How sweet it is – 4 Stanley Cups in 11 seasons. That has a nice ring to it: 4 in 11.

Now, the first one in 1997 was tremendous and always cherished. Detroit hockey fans waited far too only between that Cup and the previous one won by Gordie Howe and Company.  In 1998, it was special to get back-to back titles yet happiness turned to tragedy as the limo carrying two Red Wings and the masseur was involved in an awful wreck.

Then came 2002 with its outstanding label. Steve Yzerman, Dominik Hasek, Brendan Shanahan, Brett Hull and others led the Red Wings to their third Cup in six years yet many skeptics still did not want to call the Red Wings a dynasty.

Well, then came 2008, with a new look and many new players on Detroit. Triumph came despite the new NHL with its salary cap restrictions and movement of players. The Red Wings still proved they are a team of the ages. This team is officially a recent dynasty in my book, right alongside the New England Patriots of the NFL and San Antonio Spurs of the NBA.

True, we have the regulars on hand such as Nicklas Lidstrom, Kirk Maltby, Kris Draper, Tomas Holmstrom, Chris Chelios, Hasek, Chris Osgood and late addition Darren McCarty. Even Pavel Datsyuk was on that 2002 Cup champion. This time, the Red Wings did it with several new faces who tasted from the hockey’s sacred chalice for the first time in Detroit.

Led by Conn Smythe Trophy (Most Valuable Player) winner Henrik Zetterberg, this new wave of players were vital in the Red Wings march to their 11^th Stanley Cup. Johan Franzen, Dan Cleary, Mikael Samuelsson, Brian Rafalski, Brad Stuart, Dallas Drake, Niklas Kronwall, Brett Lebda, Tomas Kopecky, Andreas Lilja, Darren Helm, Jiri Hudler and Valtteri Filppula all contributed to the wonderful ride to the promised land.

Yes, the Red Wings are to be exalted highly for what they have been able to achieve. Despite cap restrictions and salary restructuring, General Manager Ken Holland, assistant Jill Nill and the entire front office under the leadership of a man deserving to be in the Hockey Hall of Fame, senior vice president Jimmy Devellano, have performed well.

And speaking of Hall of Famers, owner Mike Ilitch is already enshrined in Toronto and will have company soon as The Captain, Steve Yzerman, will be a first-ballot electee into the hallowed Hall come a year or two. Yzerman has made a nice transition into the club’s front office and is learning a lot under Holland and Nill.

Who else from these 4 in 11 years Stanley Cup dynasty Red Wings would you put into the Hall of Fame some day? Larry Murphy and Slava Fetisov are there already, the onetime Red Wings defensemen. You have to know that Chelios will be a lock and Hasek too. Then you have Lidstrom of course. Former Red Wings Shanahan and Brett Hull should be elected too. What about Osgood who distinguished himself with a 14-4 record and 1.55 goals against average in these playoffs and won his second Cup? He may deserve a good look.

Others with possible Hall of Fame credentials include former centers Sergei Fedorov and Igor Larionov and current stars Zetterberg and Datsyuk. Holmstrom and Draper are less likely to get much support. Former coach Scotty Bowman is already in the Hall and maybe Mike Babcock, should he sustain his winning ways in the years ahead, has a shot at entry. Besides Devellano (Cups with Detroit and the New York Islanders) the Hall should someday swings open its doors for Holland.

Now, with all this Hall of Fame past and current Detroit flavor, it’s no wonder we can these Red Wings a team of destiny. Hockeytown glory has returned to Detroit. Sure, some crowds were too sparse during the regular season but a tough economy and competition from the Tigers, Pistons and Wolverines took a bit out of the hockey attendance figures at Joe Louis Arena.

The parade last week further solidified the Motor City as the top hockey city in North America. You fans deserved and received from the champion Red Wings players – a great deal of gratitude. To a man, the players applauded the fans and the hard working grit that Detroit shows. That attitude has rubbed off and worked wonders on this machine called the Detroit Hockey Club, Inc.

Also, what a special moment to see Red Wings defenseman Lidstrom be the first player to lift the Stanley Cup in Pittsburgh and the first European to captain an NHL championship team or any major sports team from North America.  It was likewise classy for Fox Sports Net television announcer Ken Daniels to fill in for radio broadcaster Ken Kal – ill with laryngitis — in that finals Game 6, and then to hand the microphone back to Kal for the stretch call. Daniels is a pro’s pro and it showed. Kal was obviously bummed missing the entire game on radio but got his shot at the very end of the broadcast.

Buy George Eichorn book, “Detroit Sports Broadcasters On The Air” — which features exclusive photos of hockey announcers such as Daniels, Kal, Mickey Redmond, Paul Woods, Budd Lynch, Bruce Martyn and Sid Abel – for $19.99 or less at www.amazon.com. Reach him at geichorn@yahoo.com.

Categories: Uncategorized -- Trackback