CBC-Sports

Back to back Wings? Why not?

September 26, 2008 04:06 PM | Posted by   Craig Simpson  

As training camps opened around North America last week, the 30 teams that make up the National Hockey League were, for the one and only time each year, all on equal ground.

There were no winning streaks, no horrific slumps, no hot goalies, no leading scorers and no coaches on the hot seat. (Well, at least for now). With training camp comes an enormous sense of optimism for teams, players and fans alike. A new year, a new start, a new drive for the Stanley Cup.

For some teams, like the ones that have struggled to reach the post-season for years, the opening of camp brings with it a feeling that this year will be different and the playoffs are within reach. For others, there is a sense of anticipation that their team is on the verge of a breakthrough season. For only one team, the new season brings the responsibility of trying to defend the right to be Stanley Cup champions.

A back-to-back chance

For the 2008-09 Detroit Red Wings, this new season as defending champs brings with it a hope of repeating history.

The Red Wings have been the class of the NHL over the last few years, a fact not many would argue against. After playoff upsets in 2006 (Edmonton) and 2007 (Anaheim), the Wings of 2008 were a determined and impressive bunch that was not about to let another opportunity slip away. In beating the upstart Pittsburgh Penguins last June, the Wings brought home their 11th Stanley Cup in team history and fourth in 11 years. This year, they look to become the first repeat winners in over a decade. A daunting task, but one they are familiar with.

In 1997-98 the Wings embarked on their quest for two in a row with a heavy heart, and a huge loss.

The injury to star defenceman Vladimir Konstantinov in a limo accident shortly after the 1997 Cup victory was an enormous loss on the ice, and a heartbreaking story off of it. In many ways, it may have been the extra piece of motivation and energy for the Wings to repeat as Cup champs.

One of the most special moments for me as a broadcaster was being in the Wings’ room moments after they won and watching Igor Larionov sitting next to Vlad in his wheelchair holding his head steady, stroking his face and talking to him while wrapping Vlad’s arms around the Stanley Cup. It was clear the Wings had an extra force driving them to win that year.

Team kept intact

Fast forward to the start of this season as the Red Wings try to duplicate their performance. Fortunately this time there is no tragedy to inspire them, instead they have retooled, reloaded and may even be better than last year’s champs. The best team in the NHL somehow got better, something that is not common today.

Three seasons after winning the Cup, Tampa Bay was the worst team in the NHL. Carolina missed the playoffs both seasons after theirs. The Ducks spent their way to success, and now are the poster child for salary cap mismanagement, sitting $3-million US over the cap as we speak.

In stark contrast, the Red Wings are not only OK financially; they also found a way to not only keep their entire Stanley Cup winning team intact, but bring in another superstar offensive player as well. The best team got better.

That player - Marian Hossa - saw first hand how good the Wings were during the final, and instead of taking long-term money elsewhere ($60 million +), he opted for less than market value and a one year shot at winning hockey’s biggest prize.

Let the quest begin

There is a reason that no team has won back-to-back Cups in a decade. Parity has never been better and keeping a great team together is a daunting task with free agency and a salary cap.

Gone are the days of Edmonton’s five Cups in seven years, the Islanders’ four in a row in the 80s, or the Canadiens’ five in a row in the 70s. The game is different both on and off the ice.

But if ever there was an organization that is poised to do it again it’s the Wings. The defending champs may not repeat again, but one thing is for sure, they are not going to give it up easily.

Let the quest for the Cup begin.

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