2001–02 Detroit Red Wings season

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.

After last seasons' disappointing loss to the Los Angeles Kings, Ken Holland went out into the trade market to address Detroit's more glaring needs. He quickly filled them by trading for Hall of Fame goaltender Dominik Hasek and signing Brett Hull and Luc Robitaille. These big names joined other future Hall of Fame talents; Chris Chelios, Sergei Fedorov, Igor Larionov, Nicklas Lidstrom, Brendan Shanahan, Steve Yzerman, along with legendary coach Scotty Bowman, who had decided to return for one more year.

The Wings were quickly selected as favorites to win the Stanley Cup and did not disappoint. With so much talent on one team, including the first time three 500-goal scorers were on the same team, they quickly got off to a great start, winning 22 of their first 27 games. After finishing with 116 points and the best record in the NHL, the Wings had earned the first seed in the Western Conference and met the Vancouver Canucks in the first round. However, Detroit and the rest of the hockey world were shocked when the Canucks quickly won the first two games in Hockeytown. After the loss, team Captain Steve Yzerman gave a closed-door speech to the team. Only the players in the locker room knew what was said, but the Wings headed to Vancouver and won four straight games to take the series.

After a quick series against the division rival St. Louis Blues, Detroit met their old nemesis, the second-seeded Colorado Avalanche in the Conference Finals. They battled back and forth during the series, tying the series three times before reaching game seven in Detroit. The Wings came out firing and won the deciding game 7 – 0. After that the Wings fought the cinderella story Carolina Hurricanes for the Stanley Cup, winning in game five at home. Over a million people showed up for the victory parade in downtown Detroit on June 17.

There was no All-Star game this year as the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City took place in February 2002 where ten 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 and Igor Larionov represented Russia, and Nicklas Lidstrom, Fredrik Olausson, and Tomas Holmstrom represented Sweden.

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".

Season standings
For complete final standings, see 2001–02 NHL season

October
Record: 11–2–0–0; Home: 5–2–0–0; Road: 6–0–0–0

November
Record: 11–1–1–1; Home: 8–0–1–0; Road: 3–1–0–1

December
Record: 6–5–2–1; Home: 4–2–1–0; Road: 2–3–1–1

January
Record: 8–2–3–0; Home: 7–0–1–0; Road: 1–2–2–0

February
Record: 7–1–0–0; Home: 1–1–0–0; Road: 6–0–0–0

March
Record: 8–3–2–0; Home: 3–1–1–0; Road: 5–2–1–0

April
Record: 0–3–2–2; Home: 0–1–1–1; Road: 0–2–1–1


 * Green background indicates win.
 * Red background indicates regulation loss.
 * Yellow background indicates tie.
 * White background indicates overtime loss.

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 James Taylor song "Carolina in My Mind" 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, beating the Hurricanes three to one at home in Detroit on June 13 to take home their tenth Stanley Cup.

Western Conference Quarter-finals: vs. (8) Vancouver Canucks
Detroit wins series 4–2

Western Conference Semi-finals: vs. (4) St. Louis Blues
Detroit wins series 4–1

Western Conference Finals: vs. (2) Colorado Avalanche
Detroit wins series 4–3

Stanley Cup Finals: vs. (E3) Carolina Hurricanes
Detroit wins series 4–1


 * Green background indicates win.
 * Red background indicates loss.

Skaters
Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/- = Plus/minus; PIM = Penalty minutes

Goaltending
Note: GP = Games played; TOI = Time on ice (minutes); W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average

Trophies and awards

 * Stanley Cup: Detroit Red Wings
 * Presidents' Trophy: Detroit Red Wings
 * Clarence S. Campbell Bowl: Detroit Red Wings
 * James Norris Memorial Trophy: Nicklas Lidström
 * NHL Plus/Minus Award: Chris Chelios
 * Conn Smythe Trophy: Nicklas Lidström

Transactions
The Red Wings were involved in the following transactions during the 2001–02 season.

Draft picks
Detroit's picks at the 2001 NHL Entry Draft in Sunrise, Florida. The Wings had the 29th overall pick, however traded it to Chicago in 1999 during the deal to acquire Chris Chelios.

Cincinnati Mighty Ducks
The Mighty Ducks were Detroit's top affiliate in the American Hockey League in 2001–02.

Toledo Storm
The Storm were the Red Wings' ECHL affiliate for the 2001–02 season.