For much of the past two seasons, the atrocious Central Division was considered a key factor behind the Detroit Red Wings’ phenomenal success. But this season, all five Central Division teams are in the playoff mix, and the Red Wings are even better than ever, completely disproving that seemingly impenetrable theory. Led by offensive dynamos Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk—and backstopped by the re-emergent Chris Osgood—the Wings have been truly sensational.

Meanwhile, the St. Louis Blues have gotten back on track in style after two seasons of futility. Team President John Davidson joined the club in 2006 and immediately helped to instill a winning attitude, while GM Larry Pleau quietly carried on the task of rebuilding the Blues. And with youngsters Eric Johnson and Brad Boyes complemented by veterans Keith Tkachuk and Paul Kariya, the Blues are a talented playoff contender whose future is unquestionably bright.

On Thursday night, the Wings and Blues will face off at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, in what should be a very compelling Central Division battle between two longtime rivals. Check out this intriguing match-up in brilliant 1080i on HDNet, live at 8:30 pm ET.

Wings to Watch

The Wings’ top line of Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, and Tomas Holmstrom represents the perfect storm. In Zetterberg, the Wings may have the finest two-way forward in the game, capable of tremendous offensive contribution while at the same time always getting back in time to provide stellar defensive coverage. Datsyuk is one of the game’s most dazzling stick-handlers, a dynamic playmaker whose dipsy-doodling style is thrilling to watch. And in Holmstrom, they have the ideal complement, a tireless grinder who consistently battles his way to the front of the opposition’s net, wreaking havoc and opening up gobs of space for Datsyuk and Zetterberg to work with.

The rest of the Wings’ forward corps is a bit of a hodge-podge of solid veterans, talented youngsters, and former top prospects who failed elsewhere before re-emerging in Motown. Kris Draper and Kirk Maltby have been virtual fixtures on the Wings’ checking line for over a decade, while youngsters Valtteri Filppula (the Wings’ first Finn) and Jiri Hudler represent both the present and future of the Wings’ second line. And both Daniel Cleary and Mikael Samuelsson were highly-touted prospects turned journeymen who both have found homes in the Motor City after years of bouncing from team to team.

On the blue line, Nicklas Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski combine to form the NHL’s most lethal power play point combination, their tape-to-tape passing and on-ice vision second to none. And with Lidstrom shooting from the left side—and Rafalski from the right—it means that both rearguards are always in position to fire the puck on net when they receive it. It’s quite possible that there hasn’t been a similarly devastating point combo since Brian Leetch and Sergei Zubov quarterbacked the New York Rangers’ power play when they won the Stanley Cup back in 1994.

In goal, head coach Mike Babcock has done a brilliant job of balancing time between veterans Dominik Hasek and Chris Osgood. After a number of seasons during which he foundered as a backup, Osgood reinvented himself, incorporating the butterfly style into his game and re-emerging as a top-flight starter (15-1-1 record, .929 save percentage, 1.76 GAA). Meanwhile, though Hasek has struggled a bit thus far this season, there’s every reason to believe that the cagey veteran is pacing himself in anticipation of a long playoff run.

Blues to Watch

Since his arrival in the NHL with the Anaheim (Mighty) Ducks in 1994, Paul Kariya has been one of the NHL’s most exciting players, a dynamic playmaker with great speed and a tremendous work ethic. In this, his first season with the Blues, he’s made an immediate and extremely positive impact, leading the team in scoring (29 points in 30 games) while helping turn young Brad Boyes (19 goals) into one of the game’s most effective snipers.

The Blues recently pulled off an interesting trade with the Ducks, acquiring Kariya’s former linemate (Andy McDonald) in exchange for veteran Doug Weight. McDonald had been struggling following the offseason departure of Teemu Selanne, and clearly needed a change of pace. Look for him to re-emerge as a near point-per-game producer with the Blues, especially if he gets the opportunity to play with Kariya on the power play.

Rearguard Erik Johnson was the first overall pick in the 2006 draft, and he’s fit right in with the Blues this season. He’s posted 11 points in 18 games, but even more importantly, has compiled a very solid plus-four rating. At 6’4” and 222 pounds, Johnson boasts a rare combination of size, speed, and elite-level skill, and is quickly developing into one of the NHL’s top young blueliners.

Originally drafted by the Hartford Whalers in 1993, Manny Legace bounced around from the OHL (Canadian juniors) to RHI (Roller Hockey International) to all three North American minor leagues (AHL, ECHL, and now-defunct IHL) before finally landing with the Red Wings as Osgood’s back-up in 2000. Never given a real chance to take over the Wings’ starting role, Legace signed with the Blues in the summer of 2006, and has proven to be a steadying presence between the pipes in St. Louis. Look for Legace to deliver a strong performance tonight against his former team.

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