Rafalski Finally Gives In To Injuries
Continuous back and knee pain this season forced Brian Rafalski to spend more time on the training table getting treatment than he ever has before. At age 37, the skilled puck-moving defenseman for the Red Wings was still capable of playing at a high level, but his body was telling him it was time to go.
He decided late in the season, along with his wife, that this would be his final year but didn't tell anyone on the team. He made his retirement, after 11 seasons in the NHL, official at a May 25 press conference at Joe Louis Arena.
He had one year remaining on his contract at $6 million, but hockey no longer was one of his main priorities.
"The injuries took a toll," Rafalski said. "There wasn't a day this year that I wasn't on the training table. That gets tiring. I wasn't able to skate the way I'd like to. It made me adjust how I approach how I play the game."
Rafalski had back surgery last summer and arthroscopic knee surgery in October. He missed time because of back spasms late in the season and labored with a sore knee in the playoffs.
His departure leaves a big void on defense. Wings general manager Ken Holland will have a lot of salary-cap space to pursue one or two free agent defensemen on July 1.
SEASON HIGHLIGHT
The Wings got off to a strong 17-4-2 start on their way to a 20th consecutive playoff appearance, the longest current streak in the four major sports. Despite seemingly annual concerns about their age, they managed to win their 14th division title in the last 19 seasons and reach the 100-point mark for the 11th year in a row, extending their own NHL record. They have had home-ice advantage during the first round of the playoffs in 18 of the last 20 seasons, a remarkable string of consistency.
TURNING POINT
The Wings had an excellent chance to finish second in the Western Conference but went 5-5-4 in March. They were not as emotionally engaged at home (2-3-2 for the month) and their defensive play suffered. They ended up finishing third in the West, one point behind San Jose. Had they squeezed another point out of the season, home ice might have made the difference in a close, seven-game series against the Sharks.
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