Several Detroit Red Wings approaching milestones

Valtteri Filppula is closing in on two milestones. (Photo by Dan4th at flickr.com)

As the Detroit Red Wings head into another regular season of 82 games that seem to blend into one another, there will be a few nights of special significance to a few of the players as they attain various milestones.

Three milestones are within reach at any time and could happen as early as Tuesday night’s game against the Buffalo Sabres.

The most impressive will be achieved by their captain, Nicklas Lidstrom who is just two points shy of 1,000 in his career.

He will become the eighth defenseman in NHL history to score 1,000 points and just the fourth player to score 1,000 points as a Detroit Red Wing.

The defenseman to achieve the milestone are: Ray Bourque (1,579), Paul Coffey (1,531), Al MacInnis (1,274), Phil Housley (1,232), Larry Murphy (1,216), Denis Potvin (1,052) and Brian Leetch (1,028). The three other players to score 1,000 points as Red Wings are Gordie Howe (1,809), Steve Yzerman (1,755) and Alex Delvecchio (1,281).

Chirs Osgood is just one shutout shy of 50 in his career which would place him 23rd all-time one behind Curtis Joseph, Rogie Vachon and Dave Kerr. He is also just nine wins shy of 400 in his career. He is currently 10th all-time in victories two ahead of former teammate Dominik Hasek and 12 wins shy of tying Grant Fuhr in ninth place with 403 wins.

The other milestones are:

Todd Bertuzzi is 37 games shy of 900. Dan Cleary needs just one goal to reach 100 in his career, and 11 games to reach 300 games as a Red Wing. Valtteri Filppula is closing in on 100 points in his career needing just four more, and nine goals to reach 50. Tomas Holmstrom needs nine goals to reach 200 in his career. Derek Meech needs 21 more games to reach 100 in his career. Patrick Eaves needs 10 points to reach 100. Brian Rafalski is four games away from playing 700 in his career. Jason Williams is 14 goals from 100 and 20 games short of 400 in his career. Henrik Zetterberg needs 17 goals to reach 200. Johan Franzen will have to wait to reach 300 games in his career, stuck at 295, until he returns from a torn ACL in his left knee.

Recently recalled Justin Abdelkader and Darren Helm returning from injury are both looking to score their first regular season goals in the NHL. Both players have scored in the playoffs Abdelkader has two playoff goals and Helm has six goals in the playoffs.

Andreas Lilja who is on injured reserve is 42 games shy of 500 in his career and just three minutes short of 500 penalty minutes.

Mike also writes about the Detroit Red Wings at examiner.com