Let 'Em Loose; Wings' Season Opener

It was a seemingly endless offseason. They all are, but this one was a little longer than the two preceding it but... it's back. Well it will be tonight.

The NHL took off last night to begin its 2010/11 season, but conspicuous [for Wings fans] by their absence was the Red Wings, for whom the first puck will drop tonight against Anaheim.

While the Ducks are no strangers to Detroit, this is a very different team to the Anaheim that traded playoff series' wins with the Wings in '07 and '09. The once feared defense is now a shell of its former self with the retirement of captain Scott Neidermayer and the movement of the ever-hated Chris Pronger to Philadelphia last season. That said, the Ducks forwards are about as dangerous as it gets.

Having talent like Bobby Ryan, Corey Perry, veterans Saku Koivu and Teemu Selanne as well as the new captain Ryan Getzlaf up front is enough to make any GM grin. The group will surely prove to be a handful and a major priority for the Nick Lidstrom and Detroit's defensive core.

So how do the team's match-up against each other? Well let's find out with Word on a Wing's brand new graphical game preview. OoooooOOOooooo... fancy. Enjoy!

One of the unfortunate things about Game 1 of the regular season is the lack of stats and data. So all the figures used in the game preview are from the 2009/10 season.

As expected, Jimmy Howard will start in net with Ozzy as the back-up. Todd Bertuzzi is questionable with some back soreness, but is most likely to play. If not, Kirk Maltby might be called-up to play what could possibly be his final NHL game.

Abdelkader and Draper Out for Weekend; Is Maltby Done?

Just in case someone thought there might be a chance the Red Wings would have an idyllic beginning to the 2010/11 season, grab a brush and wash away those crazy thoughts. Mike Babcock ruled out Justin Abdelkader and Kris Draper's availability to play this weekend.

Abdelkader, who is suffering from a cartilage problem with his ribs was ruled out for the two opening games of the 2010/11 season against Anaheim on Friday night and the Wings' visit to Chicago on Saturday night.

Likewise for Kris Draper, who has been having groin problems since a training camp scrimmage on September 18.

Todd Bertuzzi skated on Thursday and says if he feels the same on Friday, he will be ready for the Ducks. Bertuzzi has seen the return of his back problems of late and was unable to practise for about a week.

While it seems slightly more likely that Bertuzzi will be good to go against the Ducks, his absence coupled with that of Abdelkader and Draper creates an opening in the roster that will require the calling-up of a Griffin. Given the loss of Ritola via waivers to Yzerman's Lightning, Kirk Maltby would be the leading candidate for recall.

Kirk Maltby recently cleared waivers to be sent down to the Grand Rapids Griffins. The veteran is now considering his future; whether to report to the Griffins or to retire. After Friday morning's skate Maltby will know if Bertuzzi will play in the season opener and if he's required to fill in.

Red Wings Not Seeking Big Name Free Agent

Red Wings' Gm Ken Holland has expressed contentment with the core of forwards and defensemen set to be on the 2010/11 roster. What he's seeking is a gritty free agent to provide some strength to the bottom two lines. From mlive:

"There's three or four big-name guys, we're not in that market,'' Holland said. "We're looking for support guys. We'd like to get a little grittier on the fourth line, get somebody who's a pain to play against, who'll get in on the forecheck. Someone we can put in there in the playoffs and he's got enough skill and he's a factor because of his physical play.

"But everybody is looking for those guys.''

Holland has also stated that he fully intends to make offers to each of the Red Wings restricted free agent, Drew Miller, Patrick Eaves, Darren Helm, Justin Abdelkader, Mattias Ritola and Derek Meech.

By all accounts, it seems the roster won't be too different to the one iced this season. Jiri Hudler is confirmed to make his return to Hockeytown after a year in the KHL. Questions still remain over the re-signing of forwards Todd Bertuzzi, Kirk Maltby and Jason Williams -- with Maltby and Williams almost certain not to return.

Red Wings Balance Sheet as at 4/28/10

Plus

The Red Wings won the series.

Minus

It took seven games and three trips to the desert.

Plus

The Red Wings are almost completely healthy. *touch wood*

Minus

The veteran Kirk Maltby's season-ending shoulder injury is that "almost".

Plus

Jimmy Howard had ups and downs, but overall showed he's not scared of the playoffs. His numbers aren't spectacular but solid: 2.59GAA, .919SV%, 1 SO.

Plus

Being a team that will probably start every series it plays on the road, going 3-1 in the other teams barn is a great sign.

Minus

What's up with them day games?? Hope we're done with them for the playoffs.

Plus

Trashville is out.

Minus

Chicago is not.

Plus

We get the Sharks for Round Two. Out of every team in the West besides Colorado and Nashville (for the travel), I'd have preferred to play the Sharks in the Semi's the most. The Red Wings went 3-0-1 against them in the regular season.

Minus

Who cares? It was the regular season.

Plus

Thornton: 6GP, 0G, 3A, -4, Marleau: 6GP, 1G, 2A, -2, Heatley: 5GP, 0G, 4A, -1

Minus

Pavelski: 6GP, 5G, 3A, +6, Clowe: 6GP, 1G, 7A, +6, Setoguchi: 6GP, 3G, 3A, +4

Minus

The Red Wings continue their massive travel schedule.

Plus

Each Wings player will have enough AirMiles to get a free holiday to Hawaii this summer.

Plus

The Ducks didn't make the playoffs so we don't have to worry about getting beat up by them at any stage.

Minus

The Ducks didn't make the playoffs so they couldn't beat up Chicago, San Jose or Vancouver.

Plus

The Red Wings look like they have the hunger to win...

Minus

...sometimes.

Minus

The Leastern Conference is looking to be particularly pathetic this year. Will someone please challenge the Penguins for once?

Full Line-up Vs. Canucks

It almost feels odd to say, but the Red Wings, once again, will have a full roster tonight as Vancouver visits the Joe.

Detroit currently sits barely within the top 8 of the Western Conference with a 1-point lead over Calgary, who host Minnesota tonight, and a 2-point lead over the 10th-placed Dallas Stars. The desperate need for points is compounded when looking ahead in the standings, seeing deficits of 3 and 6 points to Nashville and Colorado, respectively.

The Canucks are still with defenseman Kevin Bieksa, who has been out for over two months with a lacerated leg, as well as Alexandre Bolduc and Willie Mitchell who are also unfit to play. Detroit's sole injury is Kirk Maltby (shoulder).

Jimmy Howard will again make the start for the Wings while Roberto Luongo will make his first start since winning Olympic-Gold in Vancouver on Sunday.

The Canucks are coming off a 4-3 overtime win in Columbus last night, while the Wings are seeking their 3rd-straight win after a 3-2 win in Colorado Monday.

Rafalski a maybe for Avalanche; Lilja Returns

Tonight, the Red Wings return to action against the old nemesis the Colorado Avalanche, with about as full of a roster as you can get.

After a year and a day on the sidelines with concussion symptoms, defenseman Andreas Lilja makes his long-awaited return. If Olympic silver-medallist Brian Rafalski is able to go, it will be the first full contingent of defense the Red Wings have had all season.

Mike Babcock and Rafalski himself will make the call on whether or not he'll suit up against the Avs. With Rafalski in, Andreas Lilja will pair with Jonathan Ericsson with Brett Lebda a healthy scratch. If not, Lebda will come in to pair with Lilja.

Jimmy Howard is expected to make the start with lines looking like this:

Franzen-Datsyuk-Holmstrom
Cleary-Zetterberg-Bertuzzi
Miller-Filppula-Williams
Draper-Helm-Eaves

Lidstrom-Rafalski
Kronwall-Stuart
Ericsson-Lilja or;

Lidstrom-Kronwall
Ericsson-Stuart
Lebda-Lilja

Kirk Maltby is out after season-ending shoulder surgery during the Olympic break.

Puck drop is at 9pm EST tonight, televised on VS.

Detroit 4, Ottawa 1

The Sens were Red Hot... that is, until they met a determined Detroit team.

The recent form of each team had been at almost polar opposite, with Ottawa winning 13 of their past 14 and Detroit riding a 4-game losing streak. One the ice however, it seemed the reverse was true. From the opening face-off, the Wings looked like a driven team, unwavering in their quest to snap a costly losing skid.

Kirk Maltby got the scoring underway just over nine minutes into the first period, and Pavel Datsyuk consolidated the lead, making it 2-0 exactly seven minutes later. Ottawa outshot Detroit 10-8 in the period, despite the deficit on the scoreboard.

About a third of the way through the second frame, the Senators looked to be building momentum with a goal from Peter Regin, by virtue of a nice play by Alexei Kovalev, and looked to be close to tying it up. A familiar nervousness seemed to come over the crowd at the Joe Louis Arena until Daniel Cleary tipped in a powerplay goal to restore the two-goal lead for Detroit.

The third period was the seal of a steadfast squad as Detroit gave Ottawa almost no chance to get back into the game, outshooting them 16-7 and topping off the win with an empty-net goal from Johan Franzen giving them the 4-1 final result.

The open-netter gave Franzen his 2nd goal since his return totalling three points in the three games. Jimmy Howard was exceptional with 29 saves while his teammates amassed 40 shots in total.

This game was the last before the Olympic break for the Red Wings.