NHL: Detroit Red Wings - Changing of the Guard

With the departure of Brendan Shanahan and the retirement of Steve Yzerman the Red Wings have taken on a completely new identity. Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk, who many consider the best one-two punch in the league, now lead the offence. Swedish defender Niklas Kronvall, who at 25 has already captured an Olympic gold medal and World Championship gold, leads the back end and is a promising prospect cut from the same cloth as fellow compatriot and team captain Nicklas Lidstrom.

McKeen's was on hand for several Red Wings games and file notes on many promising young players in the organization.

Pavel Datsyuk – C

Datsyuk has spent the last five years in the league improving his point totals each season .. has developed sensational chemistry on a line with Zetterberg and Holmstrom and has finally started to show his true offensive dominance .. ever so elusive and crafty with the puck, he is the ultimate playmaker leaving others in awe with such a soft touch with the puck .. able to thread a pass through defenders legs or hold onto the puck until the last second, his patience is certainly his best asset with the puck .. starting to trust his shot more with shot totals up significantly from last year and should eclipse the 200 mark .. has great skating ability, his lateral movement is spectacular and he actually generates more speed when the puck is on his stick .. can take a pass in full flight and manages the tempo of the game when the puck is in his possession .. at times, he is pushed off the puck so he shies away from physical contact but with his hockey sense and ability to recognize danger faster than most he can dangle and weave his way out of tight spaces .. when Datsyuk is in the 'zone', he is unstoppable being a very streaky scorer .. is entering his contract year so expectations will be high for him to produce in the postseason .. he has only managed 15 points in 42 career playoff games and may have been a tad spoiled winning a Stanley Cup in his first year in the league .. the Wings have been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs for the past three years so it is his time to shine.

Henrik Zetterberg – C/W

Former Calder Trophy finalist exploded in his third year to post career highs in points (85) and goals (39), taking his game to greater heights .. is arguably the best two-way player in the game as his defensive awareness and committed back checking (like Mike Modano) are far superior to anyone else in the league .. he is so aware when the puck is on his stick, he curls and constantly shelters it employing all sorts of tactics to throw the opposition off their game, i.e. shoulder drops and head fakes .. he is very clever in his approach making subtle plays that go unnoticed but result in key puck possession situations for the Wings, especially in the neutral zone where he is so effective in making the transition from defence to offence and vice versa .. he is not overly physical but does not shy away and often leans on players by driving his shoulder into them at full speed catching them off guard and earning that extra second he needs to make a play .. highly competitive will do anything to win .. his puck skills are very polished, though not as crafty as line mate Datsyuk .. does boast a better shot though that he releases with lightning quick accuracy .. takes little steps but his quick feet and agility create ample speed and coupled with his compact build his strength on his skates is unbelievable .. Zetterberg has done everything expected of him and has produced in the playoffs, a clutch scorer the Wings will rely on him heavily in the postseason.

Johan Franzen – C

Expectations have been high for Franzen coming into his second season .. was mentioned at one point to be playing on the top line however, he now battles for ice-time on the third or fourth unit .. a big rangy skater, with decent skating ability but does not have an extra gear .. he is capable of making plays but too often, he lingers around the ice and looks slightly confused on where he should be .. his size is definitely attractive and once he understands how to use it effectively, he could be a force in this league .. like many players of his stature, (Todd Bertuzzi, Taylor Pyatt) they take a little longer to develop and sometimes do not realize their potential until their fifth season .. should improve in a few years and Detroit management will continue to groom him.

Jiri Hudler – RW/C

After leading Grand Rapids in regular season and playoff scoring in 2005-06, the diminutive Czech centre is having a difficult time adjusting to life in the NHL .. would benefit from increased minutes in order to be successful however, his play on the third-line has not warranted the promotion to one of the top two .. a slick playmaker and scorer he makes the most of his ice-time with decent point totals considering lack of minutes .. pesky player who uses his speed to get behind defenders and attempts to make plays .. unable to stand in the slot too long as he is often pushed or completely manhandled off the puck .. defensively he is making some adjustments but too often, he is the first to leave the zone before the play has truly broken up .. his feet know to move but his head is unsure of where he should go in the defensive zone .. considering his age (23), he has the potential to be an electrifying player and one to monitor for the future, but must make the appropriate modifications to his game

Josh Langfeld – LW

Was a recent call up for the injured Mikael Samuelsson, and playing in his third season.. was second in Griffins' scoring prior to his call up and although he showed an ability to score at the AHL level, he failed to generate or even capitalize on his chances in the NHL .. was setup perfectly in front only to fan on the puck .. his hockey sense is ok, but needs to play more at this level to get used to the pace .. has the speed to keep up, as his first-step quickness is NHL calibre .. not afraid to engage in side or corner battles for the puck .. played for the Bruins and Sharks last year; Langfeld has some experience at this level but has not established a role in the NHL.

Valtteri Filppula – W/C

Detroit's youngest player at 22 years old, has made remarkable strides in his game .. the Finnish native is a versatile player who can play either wing or centre .. cerebral player whose hockey sense and anticipation has earned him a roster spot .. uses his body well to disguise his movements and is quite clever in his decision-making as he makes plays that a normal rookie would not, holding off defenders until he can make a play .. plays within his limits and while he is capable of rushing up the ice he often holds back to conserve his energy and stay true to the game plan .. has good speed in a few strides, he is not dynamic but is capable of winning foot races .. has managed to work his way up the lineup with his inspired play, but for the most part he works the third line with Hudler and Langfeld .. with the anticipated departure of Lang, he could assume a greater offensive role and certainly has the skill set to produce in a second line capacity .. shows the promise and potential to be a future assistant captain as his honest, hard-nosed approach to the game has not gone unnoticed by the coaching staff ..

Daniel Cleary – RW

Once considered a blue-chip prospect, Cleary has taken the long road to NHL success .. the eight-year pro is a former first round pick in 1997 (13th overall), and holds the distinction of being the highest drafted player on the Wings roster .. has already scored more goals this season (20) at the 58-game mark than he did in the last three years of playing .. the departures of Shanahan and Yzerman and injury to Samuelsson, have opened up some ice for him and he has stepped up his game .. blessed with a great shot he is more of a finisher than anything else .. the majority of his assists come off initial shots that goalies cannot contain .. he will go to the net and try to establish sound positioning to bang away at loose pucks in front .. he has become more patient in his shot selection and when to release the puck .. at times, he suffers from inconsistent efforts, which have been the knock on his career .. he is slow to pick up his man coming back and at times lumbers to get back into position .. his speed is ok but is not spellbinding by any means so he constantly has to move to be effective .. shows some feistiness in his game but fails to exhibit that intensity every shift .. finally starting to realize the amount of work that is required to be successful at the NHL level.

Niklas Kronwall – D

Enters his third season in the NHL after missing a large portion of last year (52 games) with a torn ligament in his left knee .. struggling to find his offensive game this season as he only recorded his first goal at the 41-game mark .. registers ample time on the PP as his ability to QB the PP is an asset as his puck skills continue to develop .. he has great anticipation, knows when to move the puck, and eagerly jumps the line or the offensive zone when the opportunity presents itself .. his shots usually get through with moderate success .. laterally he is very smooth and agile, he can stop and turn on a dime and 'leave you the change' .. he struggles to contain forwards and needs to establish position in front of the net because his lack of strength in this area usually results in scoring opportunities for the opposition .. still makes rookie mistakes with the puck and although he can recover most times, he will need to minimize his gaffes .. slowly coming along and as with most defenseman, he needs a period of adjustment, but should factor to be a prominent and leading member of the back end in two years time.