All-Time Detroit Red Wings Team

[ScottM]

 

Here's part three: The Detroit Red Wings. This one was a little different than the others. I'm sure some will disagree with some of my picks, but relatively speaking, I thought the choices were more clear cut than with the Habs and Leafs. That's not intended as a slap against any of the players involved with any of the teams, but most of the top Wings players, in my opinion, at least, have clearly set themselves forward as such.

 

I can immediately think of two things that might be a bit controversial, so let me go ahead and address them. The first is Chelios being on the last defensive pair. Like the first two posts, this list considers the players in only their performance with the team in question. Chelios was no slouch in Detroit, as proven by the fact he made the list, but his best years were in Chicago, and to some degree, Montreal. The second is Scotty Bowman as the coach rather than Jack Adams. Simply put, Bowman accomplished as much in half as many seasons and had a higher win percentage. Adams is a great coach, but the Wings just had depth at coach.

 

First Line: Ted Lindsay, Steve Yzerman, Gordie Howe

Second Line: Brenda Shanahan, Sergei Fedorov, Brett Hull

Third Line: Alex Delvecchio, Syd Howe, Dino Ciccarelli

Fourth Line: Henrik Zetterberg, Norm Ullman, Vaclav Nedomansky

 

First Defensive Pair: Nicklas Lidstrom, Red Kelly

Second Defensive Pair: Ebbie Goodfellow, Marcel Pronovost

Third Defensive Pair: Chris Chelios, Reed Larson

 

Goaltenders: Terry Sawchuk, Harry Lumley, Chris Osgood

 

Coach: Scotty Bowman

 

What would you have done differently? And, yes, I know I left Allan Bester off of the list. That four game sample just wasn't enough to sway me.

[JagerMeister]

 

 

Here's part three: The Detroit Red Wings. This one was a little different than the others. I'm sure some will disagree with some of my picks, but relatively speaking, I thought the choices were more clear cut than with the Habs and Leafs. That's not intended as a slap against any of the players involved with any of the teams, but most of the top Wings players, in my opinion, at least, have clearly set themselves forward as such.

 

I can immediately think of two things that might be a bit controversial, so let me go ahead and address them. The first is Chelios being on the last defensive pair. Like the first two posts, this list considers the players in only their performance with the team in question. Chelios was no slouch in Detroit, as proven by the fact he made the list, but his best years were in Chicago, and to some degree, Montreal. The second is Scotty Bowman as the coach rather than Jack Adams. Simply put, Bowman accomplished as much in half as many seasons and had a higher win percentage. Adams is a great coach, but the Wings just had depth at coach.

 

First Line: Ted Lindsay, Steve Yzerman, Gordie Howe

Second Line: Brenda Shanahan, Sergei Fedorov, Brett Hull

Third Line: Alex Delvecchio, Syd Howe, Dino Ciccarelli

Fourth Line: Henrik Zetterberg, Norm Ullman, Vaclav Nedomansky

 

First Defensive Pair: Nicklas Lidstrom, Red Kelly

Second Defensive Pair: Ebbie Goodfellow, Marcel Pronovost

Third Defensive Pair: Chris Chelios, Reed Larson

 

Goaltenders: Terry Sawchuk, Harry Lumley, Chris Osgood

 

Coach: Scotty Bowman

 

What would you have done differently? And, yes, I know I left Allan Bester off of the list. That four game sample just wasn't enough to sway me.

 

I had to read that twice when i saw that name....

 

 

Yea, i would have added Datsyuk in there somewhere. He has accomplished more than the last 2 centers. He has 3 selke's and was the best 2 way defenseman throughout the 2000s.

[ScottM]

I had to read that twice when i saw that name....

 

 

Yea, i would have added Datsyuk in there somewhere. He has accomplished more than the last 2 centers. He has 3 selke's and was the best 2 way defenseman throughout the 2000s.

 

Howe was kind of like the Datsyuk of the 30's and 40's. He'd give decent, though usually not huge offensive production, but was great on defense. He was even known to play on the blue line when needed. Delvecchio played over 1,500 games, and racked up over 450 goals and nearly 1,300 points in a career that he spent entirely with Detroit. Not including Datsyuk was one of the tougher choices to make. While, as I said, most of the decisions weren't too tough, that one was.