Playoff Prospecting: Detroit Red Wings

June 1, 2008 7:00pm CDT

The playoffs are without question the most exciting part of the NHL season, but the postseason can also be a critical time for fantasy hockey players. The NHL playoffs are a perfect time to start scouting players for next fantasy season and trying to unearth a few hidden gems to fill out your roster with on draft day. For this reason we will be looking at some postseason players and determining where they fit in on your draft board. Over the next few weeks we will be looking at each of the final four teams in the playoffs and some of the key players on their roster. Today we will be looking at the Detroit Red Wings.

Daniel Cleary, RW, (20g-22a-42pts) - Daniel Cleary has never been a hot commodity in fantasy hockey circles, despite entering the NHL with high expectations. With that being said, Cleary has quietly managed to put up respectable numbers in a Red Wings uniform the last two seasons. After reaching the 20-goal plateau for the first time in his career in 2006-07, Cleary achieved the feat again in 2007-08 despite appearing in just 63 games for Detroit due to injuries. Cleary has found a home in Detroit and it is possible that he could have another career year in 2008-09 if he can stay healthy. If Cleary can play in close to 80 games for the Wings next season he could approach 30 goals and 60 points on the year. That is definitely the best-case scenario for Cleary and fantasy owners should take a wait-and-see approach with the Detroit winger heading into next season.

Johan Franzen, C, (27g-11a-38pts) - Pay no attention to Johan Franzen's regular season stat line. Disregard it completely. Franzen's season can be broken down very easily for fantasy owners heading into next season. In his first 56 regular season games Franzen scored 12 goals and six assists, but that does not matter. The important numbers for Franzen are this; in his last 15 regular season games and 13 playoff games Franzen has scored 28 goals and added nine assists. Those 28 goals are far and away the most in the NHL over that time and Franzen is the leading playoff goalscorer in the NHL despite missing six games with a head injury. To put that into perspective, Franzen has scored almost as many goals in the last three months as he did in the first two and a half seasons of his career. Franzen should be very high on most people's draft boards heading into next season.

Jiri Hudler, RW, (13g-29a-42pts) - It was an up and down regular season for Jiri Hudler in 2007-08. After putting up decent numbers in 2007 with 27 points (10g-17a) in 40 games, Hudler managed only 15 points (3g-12a) in 41 regular season games in 2008. Those numbers are even more disappointing when you consider how strongly frequent linemate Johan Franzen finished the season. Hudler has gotten his game back on track in the playoffs and has registered 13 points (4g-9a) in Detroit's 19 postseason games. Those aren't the kinds of numbers that set fantasy owners' hearts aflutter, but it could be a good indication of the type of numbers we could see from Hudler in the upcoming regular season. When you take into account how much harder goals are to come by in the playoffs, 13 points in 19 games starts to look better and better. Hudler could be worth taking a risk on with a late-round draft pick next season, especially in a deep league.

Niklas Kronwall, D, (7g-28a-35pts) - Red Wings defender Niklas Kronwall has made a name for himself this postseason with his hitting. That should not distract fantasy hockey players from the fact that Kronwall can be a very valuable fantasy defenseman. Kronwall had by far his best offensive season in 2007-08, setting career highs in goals, assists, points, +/-, and power-play points, and he did this while appearing in only 65 games for the Wings. Kronwall's +25 rating was fifth best among all NHL defensemen and really helped drive up his fantasy value. Heading into the 2008-09 season, there is no reason to think that Kronwall's numbers will not continue to improve, as he has established himself as one of the key players for Detroit in all situations. Kronwall's postseason numbers may be a good indicator of what to expect next season, as he has compiled 13 points, 18 PIM and a +14 rating in 19 playoff contests. Kronwall's offensive numbers should all improve next season, and there is a strong chance that his PIM total will, too, as his reputation as a physical presence continues to grow. Kronwall has all the tools to develop into a steady number two fantasy blue liner for many seasons to come.

Chris Osgood, G, (27-9-4, 2.09 GAA, .914 SV% with 4 SO) - Chris Osgood has never seemed to get the respect a player with his numbers deserves, and as such he has failed to garner a lot of attention as a top fantasy netminder. That should change for the 2008-09 season as Osgood looks to head into next regular season as the clear-cut number one goalie for the Wings. If goalie Dominik Hasek retires as most think he will after this season ends, then Osgood will be the go-to guy between the pipes and he will see a significantly increased workload behind one of the best defensive units in hockey. It is a bit of a reach to think Osgood will put up the kind of numbers next season that we are seeing from him this postseason (12-3, 1.48 GAA, .935 SV% with 3 SO), but if he gets around 65 starts between the pipes for Detroit, he should realistically end up with a win total in the high 40's and a sub-2.00 GAA. All of that means that Osgood should be one of the first goalies off the board in all fantasy drafts next season.

Brian Rafalski, D, (13g-42a-55pts) - Brian Rafalski has always been an underrated player in the NHL, but most fantasy owners failed to warm up to him when he signed with the Red Wings in the offseason. Rafalski was coming off of seasons with 49 and a career-high 55 points with a decidedly less talented and less offensive-minded New Jersey squad and was heading to Detroit to anchor the power-play alongside Niklas Lidstrom. Rafalski fit right in with his new team and the Michigan native matched his career-high total of 55 points and set a career-best mark of 13 goals (his previous high was nine) while appearing in only 73 games, the second lowest total of his career. Rafalski figures to continue to be an anchor on defense for a Detroit squad that boasts an excellent balance of youth, talent, and experience across their roster. Those factors should help carry Rafalski to another career year in 2008-09 for Detroit. There should be no doubting at this time that Brian Rafalski is a top 10 fantasy defender and he should be drafted accordingly.