimmy Howard at times has proven to be unbeatable. At other times, you wonder how a goal could have beaten him when a 7 year old could have probably stopped it. He would let in back-breaking goals only to rebound with game-saving stops. It is this kind of inconsistency that must disappear for the Red Wings in his 3rd season as the starter. Howard has always posted the win totals, but his numbers dropped from his stellar rookie season. I expect Howard to rebound somewhat this year and post a more reasonable GAA and SV% as he is now playing behind a more defensive unit than the previous year. I think Howard goes for 39-16-7 with a 2.40 GAA and a .914 SV%. While these numbers still leave him outside the elite, these numbers are a step in the right direction.
- Conklin - Ty Conklin is a familiar face that the Wings have added with Chris Osgood's retirement. Conklin will be expected to come in, suit up for 20 games, and win about 60-65% of them. If Howard for some reason goes down with an injury, Conklin has proven in the past that he is more than capable of holding down the fort. I expect Conklin to come in and post a 11-7-2 record with a 2.38 GAA and a .921 SV%.

TEAM
- After evaluating each and every starter for the Wings, it's time to evaluate where they will place in the regular season and ultimately the playoffs. I see the Wings going 50-23-9 which is good for 109 points. This projected record is heavily based on all of the Wings stars avoiding major injuries, something that hasn't happened the past few years. I feel that if Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Lidstrom, Kronwall, and Howard can stay healthy, the Wings will record another 50 win season and ultimately take the #1 seed in the West. Many of you will point to me being a Red Wings fan or something along those lines as to why I picked the Wings to finish #1 but I have my reasons. First, Vancouver will definitely battle the Stanley Cup Hangover and will start the season slow. Take a look at the past few conference finalists. All have started slowly out of the gates, whether it was Philly starting 3-4-1 or Pittsburgh needing a miraculous 2nd half push in 09 to make the playoffs and so on and so forth. I expect Vancouver to start slow and ultimately fiish with the 3rd seed. I think San Jose lost too much offense this past offseason and will struggle in their division and ultimately finish 4th in the West. I see Los Angeles making huge strides this season and winning the Pacific to take the 2nd seed. I still view LA as a very young team and thus I dont see them having enough consistency to push for the #1 seed. To round out the West I think Chicago finishes 5th, Anaheim finishes 6th, Columbus finishes 7th, and Dallas finishes 8th. I think Nashville and St. Louis are 9 and 10 and narrowly miss the playoffs. As for the playoffs I see the Wings having the ability to go all the way, but a lot of this depends on the Wings health and whether or not they make a deadline move. If the Wings decide to move guys like Ericsson and Hudler for a guy like Bogosian or Weber, I think the Wings are the clear favorites. However, the playoffs are too early to predict right now, but it's safe to say that the Wings will be in them once again.

KEY PROSPECTS TO WATCH*
F Tomas Tatar
- I expect Tatar to play the most of all the prospects that might crack the Wings this year. Tatar is workaholic and has an incredible set of offensive skills. This guy will be a top-6 skater some day, and just needs the ice time to prove it. I personally would love to see him add on 10 pounds of muscle as one of his weaknesses is that he gets knocked off the puck too easily. If he can put on some muscle and get up to 190-195 lbs, he will become a force in the offensive zone.
F Cory Emmerton
- Emmerton will have to play a certain amount considering that he has to go back through waivers to get back to Grand Rapids and thus is stuck up here with the big league team. I expect him to get some minutes when guys like Holmstrom get the night off. He's a solid two-way player as all players are in Detroit's system, but for some reason can't get the numbers to match his talent. The past couple of seasons he has struggled to put up points in Grand Rapids, putting up less than 0.5 points per game. I would like to see him drive harder to the net and work on his backchecking a little more in order to produce more opportunities to show off his playmaking skills.
F Jan Mursak
- Mursak is a guy who despite his size, does not mind getting in to the corners to dig out the pucks. He's not very big and thus he needs to put on a lot of muscle to avoid getting knocked off the puck easily, but he has all the skills in the world to score goals and make plays. He will also see some spot time but again won't be counted on for any significant production


*NOTE: I do not consider Jakub Kindl on this prospect list any more as he has played a decent amount of minutes for the Red Wings this past season. I am also not looking at Brendan Smith because he won't play this season for the Wings barring an injury. Smith is by far the Wings best prospect right now, but he most likely won't see any playing time this season.

Well that's a wrap for my Red Wings breakdown. I hope all of you enjoyed the read and please post comments to debate or agree with what I have stated/predicted.