At some point, the current Detroit Red Wings core will get old.
We'll be reminded when Nicklas Lidstrom talks about retirement soon, when Pavel Datsyuk turns 33 in July and when Henrik Zetterberg and Niklas Kronwall both push past 30 next season.
Of course, there's one big reason Detroit fans shouldn't worry: The Red Wings have survived this before. In the early 2000s, Steve Yzerman, Sergei Fedorov & Co. said their farewells, but the Wings' management team had the next generation of core players ready to go.
However, Detroit's turnaround this time might not be as quick as it was last time.
To read more about the Detroit Red Wings' drafting strategy and why they might be forced to go into a rebuilding phase soon, you must be an ESPN Insider.
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Grant Sonier
Grant Sonier has scouted for six NHL organizations over the past 13 years, most recently for the Atlanta Thrashers during the 2010-11 season. He is a special contributor to ESPN Insider.
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Victoria Matiash
Victoria Matiash has served as a Fantasy Hockey columnist for ESPN.com since 2007, and contributor to NHL Rumor Central since 2010. She lives in Toronto.
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