Can the Red Wings repeat as Stanley Cup champions in 2002-03? Or will the retirements of Scotty Bowman and Dominik Hasek, and the absence of Steve Yzerman until January hurt them?

ESPN.com asked for your thoughts about the Red Wings. Here is an edited sampling of your responses:

Here we go again. All I heard about last year was how the Red Wings were too old to go through the long NHL regular season and still hold out through the Stanley Cup playoffs. But, there they were, holding up the greatest trophy in professional sports at the end, THE STANLEY CUP! It will probably be worse this year because they played till the very end. The Red Wings will miss Yzerman ( THE GREATEST CAPTAIN IN PROFESSIONAL SPORTS) but will get by with the AWESOME experience they have and the budding young talent. I am looking forward to the Red Wings repeating again next year.

Mark Bellwood
Safety Harbor, Fla.

Detroit simply needs to stay within their game and -- short of devastating injuries -- their experience and composure make them an prohibitive favorite to repeat as Stanley Cup champions. They have too much offense and a stifling defense for anyone but one or teams to muster any kind of meaningful challenge. What is interesting about this team is the infusion of young talent. Jiri Fischer and Pavel Datysuk, among several youngsters, showed tremendous growth this past season and now have a strong championship run under their collective belts. Detroit ain't going anywhere.

Tom Adams
Lawrenceville, N.J.

Watch out. The Wings will actually be better this year than last. This kid Zetterberg is the real deal. By the way, when you win a best-of-seven cups (4 cups in 7 years) -- that's officially a dynasty.

Chris Boyd
Las Vegas

I felt pure elation at the Red Wings' offseason signings, thank you Mr. Holland for a job well done. Re-signing Chelios, signing Cujo, and promoting Dave Lewis to head coach were all equally important moves. On the offensive front, the Wings are still a powerhouse. On the defensive front, what more could one ask for with two Norris Trophy winners and budding stars like Jiri Fischer and Mathieu Dandenault? And with Cujo between the pipes? You think he is any less hungry than Hasek was a year ago? Cujo will be focused and disciplined on the ice, and I expect to see him kissing Lord Stanley's Cup come next June.

Colin Klein
Seattle

The Detroit Red Wings did what everyone expected them to do, and what so many didn't want them to do. I believe there would have been much more hype afterwards if they had lost the Cup. Fortunately, for them, I don't believe the same pressure to win in 2002-03 exists, but their chances are just as good. They may not have a repeat performance in the regular season, seeing that Yzerman will be out. However, we all saw what a little time off to heal did for Forsberg. Come playoff time next year, the Wings may even be more powerful than last year. If there is one thing the Wings have proven, they can repeat ... even with adversity. They won it for themselves, then Vlady, then Hasek ... why not one for Cujo?

Frank Tolic
Austin, Texas

The Red Wings will still contend but they will not win. They just got older and they will not get a repeat performance from Chelios, so they will take a step backwards defensively. That's bad news for Joseph. Curtis Joseph is motivated, but if he couldn't take an above-average team in the East to the finals, then God help him in the West. Luckily, the Wings have Manny Legace, who could be a real star.

James Williams
Detroit

The Red Wings and the Avalanche are the reason I stopped paying attention to the NHL. It's no fun when you can predict that the winner of the Western finals (Avs and Wings) will win the Cup. What's the point of having the season?

Mark
McLean, Va.

I'm a die-hard Wings fan, transplanted from Detroit to San Francisco in '97 -- just before they won for the first time in forever. I watch about 75 of their games every year, so I'm pretty familiar with the team. So my answer is: no way. And here's why: Even with Joseph, they are not the team they were last year ... they can't expect to escape the injury bug, as they did last year ... they'll miss Stevie Y big time ... and they are all a year older coming off a short break. It would be a feat of immense proportions for them to repeat. They will win more than they lose, for sure. And they should be in good form come playoff time, but with the improved status of some of their key rivals and the intense hatred and hunger they'll bring to a series, the Wings will do well to advance beyond the second round.

So I'm going in with no illusions about a team that will start off weak at center and older everywhere. Even the infusion of two or three young guys won't offset that fact and this one: the motivation level of the Wings, that burning desire to win it all, won't be there, can't be there. There's nothing to rally around for the grueling run for another Cup, no first time for some superstars, no fallen mate to drive them on. If there's any driver at all, it may be this one: it will be the last time for many of our beloved Wings. Retirement and retooling will start in May 2003.

Steve Eckels
San Francisco

The Wings are doing what they have to do to position themselves for more Stanley Cups between now and 2004, when a lockout and renegotiated labor agreement seem inevitable. Will it work? Probably not, because the drop-off at key positions -- not least of all, Lewis replacing Bowman, but also Joseph for Hasek -- and the creeping age factor might provide just enough margin for younger, hungrier teams to knock them off. Let's not forget the Wings bowed out early in the playoffs each of the last two years prior to last year's Cup; the challenge is not only coming from the powerhouse Avs, but improved teams like the Kings and even (gulp) the Stars. The Wings made all the right moves, but there were serious questions about their ability to repeat, even had everyone stuck around.

David Hadbawnik
Detroit

The Wings had incredible pressure to win the Cup for the vets who had never hoisted it: Hasek, Robitaille, Duchesne, Olausson, etc., especially after all the money Ilitch spent to assemble that great team. Will they have the same drive to win it this year for Curtis Joseph? As much as I would like them to repeat, I think they are going to have find other motivation. To win it for Joseph alone isn't enough. Will they be as hungry or will complacency be a problem? That is the big question.

David Jones
Palatine, Ill.