Stanley Cups: 11

2008-'09 record: 51-21-10, 112 points (1st in Central, 3rd in West)

2008-'09 playoffs: Def. Columbus Blue Jackets 4-0, def. Anaheim Ducks 4-3, def. Chicago Blackhawks 4-1, lost to Pittsburgh Penguins 4-3

General manager: Ken Holland (544-232-126, 12th NHL year, 1st team)

Coach: Mike Babcock (282-153-57, 7th NHL year, 2nd team)

Captain: Nicklas Lidstrom

Top returning scorer: C Pavel Datsyuk (32 goals, 65 assists, 97 points)

Top returning goalie: Chris Osgood (26-9-8, 3.09, .887)

Key additions: RW Patrick Eaves; RW Jeremy Williams; RW Todd Bertuzzi.

Key subtractions: G Ty Conklin; RW Marian Hossa; RW Tomas Kopecky; RW Mikael Samuelsson; RW Jiri Hudler; D Chris Chelios; RW Darren McCarty; RW Aaron Downey.

Top line: LW Johan Franzen; C Henrik Zetterberg; RW Dan Cleary

Top defensive pairing: Nicklas Lidstrom, Brain Rafalski

Goaltending: Osgood endured the worst regular season of his career, then rebounded to play so well in the playoffs and would have won the Conn Smythe Trophy had the Wings captured the Stanley Cup. Solid positional netminder with quick reflexes joined Terry Sawchuk as only goalies to win 300 games as a Red Wing.

Player to watch: RW Ville Leino. Finnish Elite League MVP in 2007-08 will be counted on to replace the combined 82 goals lost via the departure of free agents Marian Hossa, Mikael Samuelsson and Jiri Hudler. Posted 5-4-9 numbers during brief 13-game stint with Wings last season. Creative with puck and a deadly finisher around the net.

Icing: Lidstrom had his run of three straight Norris Torphy wins snapped by Boston's Zdeno Chara, but was a finalist for the 10th time in 11 seasons with six trophy wins. Lidstrom, the only European captain of a Cup champion, was third among NHL defenseman with 59 points — including 16 goals. He needs three points to become the eighth NHL defenseman with 1,000. Datsyuk, fourth in league scoring last season, won multiple awards for the second straight year, taking the Lady Byng and Selke. He is the first player to win both in consecutive seasons.

Outlook: The Wings lost a lot of offense, but should still have enough to hold off Chicago and win the Central title again. But don’t expect another long playoff run out of them this spring.

Prediction: 103 points (1st in Central, 2nd seed in West)

NHL TEAM-BY-TEAM PREVIEWS Teams listed in predicted order of finish; x-playoff team ATLANTIC x-Penguins x-Flyers x-Devils x-Rangers Islanders Vote: Winner? CENTRAL x-Red Wings x-Blackhawks x-Blue Jackets x-Blues Predators Vote: Winner? NORTHEAST x-Bruins x-Canadiens Sabres Maple Leafs Senators Vote: Winner? NORTHWEST x-Flames x-Canucks Oilers Wild Avalanche Vote: Winner? SOUTHEAST x-Capitals x-Hurricanes Thrashers Panthers Lightning Vote: Winner? PACIFIC x-Sharks x-Ducks Stars Kings Coyotes Vote: Winner?

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