In the Motor City, the Detroit Red Wings are a team on a mission. After recording an NHL best 54-21-7 record and winning the Western Conference, the Wings pursue their first Stanley Cup since 2001-02. Although Detroit has touted highly talented teams over the past few years, none parallel the squad of 2007-08.

The Red Wings have a perfect mix of gritty veterans, young scorers and goaltending. The team is led by captain Nicklas Lidstrom, who boasted 70 points this season from the blue line.

Lidstrom is often paired with Brian Rafalski, an off- season acquisition from New Jersey who recorded 55 points. Along with Lidstrom, the Red Wings boasted the NHL’s highest point total from a pair of defenseman.

The ageless wonder, 46-year-old Chris Chelios, anchors the defensive core for the Wings. They have an array of talented young forwards, including Pavel Datsyuk (97 points, league leading +41), the Swede Henrik Zetterberg (92 points, +30), Dan Cleary (42 points), Jiri Hudler (42 points) and Mikael Samuelsson (40 points).

Veteran grinder Tomas Holmstrom (40 points) crashes the net and provides an array of screens for the talented snipers that Detroit boasts. Along with Zetterberg and Datsyuk, Holmstrom completes arguably the best line in the NHL. The Red Wings boast four serviceable lines that can score, grind, defend and go seven deep defensively.

Good skaters never go anywhere without good goaltending. Detroit has two men who can answer the bell between the pipes. Dominik Hasek and Chris Osgood are both goalies who won 27 games this season. Osgood has a .914 save percentage and an NHL best 2.09 GAA while Hasek has .902 save percentage and a 2.14 GAA.

Hasek started the first three games of the playoffs against Nashville, and looks to be the man the rest of the season. No team is complete without an enforcer, and Aaron Downey (116 penalty minutes) is Detroit’s resident goon.

Due to having the best record in the league, Detroit secured home-ice throughout the playoffs, crucial for a team that was 29-9-3 at home. Assuming Detroit handles eight seeded Nashville in the first round, they will face the Dallas/Anaheim winner, Anaheim trying to defend its title.

Although the Western Conference is very strong, Detroit is the clear favorite, and many think the Western Finals is potentially the series that will decide the Stanley Cup winner. Montreal, Pittsburgh and the New York Rangers may have something to say about that out East, but until then the Wings are poised for the Cup.

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