Detroit Red Wings Quarter-Century Teams unveiled

With 2025 underway, the NHL is celebrating the best of the past 25 years by revealing Quarter-Century Teams for each of the League's 32 franchises and the Arizona Coyotes.

Each club will be represented by a First Team and Second Team of six players -- three forwards, two defensemen and one goalie -- who played for the franchise from Jan. 1, 2000 - Dec. 31, 2024. The first and second teams were selected by broadcasters, national, local and NHL.com writers who have covered the respective teams, in addition to select former players.

The six players voted to each First Team will be on the ballot for the NHL All Quarter-Century Team that will be chosen via a fan vote that will start in February.

Today, the First and Second Quarter-Century Teams for the Detroit Red Wings. Players are listed in alphabetical order.

DETROIT RED WINGS QUARTER-CENTURY TEAMS

First Team

Forwards

Pavel Datsyuk

Steve Yzerman

Henrik Zetterberg

Defensemen

Niklas Kronwall

Nicklas Lidstrom

Goalie

Chris Osgood

Forwards: Nicknamed the "Magic Man," Datsyuk dazzled with his skills and ranked second in games played (953), goals (314), assists (604) and points (918) for Detroit in the quarter century. He won the Stanley Cup in 2001-02 and 2007-08, the Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward in the NHL three times from 2007-10, and the Lady Byng Trophy for sportsmanship, gentlemanly conduct and playing ability four times from 2005-09. Yzerman won the Selke Trophy in 1999-2000, captained the 2001-02 Cup team on a badly injured knee and won the Masterton Trophy for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey in 2002-03. Zetterberg ranked first in games played (1,082), goals (337), assists (623) and points (960) during the quarter century. When the Red Wings won the Cup in 2007-08, he won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Defensemen: Kronwall led Detroit defensemen in games played (953) in the quarter century, and he was second in goals (83), assists (349) and points (432) behind Lidstrom, who had 155 goals, 536 assists and 691 points. Known as the "Perfect Human," Lidstrom helped the Red Wings win the Cup in 2001-02 and 2007-08, becoming the first Europe-born captain to hoist it the second time. Seven times from 2000-11, he won the Norris Trophy as the best defenseman in the NHL.

Goalie: Osgood shared the Jennings Trophy with Dominik Hasek when Detroit allowed the fewest goals in 2007-08. Then he took over for Hasek early in the Stanley Cup Playoffs and led the Red Wings to the Cup. He was outstanding in the playoffs again the following year, when the Red Wings came within a win of the Cup, losing 2-1 to the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final.

Second Team

Forwards

Sergei Fedorov

Dylan Larkin

Brendan Shanahan

Defensemen

Chris Chelios

Brian Rafalski

Goalie

Dominik Hasek

Forwards: Fedorov and Shanahan were key parts of the 2001-02 championship team. Larkin, who grew up in the Detroit area watching Red Wings legends like them, ranked third in goals (225), fourth in points (535) and fifth in assists (310) for the Red Wings in the quarter century. He followed Yzerman, Lidstrom and Zetterberg in the succession of Detroit captains.

Defensemen: Chelios was runner-up to Lidstrom for the Norris and won the Cup in 2001-02. He won the Mark Messier Leadership Award in 2006-07 and won the Cup again in 2007-08. Although he had accomplished stints with the Montreal Canadiens and his hometown Chicago Blackhawks earlier in his NHL career, he spent more seasons with Detroit (10) than he did with Montreal (seven) or Chicago (nine), with nine of them during the quarter century. Rafalski, born in the Detroit suburb of Dearborn, Michigan, played a key role in winning the Cup with his hometown team in 2007-08.

Goalie: The Red Wings made a bold move when they acquired Hasek from the Buffalo Sabres in a trade before the 2001-02 season, parting with Osgood not long afterward. Hasek came through by winning the Cup in 2001-02. He retired after that championship, but played two more stints in Detroit. Osgood also ended up returning to the Red Wings. In 2007-08, Hasek shared the Jennings with Osgood, and he backed up Osgood for most of the playoffs when the Red Wings won the Cup.

Coming Friday: New York Islanders Quarter-Century Teams