Detroit – Amid some of the earliest moments in the Red Wings’ decline, the NHL postponed a game due to injury for the first time in history.
When Jiri Fischer collapsed in cardiac arrest Nov. 21, 2005 playing the Predators, Steve Yzerman, Nicklas Lidstrom, Brendan Shanahan and Brian Rafalski were on the roster.
Pavel Datsyuk played in his fifth season, Henrik Zetterberg in his third.
Mike Babcock coached in his 22nd game for the Wings, with 764 to go.
The Red Wings’ 11th Stanley Cup came two seasons later.
But Fischer’s injury deprived them of a critical player in place when Lidstrom and Rafalski retired.