Congrats to the Red Wings

As you probably know by now, the Detroit Red Wings are the 2008 Stanley Cup Champions, having defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins four games to two.

It's a well-deserved victory for the team that was clearly the best in the league all season long. Sure, there were slips and slides along the way, but the organization stayed calm through it all and one never got the sense that the ship was even in danger of being blown off course, let alone sinking. (In this post from way back in February I took a look at the Wings while they were in the midst of a losing streak, and asserted that there was little for their fans to worry about.)

The Wings have been consistently excellent for the past fifteen years, and the fact that they have won "only" four championships in that time is a testament to just how difficult it is to bring the Stanley Cup home. For fans of teams that have consistently enjoyed outstanding regular seasons only to have difficulty advancing in the playoffs (ahem), it is interesting and perhaps comforting to note that during these stellar seasons the Red Wings, very widely regarded as the top organization in the league, followed division championships with first-round flameouts four times, losing to the Sharks in 1994, the Kings in 2001, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in 2003 (in a sweep, no less), and the Edmonton Oilers in 2006.

Despite their seemingly permanent roost at the top of the standings, I've never really disliked the Wings. Even after they beat the Sharks last year, I didn't summon a grudge against them of the type that I alluded to here. Maybe it's because when you're a fan of something, the way I am of ice hockey, there's always something enjoyable about seeing your sport played with such excellence.

Congratulations also to the Pittsburgh Penguins, who granted all hockey fans a game to remember forever with their extraordinary Game Five rally, sending a series that looked to be a sure sweep to a respectable six games. (And let's not forgot how close they came to tying the score in the waning seconds of Game Six.) Despite the fact that the organization faces some offseason questions, I'm confident this team will be back to the finals sooner rather than later.