Marian Hossa Is a Dream Come True for the Formidable Detroit Red Wings

Through nine games this season, Detroit leads the Western Conference with a 7-1-1 record. They may not relinquish that spot all season. Despite getting their opponents' best efforts through these first nine games, the Wings have managed to find ways to win. It's a mindset. Like the Soviet superteams that dominated the cold-war era, these Red Wings know they're going to win. How could they not? Henrik Zetterberg, a perennial 40-goal scorer is playing on the second line! The second line! A first line that has do-all superstars Pavel Datsyuk and Marian Hossa hardly seem fair. Datsyuk is the takeway master and an outstanding playmaker. Hossa is a goal-scoring machine and is also a heck of a two-way player. Not many teams could afford to lose a 30-goal scorer in Johan Franzen and keep churning. Detroit can, and they will. C'mon, in the preseason this team sent Ville Leino and Darren Helm to the minors! There is no other team in the NHL that would ever dream of sending that kind of talent down. ... (link)