Examining the Detroit Red Wings defense

The Big Four

Get the point

In the Wings

Kyle Quincey -- The 22-year-old played in six games last year for the mostly veteran Wings after spending the majority of the season in the AHL. With Grand Rapids, the 6-foot-1 defender was a disappointing minus-7, while scoring four goals and 22 points down on the farm. In the playoffs, he became a valuable commodity with injuries to the Detroit blue line and played in 13 games with the Wings on their run to the conference finals.

Derek Meech -- Re-signed as a restricted free agent this summer, the 23-year-old has been the victim of playing on a deep, veteran defense in Detroit since he was drafted in the seventh round in 2002. Last year he played in four games for the Wings and spent the bulk of the season in Grand Rapids. With another solid defense corps in place in Detroit this season, he’ll likely be limited to spot duty at the NHL once again.

Jakub Kindl -- A 6-foot-3 Czech defender drafted in the first round (No. 19 overall) in 2005, he could be ready for full-time duty in North America after playing in a handful of games two years ago with Grand Rapids. Played in 54 games last year with Kitchener of the Ontario League, where he scored 11 goals and 55 points and was a plus-23. Should be a rock on the Detroit blue line for years, provided there’s room on the roster for a youngster.

X Factor

Chris Chelios -- It’s not out of disrespect that Chelios is here, it’s that the better he is, the better off Detroit will be. He might not log as many minutes as he used to, but Chelios is a steadying force on the Red Wings’ blue line, both on and off the ice. His leadership is invaluable and his NHL street smarts do go a long way. But he’s not getting any younger, and that means a lot in hockey. You know he’s going to be quality, but the X Factor here is that Chelios can make Detroit that much better if he exceeds expectations, like how he took on a much bigger role during the playoffs. For a guy that’s defied odds throughout his epic career, turning in a better-than-expected season is not out of the question. And if Chelios has a better year than he’s expected to have, the Red Wings could be a lot more fearsome than people expect.