Young Pens, Old Wings Meet In Stanley Cup For The Ages

At just 20 years old, Sidney Crosby is the youngest team captain in Stanley Cup finals history, but you wouldn’t know it to look at him.

After all, Sid the Kid’s Pittsburgh Penguins are for the most part an equally young club, and that’s the identity they’ve bought into during a three-year transformation that’s seen them go from league doormat to the top of the Eastern Conference.

In the other corner sit the Detroit Red Wings, who have little reason to fear a youthful, offensive minded team with nowhere near the wealth of experience they have to draw on.

Both sides are confident, but of course there can be only one winner and 38-year-old Detroit captain Nicklas Lidstrom will have something to say about just how much scoring Pittsburgh coach Michel Therrien’s high-octane offence musters.

For the Penguins, it’s all new. The Red Wings are trying to win their fourth Cup since 1997. Detroit’s posted eight straight seasons with 100 or more points. Pittsburgh was at the bottom of the NHL as recently as two years ago.

Even with uber-talented sidekicks like Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal and Marian Hossa, most agree the Penguins are where they are because of Crosby (top left), and will go as far as his slight frame can take them. That the Nova Scotia native shrugs off the pressure shouldn’t surprise anyone. He won his first NHL scoring title and MVP as a teenager, so why would he be star struck now?

“We’re keeping it as normal as possible, the same way we’ve approached every series — and that’s making sure we worry about ourselves,” Crosby said. “I think our game is our focus.”

But it’s hard to get around the fact that the Penguins are historically ahead of schedule. No NHL team in recent years has gone into the finals with so many of its key players so young — Crosby, forwards Staal (19) and Malkin (21) and goalie Marc-Andre Fleury (23) are all 23 or younger.

The Red Wings’ strength and weakness is just the opposite, with 14 players who are 30 or older, including Lidstrom, goalie Chris Osgood (35), defenceman Chris Chelios (46), forward Dallas Drake (39), alternate captain Kris Draper (36) and defenceman Brian Rafalski (34).

“They’re beatable, obviously, but they’re really good,” said Penguins forward Georges Laraque, who was on a 2006 Edmonton team that upset top-seeded Detroit in the first round. “They’ve added some key players and more grit. People are always talking about the Red Wings (being upset) in the playoffs. Well, now they’ve showed people they can be great in the playoffs.”

The two clubs’ paths to the final have been similar enough, with Detroit needing a total of 16 games to win 12 and Pittsburgh going 12-2 through its first three series.

 But as much as it’s a battle of the old versus the young, the offensive-minded Pens and defensive-focused Wings is another storyline sure to be at the forefront as the series unfolds.

It’s a point that hasn’t gone unnoticed by Crosby, who recognizes his crew has yet to face defensive pairings as good as Detroit’s Lidstrom-Rafalski and Niklas Kronwall-Brad Stuart. Then again, the Red Wings haven’t seen lines as deep as Pittsburgh’s, and coach Mike Babcock has a tough call to make when it comes to whether Lidstrom is a better fit against Malkin’s line or Crosby’s.

“It’s a great challenge going against him (Lidstrom),” Crosby said. “Positionally, he’s great and has a good stick and he’s a big guy. Those are the little challenges within the game that make it fun. It’s part of competing and I think we’ll all tell you that we love to compete.”

Not that the Red Wings can’t score, quite the contrary. Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk are as good as they come, though the team’s clearly missed the presence of Johan Franzen, who still leads all playoff participants with 12 goals despite sitting out since Game 1 of the West final with a concussion and flu-like symptoms.

But Franzen’s status for the final is uncertain, and without him the Red Wings were held to two goals or fewer in three of six games against Dallas. That kind of scoring won’t get it done against the Penguins, who put up four or more goals nine times in their 12 playoff wins.  

Meanwhile, the Penguins’ goaltending has been uncharacteristically strong and thanks to Fleury’s confident and composed play, they’re allowing a playoff-low 1.86 goals per game.

Of course if history is any indication, defense and experience should beat flashy, offensive-minded newcomers, even if the current trends suggest otherwise. But then again, it may be worth noting that only one team with a non-Canadian captain has ever won the Stanley Cup (Dallas Stars, Mike Modano), and it’s advantage Pitt in that department.

All that aside, there appears to be a consensus on one issue, which Therrien summed up aptly. “They’ve got some quality players, some world class players, but we’ve got some, too,” he concluded. “I think it’s going to be an exciting series.”

And it all stars Saturday night in Detroit.

Photo credit: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

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NHL Stanley Cup Final Series Results

2007-08 — Detroit Red Wings vs. Pittsburgh Penguins, TBD

2006-07 — Anaheim Ducks def. Ottawa Senators, 4-1

2005-06 — Carolina Hurricanes def. Edmonton Oilers, 4-3.

2004-05 — Regular season and playoffs cancelled (lockout).

2003-04 — Tampa Bay Lightning def. Calgary Flames, 4-3.

2002-03 — New Jersey Devils def. Anaheim Mighty Ducks, 4-3.

2001-02 — Detroit Red Wings def. Carolina Hurricanes, 4-1.

2000-01 — Colorado Avalanche def. New Jersey Devils, 4-3.

1999-00 — New Jersey Devils def. Dallas Stars, 4-2.

1998-99 — Dallas Stars def. Buffalo Sabres, 4-2.

1997-98 — Detroit Red Wings def. Washington Capitals, 4-0.

1996-97 — Detroit Red Wings def. Philadelphia Flyers, 4-0.

1995-96 — Colorado Avalanche def. Florida Panthers, 4-0.

1994-95 — x-New Jersey Devils def. Detroit Red Wings, 4-0.

1993-94 — N.Y. Rangers def. Vancouver Canucks, 4-3.

1992-93 — Montreal Canadiens def. Los Angeles Kings, 4-1.

1991-92 — Pittsburgh Penguins def. Chicago Blackhawks, 4-0.

1990-91 — Pittsburgh Penguins def. Minnesota North Stars, 4-2.

1989-90 — Edmonton Oilers def. Boston Bruins, 4-1.

1988-89 — Calgary Flames def. Montreal Canadiens, 4-2.

1987-88 — Edmonton Oilers def. Boston Bruins, 4-1.

1986-87 — Edmonton Oilers def. Philadelphia Flyers, 4-3.

1985-86 — Montreal Canadiens def. Calgary Flames, 4-1.

1984-85 — Edmonton Oilers def. Philadelphia Flyers, 4-1.

1983-84 — Edmonton Oilers def. N.Y. Islanders, 4-1.

1982-83 — N.Y. Islanders def. Edmonton Oilers, 4-0.

1981-82 — N.Y. Islanders def. Vancouver Canucks, 4-0.

1980-81 — N.Y. Islanders def. Minnesota North Stars, 4-1.

1979-80 — N.Y. Islanders def. Philadelphia Flyers, 4-2.

1978-79 — Montreal Canadiens def. N.Y. Rangers, 4-1.

1977-78 — Montreal Canadiens def. Boston Bruins, 4-2.

1976-77 — Montreal Canadiens def. Boston Bruins, 4-0.

1975-76 — Montreal Canadiens def. Philadelphia Flyers, 4-0.

1974-75 — Philadelphia Flyers def. Buffalo Sabres, 4-2.

1973-74 — Philadelphia Flyers def. Boston Bruins, 4-2.

1972-73 — Montreal Canadiens def. Chicago Blackhawks, 4-2.

1971-72 — Boston Bruins def. N.Y. Rangers, 4-2.

1970-71 — Montreal Canadiens def. Chicago Blackhawks, 4-3.

1969-70 — Boston Bruins def. St. Louis Blues, 4-0.

1968-69 — Montreal Canadiens def. St. Louis Blues, 4-0.

1967-68 — Montreal Canadiens def. St. Louis Blues, 4-0.

1966-67 — Toronto Maple Leafs def. Montreal Canadiens, 4-2.

1965-66 — Montreal Canadiens def. Detroit Red Wings, 4-2.

1964-65 — Montreal Canadiens def. Chicago Blackhawks, 4-3.

1963-64 — Toronto Maple Leafs def. Detroit Red Wings, 4-3.

1962-63 — Toronto Maple Leafs def. Detroit Red Wings, 4-1.

1961-62 — Toronto Maple Leafs def. Chicago Blackhawks, 4-2.

1960-61 — Chicago Blackhawks def. Detroit Red Wings, 4-2.

1959-60 — Montreal Canadiens def. Toronto Maple Leafs, 4-0.

1958-59 — Montreal Canadiens def. Toronto Maple Leafs, 4-1.

1957-58 — Montreal Canadiens def. Boston Bruins, 4-2.

1956-57 — Montreal Canadiens def. Boston Bruins, 4-1.

1955-56 — Montreal Canadiens def. Detroit Red Wings, 4-1.

1954-55 — Detroit Red Wings def. Montreal Canadiens, 4-3.

1953-54 — Detroit Red Wings def. Montreal Canadiens, 4-3.

1952-53 — Montreal Canadiens def. Boston Bruins, 4-1.

1951-52 — Detroit Red Wings def. Montreal Canadiens, 4-0.

1950-51 — Toronto Maple Leafs def. Montreal Canadiens, 4-1.

1949-50 — Detroit Red Wings def. N.Y. Rangers, 4-3.

1948-49 — Toronto Maple Leafs def. Detroit Red Wings, 4-0.

1947-48 — Toronto Maple Leafs def. Detroit Red Wings, 4-0.

1946-47 — Toronto Maple Leafs def. Montreal Canadiens, 4-2.

1945-46 — Montreal Canadiens def. Boston Bruins, 4-1.

1944-45 — Toronto Maple Leafs def. Detroit Red Wings, 4-3.

1943-44 — Montreal Canadiens def. Chicago Blackhawks, 4-0.

1942-43 — Detroit Red Wings def. Boston Bruins, 4-0.

1941-42 — Toronto Maple Leafs def. Detroit Red Wings, 4-3.

1940-41 — Boston Bruins def. Detroit Red Wings, 4-0.

1939-40 — N.Y. Rangers def. Toronto Maple Leafs, 4-2.

1938-39 — Boston Bruins def. Toronto Maple Leafs, 4-1.

1937-38 — Chicago Blackhawks def. Toronto Maple Leafs, 3-1.

1936-37 — Detroit Red Wings def. N.Y. Rangers, 3-2.

1935-36 — Detroit Red Wings def. Toronto Maple Leafs, 3-1.

1934-35 — Montreal Maroons def. Toronto Maple Leafs, 3-0.

1933-34 — Chicago Blackhawks def. Detroit Red Wings, 3-1.

1932-33 — N.Y. Rangers def. Toronto Maple Leafs, 3-1.

1931-32 — Toronto Maple Leafs def. N.Y. Rangers, 3-0.

1930-31 — Montreal Canadiens def. Chicago Blackhawks, 3-2.

1929-30 — Montreal Canadiens def. Boston Bruins, 2-0.

1928-29 — Boston Bruins def. N.Y. Rangers, 2-0.

1927-28 — N.Y. Rangers def. Montreal Maroons, 3-2.

1926-27 — Ottawa Senators def. Boston Bruins, 2-1-1.

1925-26 — Montreal Maroons def. Victoria Cougars, 3-1.

1924-25 — Victoria Cougars def. Montreal Canadiens, 3-2.

1923-24 — Montreal Canadiens def. Vancouver Maroons, 3-2.

1922-23 — Ottawa Senators def. Vancouver Maroons, 3-1.

1921-22 — Toronto St. Patricks def Vancouver Millionaires, 3-2.

1920-21 — Ottawa Senators def. Vancouver Millionaires, 3-2.

1919-20 — Ottawa Senators def. Seattle Metropolitans, 3-2.

1918-19 — y-No Series.

1917-18 — Toronto Arenas def. Vancouver Millionaires, 3-2.  ——

   x — Regular season began in January 1995 due to strike.

   y — Series between Montreal and Seattle was cancelled due to influenza epidemic.

NHL Stanley Cup Titles By Team

Montreal Canadiens (23)

1923-24; 1929-30; 1930-31; 1943-44; 1945-46; 1952-53; 1955-56; 1956-57; 1957-58; 1958-59; 1959-60; 1964-65; 1965-66; 1967-68; 1968-69; 1970-71; 1972-73; 1975-76; 1976-77; 1977-78; 1978-79; 1985-86; 1992-93.

Toronto Maple Leafs (13)

1917-18; 1921-22; 1931-32; 1941-42; 1944-45; 1946-47; 1947-48; 1948-49; 1950-51; 1961-62; 1962-63; 1963-64; 1966-67.

Detroit Red Wings (10)

1935-36; 1936-37; 1942-43; 1949-50; 1951-52; 1953-54; 1954-55; 1996-97; 1997-98; 2001-02.

Boston Bruins (5)

1928-29; 1938-39; 1940-41; 1969-70; 1971-72.

Edmonton Oilers (5)

1983-84; 1984-85; 1986-87; 1987-88; 1989-90.

N.Y. Islanders (4)

1979-80; 1980-81; 1981-82; 1982-83.

N.Y. Rangers (4)

1927-28; 1932-33; 1939-40, 1993-1994.

Ottawa Senators (4)

1919-20; 1920-21; 1922-23; 1926-27.

Chicago Blackhawks (3)

1933-34; 1937-38; 1960-61.

New Jersey Devils (3)

1994-95; 1999-2000, 2002-03.

Colorado Avalanche (2)

1995-96; 2000-01.

Montreal Maroons (2)

1925-26; 1934-35.

Philadelphia Flyers (2)

1973-74; 1974-75.

Pittsburgh Penguins (2)

1990-91; 1991-92.

Anaheim Ducks (1)

2006-07

Calgary Flames (1)

1988-89.

Carolina Hurricanes (1)

2005-06.

Dallas Stars (1)

1998-99.

Tampa Bay Lightning (1)

2003-04.

Toronto Arenas (1)

1917-18.

Toronto St. Pats (1)

1921-22.

Victoria Cougars (1)

1924-25.