Detroit Red Wings: 2000-09 All-Decade Team
By Mike Rizzo
First Line
Center – Sergei Fedorov: How many more Stanley Cups could the Red Wings have won had Fedorov stayed after the 2003 season? Fedorov was 33 when he left and could’ve had a couple more good seasons. Something that people might not think about is had Fedorov not left Detroit, he very well may have been the new captain after the 2006 season. Even though the Red Wings won another cup in the decade without Fedorov, it makes me wonder if they could’ve won more if he stayed.
Right Wing – Brett Hull: Even coming in at age 37, he had three solid years as a Red Wing. In his three seasons in the Winged Wheel, Hull scored 25 or more goals in each season. He even scored his memorable 700th career goal while he was a Red Wing. Hull had one of the hardest and quickest shots in the league and as a fan it was an honor to watch him play with the Red Wings for those three seasons.
Left Wing – Brendan Shanahan: Shanahan had several memorable goals in his time as a Red Wing including the empty net goal in Game 5 of the 2002 Stanley Cup Finals to clinch the Cup for the Red Wings. Also who could forget the “Irish Jig” that was played every time he scored. Shanahan left after the 2006 season, the same year Steve Yzerman retired.
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