2001–02 Detroit Red Wings season


The 2001–02 Detroit Red Wings season was the 76th National Hockey League season in Detroit, Michigan. The Wings scored 116 points, winning the Central Division, their third Presidents' Trophy, and home ice throughout the playoffs. The team is considered one of the greatest teams in NHL history with ten future Hockey Hall of Famers on the team, as well as a Hall of Fame coach in Scotty Bowman.
After Detroit's shocking upset loss in the first playoff round to the Los Angeles Kings, general manager Ken Holland went out into the trade market to address Detroit's more glaring needs. He quickly filled them by trading for future Hall of Fame goaltender Dominik Hasek and signing Brett Hull and Luc Robitaille. These big names joined other future Hall of Fame talents in Chris Chelios, Sergei Fedorov, Igor Larionov, Nicklas Lidstrom, Brendan Shanahan and Steve Yzerman, as well as important supporting players in Jiri Fischer, former All-Star Steve Duchesne, Tomas Holmstrom, the "Grind Line" of Kris Draper, Kirk Maltby, and Darren McCarty, and Pavel Datsyuk in his rookie season, and rounded out with legendary coach Scotty Bowman, who had decided to return for one more year.
The Wings were quickly selected as favorites to win the Stanley Cup by pundits and they went on to prove them right. With so much talent on one team — including the first time three 500-goal scorers were on the same team, as well as a fourth to become in Brendan Shanahan that will eventually hit the mark during the season — they quickly got off to a great start, winning 22 of their first 27 games. After finishing with 116 points and the best record in the NHL, the Wings had earned the first seed in the Western Conference and met the Vancouver Canucks in the first round. After the Canucks took the first two games, it looked like the Canucks were going to sweep the Red Wings and the Red Wings were going to have their second straight early exit. Captain Steve Yzerman gave a closed-door speech to the team. Only the players in the locker room knew what was said, but the Wings headed to Vancouver and won four straight games to win the series.
After a quick series against the division rival St. Louis Blues, Detroit met their old nemesis, the second-seeded Colorado Avalanche in the Conference Finals. They battled back and forth during the series, tying the series three times before reaching game seven in Detroit. The Wings came out firing and won the deciding game 7–0. After that, the Wings fought the cinderella story Carolina Hurricanes for the Stanley Cup, winning in game five at home. Over one million people showed up for the victory parade in downtown Detroit on June 17.
There was no All-Star game this year as the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City took place in February 2002 where eleven Red Wings players represented their countries. Brendan Shanahan and Steve Yzerman represented Canada; Chris Chelios and Brett Hull represented the United States; Dominik Hasek represented the Czech Republic; Sergei Fedorov, Pavel Datsyuk and Igor Larionov represented Russia; and Nicklas Lidstrom, Fredrik Olausson and Tomas Holmstrom represented Sweden.
The Red Wings sold out all 41 home games in 2001–02 as 20,058 fans packed Joe Louis Arena for every regular season and playoff game played in Detroit. The season was chronicled by Detroit Free Press sportswriter Nicholas J. Cotsonika's 2002 book, Hockey Gods: The Inside Story of the Red Wings' Hall of Fame Team.

Regular season

The Red Wings tied the Los Angeles Kings for the most power-play goals scored during the regular season with 73.

Season standings

Schedule and results

October

Record: 11–2–0–0; Home: 5–2–0–0; Road: 6–0–0–0
#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
1October 4Detroit4 – 3San JoseOTHasek17,4961–0–0–02
2October 6Detroit4 – 1VancouverHasek18,4222–0–0–04
3October 10Calgary4 – 2DetroitHasek20,0582–1–0–04
4October 12Buffalo2 – 4DetroitHasek20,0583–1–0–06
5October 13Detroit5 – 4NY IslandersOTLegace16,2344–1–0–08
6October 16Columbus3 – 4DetroitHasek20,0585–1–0–010
7October 18Philadelphia2 – 3DetroitHasek20,0586–1–0–012
8October 20Los Angeles2 – 3DetroitHasek20,0587–1–0–014
9October 24Edmonton1 – 4DetroitHasek20,0588–1–0–016
10October 26Dallas3 – 2DetroitHasek20,0588–2–0–016
11October 27Detroit1 – 0NashvilleLegace17,1139–2–0–018
12October 30Detroit5 – 2CarolinaLegace18,73010–2–0–020
13October 31Detroit4 – 3DallasOTLegace18,53211–2–0–022

November

Record: 11–1–1–1; Home: 8–0–1–0; Road: 3–1–0–1
#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
14November 2NY Islanders1 – 2DetroitHasek20,05812–2–0–024
15November 4Detroit4 – 5ChicagoHasek20,98912–3–0–024
16November 7Detroit3 – 1PhoenixHasek15,02313–3–0–026
17November 9Detroit1 – 0AnaheimHasek17,17414–3–0–028
18November 10Detroit2 – 3Los AngelesOTHasek18,38514–3–0–129
19November 13Carolina3 – 4DetroitHasek20,05815–3–0–131
20November 16Minnesota3 – 8DetroitLegace20,05816–3–0–133
21November 17Los Angeles2 – 4DetroitHasek20,05817–3–0–135
22November 20Nashville3 – 6DetroitHasek20,05818–3–0–137
23November 21Detroit1 – 0ColumbusOTLegace18,13619–3–0–139
24November 23St. Louis1 – 3DetroitHasek20,05820–3–0–141
25November 25Chicago4 – 4DetroitOTHasek20,05820–3–1–142
26November 27Calgary2 – 4DetroitHasek20,05821–3–1–144
27November 30New Jersey2 – 4DetroitLegace20,05822–3–1–146

December

Record: 6–5–2–1; Home: 4–2–1–0; Road: 2–3–1–1
#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
28December 1Detroit1 – 4New JerseyHasek18,55922–4–1–146
29December 5Colorado4 – 1DetroitHasek20,05822–5–1–146
30December 7Detroit1 – 1PhoenixOTHasek20,05822–5–2–147
31December 10Detroit0 – 2CalgaryHasek16,00922–6–2–147
32December 13Detroit2 – 1EdmontonHasek16,83923–6–2–149
33December 15Detroit0 – 3VancouverHasek18,42223–7–2–149
34December 17Chicago2 – 0DetroitLegace20,05823–8–2–149
35December 19Vancouver1 – 4DetroitHasek20,05824–8–2–151
36December 21San Jose0 – 3DetroitHasek20,05825–8–2–153
37December 23Detroit5 – 0ChicagoHasek22,15826–8–2–155
38December 26Detroit3 – 3MinnesotaOTHasek18,56826–8–3–156
39December 27Columbus1 – 5DetroitLegace20,05827–8–3–158
40December 29Detroit2 – 3NashvilleOTHasek17,24427–8–3–259
41December 31Minnesota2 – 4DetroitHasek20,05828–8–3–261

January

Record: 8–2–3–0; Home: 7–0–1–0; Road: 1–2–2–0
#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
42January 2Anaheim3 – 5DetroitHasek20,05829–8–3–263
43January 5Colorado1 – 3DetroitHasek20,05830–8–3–265
44January 9Vancouver4 – 5DetroitOTHasek20,05831–8–3–267
45January 12Dallas2 – 5DetroitHasek20,05832–8–3–269
46January 15Detroit2 – 2PhoenixOTLegace15,18632–8–4–270
47January 16Detroit2 – 3DallasHasek18,53232–9–4–270
48January 18Washington1 – 3DetroitHasek20,05833–9–4–272
49January 20Ottawa2 – 3DetroitOTHasek20,05834–9–4–274
50January 23San Jose2 – 2DetroitOTHasek20,05834–9–5–275
51January 25Phoenix1 – 4DetroitLegace20,05835–9–5–277
52January 26Detroit5 – 2St. LouisHasek20,01736–9–5–279
53January 28Detroit1 – 1EdmontonOTHasek16,83936–9–6–280
54January 30Detroit3 – 4CalgaryLegace17,23936–10–6–280

February

Record: 7–1–0–0; Home: 1–1–0–0; Road: 6–0–0–0
#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
55February 4Detroit3 – 1ColoradoHasek18,00737–10–6–282
56February 6NY Rangers1 – 3DetroitHasek20,05838–10–6–284
57February 8Columbus3 – 2DetroitLegace20,05838–11–6–284
58February 9Detroit3 – 2OttawaHasek18,50039–11–6–286
59February 11Detroit3 – 2MontrealHasek21,27340–11–6–288
60February 13Detroit2 – 0MinnesotaHasek18,56841–11–6–290
61February 26Detroit4 – 3Tampa BayOTHasek20,91442–11–6–292
62February 27Detroit3 – 2FloridaOTHasek19,25043–11–6–294

March

Record: 8–3–2–0; Home: 3–1–1–0; Road: 5–2–1–0
#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
63March 2Detroit4 – 2PittsburghHasek17,14844–11–6–296
64March 6Toronto2 – 6DetroitHasek20,05845–11–6–298
65March 9Detroit5 – 2St. LouisHasek19,92146–11–6–2100
66March 10Detroit1 – 5BuffaloHasek18,69046–12–6–2100
67March 13Edmonton3 – 4DetroitOTHasek20,05847–12–6–2102
68March 16Detroit1 – 2BostonLegace17,56547–13–6–2102
69March 17Detroit5 – 3NY RangersHasek18,20048–13–6–2104
70March 19Anaheim2 – 1DetroitHasek20,05848–14–6–2104
71March 21Detroit3 – 2ColumbusOTHasek18,13649–14–6–2106
72March 23Detroit2 – 0ColoradoHasek18,00750–14–6–2108
73March 25Detroit3 – 3NashvilleOTLegace16,51850–14–7–2109
74March 28Nashville3 – 3DetroitOTHasek20,05850–14–8–2110
75March 30Atlanta1 – 4DetroitLegace20,05851–14–8–2112

April

Record: 0–3–2–2; Home: 0–1–1–1; Road: 0–2–1–1
#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
76April 1Toronto5 – 4DetroitOTLegace20,05851–14–8–3113
77April 3Detroit1 – 1AnaheimOTHasek17,17451–14–9–3114
78April 4Detroit0 – 3Los AngelesHasek18,62151–15–9–3114
79April 6Detroit3 – 6San JoseLegace17,49651–16–9–3114
80April 10Chicago3 – 3DetroitOTHasek20,05851–16–10–3115
81April 13Detroit2 – 3St. LouisOTHasek19,87751–16–10–4116
82April 14St. Louis5 – 3DetroitHasek20,05851–17–10–4116

The Detroit Red Wings ended the 2001–02 regular season as the Western Conference's first seed and played Vancouver in the first round. After losing the first two games in Detroit, the Wings rallied back to win four straight. Then the Wings made quick work of the Blues before meeting the second-seeded Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Finals. The Wings would beat the Avalanche in a hard fought seven game series, winning the final game 7–0. As the final game in the series came to a close, the Neil Diamond song "Sweet Caroline" was played over the Joe Louis Arena loudspeakers, as the victorious Red Wings prepared to head off to a Stanley Cup clinching series with the third-seeded victors of the Eastern Conference, the Carolina Hurricanes. They won the series in five games, defeating the Hurricanes three to one at home in Detroit on June 13 to take home their tenth Stanley Cup.

Western Conference Quarter-finals: vs. (8) [Vancouver Canucks]

Detroit wins series 4–2
GameDateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceSeries
1April 17Vancouver4 – 3DetroitOTHasek20,0580 – 1
2April 19Vancouver5 – 2DetroitHasek20,0580 – 2
3April 21Detroit3 – 1VancouverHasek18,4221 – 2
4April 23Detroit4 – 2VancouverHasek18,4222 – 2
5April 25Vancouver0 – 4DetroitHasek20,0583 – 2
6April 27Detroit6 – 4VancouverHasek18,4224 – 2

Western Conference Semi-finals: vs. (4) [St. Louis Blues]

Detroit wins series 4–1
GameDateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceSeries
1May 2St. Louis0 – 2DetroitHasek20,0581 – 0
2May 4St. Louis2 – 3DetroitHasek20,0582 – 0
3May 7Detroit1 – 6St. LouisHasek19,1072 – 1
4May 9Detroit4 – 3St. LouisHasek19,9993 – 1
5May 11St. Louis0 – 4DetroitHasek20,0584 – 1

Western Conference Finals: vs. (2) [Colorado Avalanche]

Detroit wins series 4–3
GameDateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceSeries
1May 18Colorado3 – 5DetroitHasek20,0581 – 0
2May 20Colorado4 – 3DetroitOTHasek20,0581 – 1
3May 22Detroit2 – 1ColoradoOTHasek18,0072 – 1
4May 25Detroit2 – 3ColoradoHasek18,0072 – 2
5May 27Colorado2 – 1DetroitOTHasek20,0582 – 3
6May 29Detroit2 – 0ColoradoHasek18,0073 – 3
7May 31Colorado0 – 7DetroitHasek20,0584 – 3

Stanley Cup Finals: vs. (E3) [Carolina Hurricanes]

Detroit wins series 4–1
GameDateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceSeries
1June 4Carolina3 – 2DetroitOTHasek20,0580 – 1
2June 6Carolina1 – 3DetroitHasek20,0581 – 1
3June 8Detroit3 – 2Carolina3OTHasek18,9822 – 1
4June 10Detroit3 – 0CarolinaHasek18,9863 – 1
5June 13Carolina1 – 3DetroitHasek20,0584 – 1

Skaters

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes

Goaltending

Note: GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average

Awards and records

Trophies and awards

Milestones

52nd NHL All Star Game

NHL All-Star representatives at the 52nd NHL All-Star Game in Los Angeles, California, at the Staples Center.
The Red Wings were involved in the following transactions during the 2001–02 season.

Trades

Free agents

Roster

Draft picks

Detroit's picks at the 2001 NHL Entry Draft in Sunrise, Florida. The Wings had the 29th overall pick, however traded it to Chicago in 1999 during the deal to acquire Chris Chelios.
Round#PlayerNationalityCollege/Junior/Club Team
262Igor Grigorenko Lada Togliatti
4121Drew MacIntyre Sherbrooke Castors
4129Miroslav Blatak HC Zlín
5157Andreas Jamtin Färjestad BK
6195Nick Pannoni Seattle Thunderbirds
8258Dmitry Bykov Ak Bars Kazan
9288Francois Senez Drummondville Voltigeurs

Farm teams

[Cincinnati Mighty Ducks]

The Mighty Ducks were Detroit's top affiliate in the American Hockey League in 2001–02 and were coached by Mike Babcock.

[Toledo Storm]

The Storm were the Red Wings' ECHL affiliate for the 2001–02 season. Now known as the Toledo Walleye and still an affiliate to the Red Wings.