New Faces in New Places in Cup Finals

So the rematch is set: Pittsburgh vs. Detroit. For the first time in 25 years, the same two teams will meet in back-to-back years for the right to fight for Lord Stanley's Cup, and while one of these teams is relatively similar to last year's version (with one big exception) the other is very, very different.

Pittsburgh Penguins
In: Dan Bylsma, Bill Guerin, Chris Kunitz, Ruslan Fedotenko, Matt Cooke, Miroslav Satan, Phillipe Boucher, Craig Adams, Mathieu Garon, Mark Eaton (member last year's team, but didn't play in the finals due to injury)
Out: Michel Therrien, Marian Hossa, Ryan Malone, Jarkko Ruutu, Ryan Whitney, Adam Hall,Daryl Sydor, Gary Roberts, Ty Conklin, Petr Sykora (member of this year's team, but hasn't played since the opening round)

After losing to the Red Wings in six games, the Penguins went through some wholesale changes in the offseason and during the regular season, as they looked to replace Marian Hossa and Ryan Malone's talent, and Gary Roberts and Jarkko Ruutu's toughness and grit. You'll hear about Hossa quite a bit during this series, naturally, as he spurned a more lucrative, long-term offer from Pittsburgh to sign a one-year deal with Detroit because, in his words, "It wasn't an easy decision to make. I want to have a best chance to win the Stanley Cup. I feel like Detroit is the team."

Oh, the drama.

Why This Team Is Better: On paper, it's probably not, but there's something about the way the Penguins are playing this year that inspires more confidence in the fan base. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are playing at a different level than they were a year ago (both have already topped last season's playoff point total), and the midseason acquisitions of Bill Guerin, Chris Kunitz and Craig Adams added the grit-and-sandpaper the team was missing in the absence Roberts, Malone and Ruutu.

Guerin has already set a new personal best when it comes to postseason points, while Ruslan Fedotenko and Miroslav Satan have seen a resurgence of their own after looking like failed free agent signings just four months ago. Fedotenko has always elevated his game in the postseason, while Satan is playing with such an unexpected passion that he actually dropped the gloves and fought in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Detroit Red Wings
In: Marian Hossa, Ty Conklin, Ville Leino, Jonathan Ericssson, Justin Abdelkader
Out: Dallas Drake, Dominik Hasek, Andreas Lilja (injured), Tomas Kopecky (Injured)

Not much going on here in terms of changes, with the one rather large exception of Marian Hossa joining an already loaded team. Yeah, that's kind of a big deal. Acquired by the Penguins at last year's trade deadline, Hossa was one of Pittsburgh's best players during its playoff run, scoring 12 goals to go with 14 assists in 20 games ... and now he's on the other side.

After scoring 40 goals during the regular season, Hossa had a slow start for the Red Wings this postseason before finally erupting in games 3 and 4 of the conference finals against Chicago, while also playing a strong two-way game in the Red Wings' series clinching win in Game 5.

Why This Team Is Better: As if the Red Wings needed more help, adding another of the game's best two-way players to a lineup that already features Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, Nicklas Lidstrom, and Johan Franzen just makes it that much better. While Hossa isn't putting up points at the same torrid pace he did in Pittsburgh, he's still an impact player and anytime you add that type of talent to your roster, you're simply a better team.

The only negative for the Wings heading into this series is the fact they're banged up in the injury department and don't have much time off before Game 1 Saturday.