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Detroit Red Wings (NHL, 1992-93)

1992-93 Regular Season: Red Wings vs. St. Louis Blues
     The Detroit Red Wings were and up-and-coming power in the NHL by 1992-93. After spending the 1970s and the first half of the 1980s in the basement, the franchise had been moving steadily upward since 1987. Led by Head Coach/GM Bryan Murray, the Wings had made the playoffs the previous two seasons, and had won the Norris Division regular season crown in 1991-92.
     The Wings set a franchise record for wins in 1992-93, going 47-28-9. Their 103 points were just three less than division champion Chicago, and fifth overall in the NHL. After that strong season, the team was an early favorite in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
     The Red Wings of the early 1990s were an offensive juggernaut, and this season was no different. The Wings topped the NHL, scoring 369 goals. They were led by longtime captain Steve Yzerman. "Stevie Y" had another excellent season, scoring 58 goals and 137 points, fourth best in the league. Veteran super-pest Dino Ciccarelli was right behind Yzerman, pitching in 41 goals and 97 points. Joining the 30-goal club that year were Ray Sheppard (32), Sergei Federov (34) and Paul Ysebaert (34). Legendary enforcer Bob Probert chipped in 14 goals to go along with his 292 penalty minutes.
     The Wings had a strong season on defense, as they allowed the eighth-fewest goals in the NHL, with just 280. A mid-season trade for veteran defenseman Paul Coffey helped strengthen the blueline, as Coffey tallied 30 points in 30 games. Detroit used just two goaltenders this season, Tim Cheveldae and Vincent Riendeau. Cheveldae, in his fifth pro season, was a workhorse. After taking over the starting position in 1989-90, "Chevy" played over 60 games for three straight seasons. In 67 games this year, he went 34-24-7, with a 3.25 GAA and 4 shutouts. His backup, Vincent Riendeau, was 13-4-2 in 22 appearances, sporting a 3.22 GAA.
     The Red Wings opened the postseason with their archrivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs. The Leafs were returning to the playoffs after a three-year absence, featuring a veteran lineup and an outstanding rookie goaltender in Felix Potvin. The series would go down as an all-time classic, requiring the full seven games. Detroit seemed to have full control of the series after two convincing wins at Joe Louis Arena, only to see the Leafs storm back to take a 3-2 series lead. The Wings evened the series with a 7-3 win at Maple Leaf Gardens, but fell in overtime in Game 7. The fans left frustrated, as the Wings made another early postseason exit. They vented their frustration at Cheveldae, who struggled in the series and would eventually be traded to Winnipeg at the deadline next season.
     This is an 80-page program, as much a magazine as it is a game-night program. It's from the January 21, 1993 game between the Wings and St. Louis Blues, which Detroit won, 5-3. Assistant Coach Dave Lewis offers "Three Keys to Beating St. Louis", which includes keeping an eye on the Blues' top scorers (Brendan Shanahan, Brett Hull, Craig Janney) and forgetting about losing to the Blues the last time they played. A recap of the NHL All-Star Game's Skills Competition by Cynthia Lambert is included, as is a biography of video coordinator Joe Ducharme. Vincent Riendeau is featured on the cover, and an article about the Riendeau family adopting a child from Mexico.
     Local advertisements include Little Caesar's, Ultimate Hair Systems of West Bloomfield, The Original Mexican Village Restaurant and Saffron Billiard.

References:
National Hockey League Statistics, 1992-93, from hockeydb.com
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