2008–09 Detroit Red Wings season
| 2008–09 Detroit Red Wings | |
|---|---|
Western Conference champions | |
Central Division champions | |
| Division | 1st Central |
| Conference | 2nd Western |
| 2008–09 record | 51–21–10 |
| Home record | 27–9–5 |
| Road record | 24–12–5 |
| Goals for | 297 |
| Goals against | 244 |
| Team information | |
| General manager | Ken Holland |
| Coach | Mike Babcock |
| Captain | Nicklas Lidstrom |
| Alternate captains | Pavel Datsyuk Kris Draper Henrik Zetterberg |
| Arena | Joe Louis Arena |
| Average attendance | 19,865 Capacity: 20,066 (99.0%) Total: 814,474 |
| Team leaders | |
| Goals | Marian Hossa (40) |
| Assists | Pavel Datsyuk (65) |
| Points | Pavel Datsyuk (97) |
| Penalty minutes | Andreas Lilja (66) |
| Plus/minus | Pavel Datsyuk (34) |
| Wins | Chris Osgood (26) |
| Goals against average | Ty Conklin (2.51) |
The 2008–09 Detroit Red Wings season was the 83rd season for the National Hockey League (NHL) franchise that was established on September 25, 1926. The Detroit Red Wings entered the season as the defending Stanley Cup champions, winning the 2008 Stanley Cup Final against the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games. The Red Wings signed free agent and former Penguin Marian Hossa on July 2nd to a one-year contract with the team, after he turned down a long term offer from the Penguins as he felt Detroit offered him his best chance to win the Cup. They also signed free agent and former Penguins backup goaltender Ty Conklin to backup veteran starting goaltender Chris Osgood for the season after Dominik Hasek retired from the NHL after the Cup win. With the elimination of the MLB's New York Yankees from the playoffs for the first time since 1993, the Red Wings owned the longest active playoff streak in North American sports, qualifying every year since 1991.
They won 51 games during the regular season, their fourth consecutive season of 50 or more victories. The team made it back to the Stanley Cup Final, also against the team they defeated the year prior, the Penguins, but with a different outcome as the Penguins beat the Red Wings in seven games.