Stanley Cups: 11

2011-'12 record: 48-28-3-3, 102 points (3rd in Central, 6th in West)

2011-'12 playoffs: Lost to Nashville Predators 4-1

Coach: Mike Babcock (421-216-101, 11th NHL year, 2nd team)

Top returning scorer: LW Henrik Zetterberg (22 goals, 47 assists, 69 points)

Top returning goalie: Jimmy Howard (35-17-4, 2.13, .920)

Key additions: RW Mikael Samuelsson; RW Jordin Tootoo; G Jonas Gustavsson; D Carlo Colaiacovo.

Key subtractions: D Nicklas Lidstrom; C Jiri Hudler; LW Tomas Holmstrom; D Brad Stuart.

Goaltending: Howard took another step forward last season, earning a nod to the NHL All-Star Game and challenging for the league lead in wins until suffering late season groin injury. He’ll need to be even bigger this season with all the changes along Detroit’s blue-line and should get pushed for playing time by Gustavsson.

Player to watch: RW Damien Brunner. Brunner paired with Zetterberg on a line for EV Zug of the Swiss League during the lockout and they tore it up together. They figure to start in Detroit as a line along with Pavel Datsyuk and the key will be how Brunner adapts to having less time and space on the smaller North American ice surface.

Icing: Wings have taken a huge hit on defense the past two seasons, losing Lidstrom, Stuart and Brian Rafalski . . . Babcock says they’ve lost two players who were the best in the world at what they did – Lidstrom on defense and Holmstrom with his net-front presence . . . Wings streak of 21 straight years in playoffs could be in jeopardy.

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Fred Chartrand / AP

Pens writing off Sens

PHT: The Penguins pushed the Senators to the brink of elimination on Wednesday night after six unanswered goals yielded a 7-3 Game 4 win.

NBC Sports

Highlights: Pens hang seven on Sens

    The Senators held a lead twice in the first period, but Pittsburgh's offensive fire power proved to be too much to handle. James Neal and Jarome Iginla each score two as the Penguins cruise to an impressive 7-3 victory in Game 4.

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