The Detroit Red Wings lack the household names they had the last time they hoisted the Stanley Cup in 2002.
But the way they're playing, anybody remotely interested in hockey knows - or will soon find out - who's on this team.
Johan Franzen already has 11 goals through two rounds, surpassing the postseason total Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull or any player on that 2002 team, which looked like a future wing of the Hall of Fame.
"I don't expect to score that much the rest of the playoffs," Franzen said after his second hat trick against Colorado helped eliminate the Avalanche in four games in an 8-2 victory Thursday night. "I only hope I can contribute something offensively."
Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg with 13 points apiece have dominated play at both ends of the ice with obvious talent and subtle grit.
"Pavel [29] and Hank [27] are superstars in the league at the perfect age, in their prime," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said.
Detroit's smothering defense is led by five-time Norris Trophy winner Nicklas Lidstrom.
Chris Osgood is 6-0 with a 1.52 goals-against average as a starter since replacing Dominik Hasek in the first round against Nashville.
"We might be better," said Babcock, when asked to compare this year's 54-game winner with last year's team, which won 50 but was eliminated in the Western Conference finals by Anaheim. "We're going to find out."
Noteworthy
Minnesota Wild star Marian Gaborik had minor arthroscopic surgery on his right hip yesterday to relieve "irritation" that he said had bothered him for most of the season. The team expects Gaborik to be ready for training camp. *
