The 2001–02 Detroit Red Wings season was the 76th National Hockey League season in Detroit, Michigan. The Wings scored 116 points, winning the Central Division, their third Presidents' Trophy, and home ice throughout the playoffs. The team is considered one of the greatest teams in NHL history with ten future Hockey Hall of Famers on the team, as well as a Hall of Fame coach in Scotty Bowman.
After Detroit's shocking upset loss in the first playoff round to the Los Angeles Kings, general manager Ken Holland went out into the trade market to address Detroit's more glaring needs. He quickly filled them by trading for future Hall of Fame goaltender Dominik Hasek and signing veteran All-Stars Brett Hull and Luc Robitaille. These big names joined other future Hall of Famers such as Chris Chelios, Sergei Fedorov, Igor Larionov, Nicklas Lidstrom, Brendan Shanahan and Steve Yzerman, as well as important supporting players in Jiri Fischer, former All-Star Steve Duchesne, Tomas Holmstrom, the "Grind Line" of Kris Draper, Kirk Maltby, and Darren McCarty, and Pavel Datsyuk in his rookie season, and rounded out with legendary coach Scotty Bowman, who had decided to return for one more year.
The Red Wings began the season by winning 22 of their first 27 games. The roster featured 500-goal scorers, with Brendan Shanahan becoming the fourth teammate to reach the milestone during the season. Detroit finished the regular season with an NHL best 116 points to earn the top seed in the Western Conference. In the first round of the playoffs, the Vancouver Canucks took a 2-0 series lead before Detroit won four consecutive games to advance.
After winning against the St. Louis Blues, Detroit met the second-seeded Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Finals, reigniting their long-storied rivalry. Throughout the series, the two teams engaged in a contest that went on for seven games, with the series being tied three times before culminating in game seven in Detroit. With both teams on the brink of elimination, the Red Wings triumphed over the Avalanche in game seven with a final score of 7-0. After that, the Wings fought the Carolina Hurricanes for the Stanley Cup, winning in game five at home.Wings fans give team grand send-off into summer, USATODAY.com, accessed September 26, 2007
There was no All-Star game this year as the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City took place in February 2002 where eleven Red Wings players represented their countries. Brendan Shanahan and Steve Yzerman represented Canada; Chris Chelios and Brett Hull represented the United States; Dominik Hasek represented the Czech Republic; Sergei Fedorov, Pavel Datsyuk and Igor Larionov represented Russia; and Nicklas Lidstrom, Fredrik Olausson, and Tomas Holmstrom represented Sweden.2002 Olympic Hockey Team Rosters, HockeyNut.com, accessed September 26, 2007
The Red Wings sold out all 41 home games in 2001–02 as 20,058 fans packed Joe Louis Arena for every regular season and playoff game played in Detroit. The season was chronicled by Detroit Free Press sportswriter Nicholas J. Cotsonika's 2002 book, Hockey Gods: The Inside Story of the Red Wings' Hall of Fame Team. The 02 Red Wings are regarded as one of the best hockey teams of all time due to their historical significance.
Regular season The Red Wings tied the Los Angeles Kings for the most power-play goals scored during the regular season with 73.
Season standings
Playoffs The Detroit Red Wings ended the 2001–02 regular season as the Western Conference's first seed and played Vancouver in the first round. After losing the first two games in Detroit, the Wings rallied back to win four straight. Then the Wings made quick work of the Blues before meeting the second-seeded Colorado Avalanche in the Western Conference Finals. The Wings would beat the Avalanche in a hard-fought seven game series, winning the final game 7–0. As the final game in the series came to a close, the Neil Diamond song "Sweet Caroline" was played over the Joe Louis Arena loudspeakers, as the victorious Red Wings prepared to head off to a Stanley Cup clinching series with the third-seeded victors of the Eastern Conference, the Carolina Hurricanes. They won the series in five games, defeating the Hurricanes three to one at home in Detroit on June 13 to take home their tenth Stanley Cup.
Schedule and results
Regular season
| 1 || October 4 || Detroit || 4 – 3 || San Jose || OT || Hasek || 17,496 || 1–0–0–0 || 2 ||
| 2 || October 6 || Detroit || 4 – 1 || Vancouver || || Hasek || 18,422 || 2–0–0–0 || 4 ||
| 3 || October 10 || Calgary || 4 – 2 || Detroit || || Hasek || 20,058 || 2–1–0–0 || 4 ||
| 4 || October 12 || Buffalo || 2 – 4 || Detroit || || Hasek || 20,058 || 3–1–0–0 || 6 ||
| 5 || October 13 || Detroit || 5 – 4 || NY Islanders || OT || Legace || 16,234 || 4–1–0–0 || 8 ||
| 6 || October 16 || Columbus || 3 – 4 || Detroit || || Hasek || 20,058 || 5–1–0–0 || 10 ||
| 7 || October 18 || Philadelphia || 2 – 3 || Detroit || || Hasek || 20,058 || 6–1–0–0 || 12 ||
| 8 || October 20 || Los Angeles || 2 – 3 || Detroit || || Hasek || 20,058 || 7–1–0–0 || 14 ||
| 9 || October 24 || Edmonton || 1 – 4 || Detroit || || Hasek || 20,058 || 8–1–0–0 || 16 ||
| 10 || October 26 || Dallas || 5 – 3 || Detroit || || Hasek || 20,058 || 8–2–0–0 || 16 ||
| 11 || October 27 || Detroit || 1 – 0 || Nashville || || Legace || 17,113 || 9–2–0–0 || 18 ||
| 12 || October 30 || Detroit || 5 – 2 || Carolina || || Legace || 18,730 || 10–2–0–0 || 20 ||
| 13 || October 31 || Detroit || 4 – 3 || Dallas || OT || Legace || 18,532 || 11–2–0–0 || 22 ||
| 14 || November 2 || NY Islanders || 1 – 2 || Detroit || || Hasek || 20,058 || 12–2–0–0 || 24 ||
| 15 || November 4 || Detroit || 4 – 5 || Chicago || || Hasek || 20,989 || 12–3–0–0 || 24 ||
| 16 || November 7 || Detroit || 3 – 1 || Phoenix || || Hasek || 15,023 || 13–3–0–0 || 26 ||
| 17 || November 9 || Detroit || 1 – 0 || Anaheim || || Hasek || 17,174 || 14–3–0–0 || 28 ||
| 18 || November 10 || Detroit || 2 – 3 || Los Angeles || OT || Hasek || 18,385 || 14–3–0–1 || 29 ||
| 19 || November 13 || Carolina || 3 – 4 || Detroit || || Hasek || 20,058 || 15–3–0–1 || 31 ||
| 20 || November 16 || Minnesota || 3 – 8 || Detroit || || Legace || 20,058 || 16–3–0–1 || 33 ||
| 21 || November 17 || Los Angeles || 2 – 4 || Detroit || || Hasek || 20,058 || 17–3–0–1 || 35 ||
| 22 || November 20 || Nashville || 3 – 6 || Detroit || || Hasek || 20,058 || 18–3–0–1 || 37 ||
| 23 || November 21 || Detroit || 1 – 0 || Columbus || OT || Legace || 18,136 || 19–3–0–1 || 39 ||
| 24 || November 23 || St. Louis || 1 – 3 || Detroit || || Hasek || 20,058 || 20–3–0–1 || 41 ||
| 25 || November 25 || Chicago || 4 – 4 || Detroit || OT || Hasek || 20,058 || 20–3–1–1 || 42 ||
| 26 || November 27 || Calgary || 2 – 4 || Detroit || || Hasek || 20,058 || 21–3–1–1 || 44 ||
| 27 || November 30 || New Jersey || 2 – 4 || Detroit || || Legace || 20,058 || 22–3–1–1 || 46 ||
| 28 || December 1 || Detroit || 1 – 4 || New Jersey || || Hasek || 18,559 || 22–4–1–1 || 46 ||
| 29 || December 5 || Colorado || 4 – 1 || Detroit || || Hasek || 20,058 || 22–5–1–1 || 46 ||
| 30 || December 7 || Detroit || 1 – 1 || Phoenix || OT || Hasek || 20,058 || 22–5–2–1 || 47 ||
| 31 || December 10 || Detroit || 0 – 2 || Calgary || || Hasek || 16,009 || 22–6–2–1 || 47 ||
| 32 || December 13 || Detroit || 2 – 1 || Edmonton || || Hasek || 16,839 || 23–6–2–1 || 49 ||
| 33 || December 15 || Detroit || 0 – 3 || Vancouver || || Hasek || 18,422 || 23–7–2–1 || 49 ||
| 34 || December 17 || Chicago || 2 – 0 || Detroit || || Legace || 20,058 || 23–8–2–1 || 49 ||
| 35 || December 19 || Vancouver || 1 – 4 || Detroit || || Hasek || 20,058 || 24–8–2–1 || 51 ||
| 36 || December 21 || San Jose || 0 – 3 || Detroit || || Hasek || 20,058 || 25–8–2–1 || 53 ||
| 37 || December 23 || Detroit || 5 – 0 || Chicago || || Hasek || 22,158 || 26–8–2–1 || 55 ||
| 38 || December 26 || Detroit || 3 – 3 || Minnesota || OT || Hasek || 18,568 || 26–8–3–1 || 56 ||
| 39 || December 27 || Columbus || 1 – 5 || Detroit || || Legace || 20,058 || 27–8–3–1 || 58 ||
| 40 || December 29 || Detroit || 2 – 3 || Nashville || OT || Hasek || 17,244 || 27–8–3–2 || 59 ||
| 41 || December 31 || Minnesota || 2 – 4 || Detroit || || Hasek || 20,058 || 28–8–3–2 || 61 ||
| 42 || January 2 || Anaheim || 3 – 5 || Detroit || || Hasek || 20,058 || 29–8–3–2 || 63 ||
| 43 || January 5 || Colorado || 1 – 3 || Detroit || || Hasek || 20,058 || 30–8–3–2 || 65 ||
| 44 || January 9 || Vancouver || 4 – 5 || Detroit || OT || Hasek || 20,058 || 31–8–3–2 || 67 ||
| 45 || January 12 || Dallas || 2 – 5 || Detroit || || Hasek ||20,058 || 32–8–3–2 || 69 ||
| 46 || January 15 || Detroit || 2 – 2 || Phoenix || OT || Legace || 15,186 || 32–8–4–2 || 70 ||
| 47 || January 16 || Detroit || 2 – 3 || Dallas || || Hasek || 18,532 || 32–9–4–2 || 70 ||
| 48 || January 18 || Washington || 1 – 3 || Detroit || || Hasek || 20,058 || 33–9–4–2 || 72 ||
| 49 || January 20 || Ottawa || 2 – 3 || Detroit || OT || Hasek || 20,058 || 34–9–4–2 || 74 ||
| 50 || January 23 || San Jose || 2 – 2 || Detroit || OT || Hasek || 20,058 || 34–9–5–2 || 75 ||
| 51 || January 25 || Phoenix || 1 – 4 || Detroit || || Legace || 20,058 || 35–9–5–2 || 77 ||
| 52 || January 26 || Detroit || 5 – 2 || St. Louis || || Hasek || 20,017 || 36–9–5–2 || 79 ||
| 53 || January 28 || Detroit || 1 – 1 || Edmonton || OT || Hasek || 16,839 || 36–9–6–2 || 80 ||
| 54 || January 30 || Detroit || 3 – 4 || Calgary || || Legace || 17,239 || 36–10–6–2 || 80 ||
| 55 || February 4 || Detroit || 3 – 1 || Colorado || || Hasek || 18,007 || 37–10–6–2 || 82 ||
| 56 || February 6 || NY Rangers || 1 – 3 || Detroit || || Hasek || 20,058 || 38–10–6–2 || 84 ||
| 57 || February 8 || Columbus || 3 – 2 || Detroit || || Legace || 20,058 || 38–11–6–2 || 84 ||
| 58 || February 9 || Detroit || 3 – 2 || Ottawa || || Hasek || 18,500 || 39–11–6–2 || 86 ||
| 59 || February 11 || Detroit || 3 – 2 || Montreal || || Hasek || 21,273 || 40–11–6–2 || 88 ||
| 60 || February 13 || Detroit || 2 – 0 || Minnesota || || Hasek || 18,568 || 41–11–6–2 || 90 ||
| 61 || February 26 || Detroit || 4 – 3 || Tampa Bay || OT || Hasek || 20,914 || 42–11–6–2 || 92 ||
| 62 || February 27 || Detroit || 3 – 2 || Florida || OT || Hasek || 19,250 || 43–11–6–2 || 94 ||
| 63 || March 2 || Detroit || 4 – 2 || Pittsburgh || || Hasek || 17,148 || 44–11–6–2 || 96 ||
| 64 || March 6 || Toronto || 2 – 6 || Detroit || || Hasek || 20,058 || 45–11–6–2 || 98 ||
| 65 || March 9 || Detroit || 5 – 2 || St. Louis || || Hasek || 19,921 || 46–11–6–2 || 100 ||
| 66 || March 10 || Detroit || 1 – 5 || Buffalo || || Hasek || 18,690 || 46–12–6–2 || 100 ||
| 67 || March 13 || Edmonton || 3 – 4 || Detroit || OT || Hasek || 20,058 || 47–12–6–2 || 102 ||
| 68 || March 16 || Detroit || 1 – 2 || Boston || || Legace || 17,565 || 47–13–6–2 || 102 ||
| 69 || March 17 || Detroit || 5 – 3 || NY Rangers || || Hasek || 18,200 || 48–13–6–2 || 104 ||
| 70 || March 19 || Anaheim || 2 – 1 || Detroit || || Hasek || 20,058 || 48–14–6–2 || 104 ||
| 71 || March 21 || Detroit || 3 – 2 || Columbus || OT || Hasek || 18,136 || 49–14–6–2 || 106 ||
| 72 || March 23 || Detroit || 2 – 0 || Colorado || || Hasek || 18,007 || 50–14–6–2 || 108 ||
| 73 || March 25 || Detroit || 3 – 3 || Nashville || OT || Legace || 16,518 || 50–14–7–2 || 109 ||
| 74 || March 28 || Nashville || 3 – 3 || Detroit || OT || Hasek || 20,058 || 50–14–8–2 || 110 ||
| 75 || March 30 || Atlanta || 1 – 4 || Detroit || || Legace || 20,058 || 51–14–8–2 || 112 ||
| 76 || April 1 || Toronto || 5 – 4 || Detroit || OT || Legace || 20,058 || 51–14–8–3 || 113 ||
| 77 || April 3 || Detroit || 1 – 1 || Anaheim || OT || Hasek || 17,174 || 51–14–9–3 || 114 ||
| 78 || April 4 || Detroit || 0 – 3 || Los Angeles || || Hasek || 18,621 || 51–15–9–3 || 114 ||