2002–03 Detroit Red Wings season


The 2002–03 Detroit Red Wings season was the 77th National Hockey League season in Detroit, Michigan. The Red Wings scored 110 points, winning the Central Division, but just one point behind the Dallas Stars for the Western Conference's first seed.
Coming off their latest Stanley Cup victory, the Red Wings started looking towards the future. Dominik Hasek and Scotty Bowman had retired over the summer and captain Steve Yzerman was out for the first 66 games of the regular season. The weight of the team fell on Sergei Fedorov and veteran Brett Hull, who helped the Red Wings score the most goals of any team in the regular season. As newly acquired goaltender Curtis Joseph held steady in net, two more pieces of the Stanley Cup team would be traded over the course of the year. Maxim Kuznetsov and Sean Avery left in a trade for the Los Angeles Kings' Mathieu Schneider right before the trade deadline in an effort to push the Wings towards the playoffs. However, the moves did not come to complete fruition, as the Wings met the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in the first round and shocked everyone by being swept in four games.
Three Red Wings were named to the roster for the 2003 All-Star Game: defenceman Nicklas Lidstrom, center Sergei Fedorov and Head Coach Dave Lewis. It was Lidstrom's seventh appearance at the All-Star Game, Fedorov's sixth and Lewis's first appearance as a coach.
The Red Wings sold out all 41 home games in 2002–03 as 20,058 fans packed Joe Louis Arena for every regular season and playoff game played in Detroit.

Regular season

The Red Wings led the NHL in scoring during the regular season, with 269 goals for, and power-play percentage, at 23.82%. They also tied the Los Angeles Kings, New Jersey Devils and Washington Capitals for fewest short-handed goals allowed, with just four.

Season standings

For complete final standings, see 2002–03 NHL season

Schedule and results

October

Record: 6–3–1–0; Home: 3–1–1–0; Road: 3–2–0–0
#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
1October 10Detroit6 – 3San JoseJoseph17,4961–0–0–02
2October 12Detroit2 – 3Los AngelesJoseph18,1771–1–0–02
3October 13Detroit4 – 2AnaheimLegace17,1742–1–0–04
4October 17Montreal3 – 2DetroitJoseph20,0582–2–0–04
5October 19Detroit5 – 3MinnesotaJoseph19,3443–2–0–06
6October 21Calgary0 – 4DetroitJoseph20,0584–2–0–08
7October 23Los Angeles3 – 3DetroitOTJoseph20,0584–2–1–09
8October 25Pittsburgh3 – 7DetroitLegace20,0585–2–1–011
9October 26Detroit1 – 3NashvilleJoseph17,1135–3–1–011
10October 29San Jose2 – 3DetroitJoseph20,0586–3–1–013

November

Record: 6–4–2–1; Home: 4–1–1–1; Road: 2–3–1–0
#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
11November 2Detroit2 – 5OttawaJoseph18,2106–4–1–013
12November 3Dallas3 – 3DetroitOTJoseph20,0586–4–2–014
13November 5Chicago2 – 0DetroitLegace20,0586–5–2–014
14November 7Boston1 – 2DetroitOTLegace20,0587–5–2–016
15November 12Nashville1 – 4DetroitJoseph20,0588–5–2–018
16November 15Anaheim1 – 2DetroitOTJoseph20,0589–5–2–020
17November 16Detroit2 – 1TorontoLegace19,11010–5–2–022
18November 19Detroit5 – 0CalgaryJoseph16,06111–5–2–024
19November 22Detroit1 – 4VancouverLegace18,42211–6–2–024
20November 23Detroit1 – 1EdmontonOTJoseph16,83911–6–3–025
21November 25Edmonton5 – 4DetroitOTLegace20,05811–6–3–126
22November 27New Jersey2 – 3DetroitOTJoseph20,05812–6–3–128
23November 29Detroit4 – 6CarolinaJoseph20,06612–7–3–128

December

Record: 10–1–4–0; Home: 7–1–1–0; Road: 3–0–3–0
#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
24December 1Calgary2 – 4DetroitJoseph20,06613–7–3–130
25December 3Anaheim1 – 2DetroitJoseph18,50414–7–3–132
26December 5Detroit5 – 3PhoenixJoseph15,18915–7–3–134
27December 6Detroit3 – 3DallasOTJoseph18,53215–7–4–135
28December 8St. Louis3 – 4DetroitOTJoseph20,05816–7–4–137
29December 12Minnesota3 – 2DetroitJoseph20,05816–8–4–137
30December 14Columbus4 – 6DetroitJoseph20,05817–8–4–139
31December 17Detroit2 – 2NY IslandersOTLegace14,88417–8–5–140
32December 19Dallas1 – 1DetroitOTLegace20,05817–8–6–141
33December 21NY Rangers2 – 3DetroitLegace20,05818–8–6–143
34December 23Detroit1 – 0ColumbusJoseph18,13619–8–6–145
35December 26Columbus2 – 4DetroitJoseph20,05820–8–6–147
36December 28Detroit4 – 2NashvilleLegace17,11321–8–6–149
37December 29Detroit2 – 2DallasOTJoseph18,53221–8–7–150
38December 31St. Louis1 – 5DetroitJoseph20,05822–8–7–152

January

Record: 5–7–1–1; Home: 1–2–1–0; Road: 4–5–0–1
#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
39January 3Phoenix4 – 1DetroitJoseph20,05822–9–7–152
40January 5Detroit4 – 3ChicagoOTJoseph21,29523–9–7–154
41January 7Detroit0 – 1Tampa BayJoseph19,94123–10–7–154
42January 8Detroit2 – 1FloridaOTLegace19,25024–10–7–156
43January 11Detroit2 – 3PhiladelphiaJoseph19,65424–11–7–156
44January 13Chicago4 – 5DetroitOTJoseph20,05825–11–7–158
45January 15Detroit1 – 4ChicagoLegace21,39125–12–7–158
46January 16Detroit2 – 4ColoradoJoseph18,00726–12–7–160
47January 19Vancouver4 – 1DetroitJoseph20,05826–13–7–160
48January 22Detroit3 – 4EdmontonOTJoseph16,83926–13–7–261
49January 24Detroit5 – 2VancouverLegace18,42227–13–7–263
50January 25Detroit1 – 4CalgaryJoseph18,02827–14–7–263
51January 28Detroit0 – 1New JerseyLegace16,45327–15–7–263
52January 30Florida2 – 2DetroitOTLegace20,05827–15–8–264

February

Record: 7–2–1–1; Home: 5–1–1–1; Road: 2–1–0–0
#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
53February 4Nashville5 – 5DetroitOTJoseph20,05827–15–9–265
54February 6Colorado1 – 0DetroitJoseph20,05827–16–9–265
55February 8Detroit3 – 5ColoradoJoseph18,00727–17–9–265
56February 10San Jose5 – 4DetroitLegace20,05828–17–9–267
57February 13Buffalo2 – 4DetroitJoseph20,05829–17–9–269
58February 15Detroit6 – 2AtlantaJoseph18,85730–17–9–271
59February 18Vancouver4 – 3DetroitOTJoseph20,05830–17–9–372
60February 20Edmonton2 – 6DetroitJoseph20,05831–17–9–374
61February 22Detroit5 – 1WashingtonJoseph18,27732–17–9–376
62February 24Los Angeles4 – 5DetroitLegace20,05833–17–9–378
63February 27Toronto2 – 7DetroitJoseph20,05834–17–9–380

March

Record: 13–3–0–0; Home: 7–0–0–0; Road: 6–3–0–0
#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
64March 2Phoenix2 – 5DetroitJoseph20,05835–17–9–382
65March 3Detroit3 – 2ColumbusLegace18,13636–17–9–384
66March 5Tampa Bay2 – 3DetroitJoseph20,05837–17–9–386
67March 7St. Louis2 – 7DetroitJoseph20,05838–17–9–388
68March 9Detroit1 – 4AnaheimLegace17,17438–18–9–388
69March 10Detroit2 – 3Los AngelesLegace18,34439–18–9–390
70March 12Detroit2 – 3PhoenixJoseph15,81340–18–9–392
71March 15Colorado3 – 5DetroitJoseph20,05841–18–9–394
72March 16Ottawa2 – 6DetroitJoseph20,05842–18–9–396
73March 18Detroit5 – 1PittsburghLegace13,84043–18–9–398
74March 22Detroit4 – 2St. LouisJoseph19,99544–18–9–3100
75March 23Detroit0 – 4MinnesotaLegace18,56844–19–9–3100
76March 25Minnesota0 – 4DetroitJoseph20,05845–19–9–3102
77March 27Detroit0 – 3San JoseJoseph17,49645–20–9–3102
78March 29Detroit6 – 2St. LouisLegace19,95146–20–9–3104
79March 31Nashville0 – 3DetroitJoseph20,05847–20–9–3106

April

Record: 1–0–1–1; Home: 1–0–0–0; Road: 0–0–1–1
#DateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceRecordPts
80April 3NY Islanders2 – 5DetroitJoseph20,05848–20–9–3108
81April 4Detroit5 – 5ColumbusOTLegace18,13648–20–10–3109
82April 6Detroit3 – 4ChicagoOTJoseph21,56548–20–10–4110

The Detroit Red Wings ended the 2002–03 regular season as the Western Conference's second seed and played Anaheim in the first round. Anaheim upset Detroit in a four-game sweep. The Mighty Ducks would advance and reach the Stanley Cup Finals, losing in Game 7 to the New Jersey Devils.

Western Conference Quarter-finals: vs. (7) Mighty Ducks of Anaheim">Anaheim Ducks">Mighty Ducks of Anaheim

Anaheim wins series 4–0
GameDateVisitorScoreHomeOTDecisionAttendanceSeries
1April 10Anaheim2 – 1DetroitOTJoseph20,0580 – 1
2April 12Anaheim3 – 2DetroitJoseph20,0580 – 2
3April 14Detroit1 – 2AnaheimJoseph17,1740 – 3
4April 16Detroit2 – 3AnaheimOTJoseph17,1740 – 4

Skaters

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes
*Stats reflect games played with Detroit only.

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

scored his 700th career goal, February 10, 2003.

Transactions

The Red Wings were involved in the following transactions during the 2002–03 season.

Trades

Free agents

Draft picks

Detroit's picks at the 2002 NHL Entry Draft at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. The Red Wings were slated to pick 30th overall but traded their first pick to the Atlanta Thrashers.
Round#PlayerNationalityCollege/Junior/Club Team
258Jiri Hudler CHC Vsetin
263Tomas Fleischmann HC Vitkovice
395Valtteri Filppula Jokerit
4131Johan Berggren Sunne
5166Logan Koopmans Lethbridge Hurricanes
6197Jimmy Cuddihy Shawinigan Cataractes
7229Derek Meech Red Deer Rebels
8260Pierre-Olivier Beaulieu Quebec Remparts
9262Christian Soderstrom Timra IK
9291Jonathan Ericsson Sodertalje SK

Farm teams

[Grand Rapids Griffins]

The Griffins were Detroit's top affiliate in the American Hockey League in 2002–03.

[Toledo Storm]

The Storm were the Red Wings' ECHL affiliate for the 2002–03 season.