"As the NHL trade deadline approaches in three weeks, the Red Wings look to the market as buyers, not sellers. And buyers who don't need to buy, at that.

That means they won't move anyone about to become an unrestricted free agent, most especially defenseman Brad Stuart. General manager Ken Holland told the Free Press he likes where his team is at, and if nothing sensible materializes between now and Feb. 27, the Wings will confidently enter the playoffs with a team that two-thirds of the way through the season tops the league in victories and points.

"We're trying to compete for the Stanley Cup, and given the way our team has played, we think we look like a playoff team," Holland said. "I don't worry about the East. In the West, we're ahead of Vancouver, we're ahead of Chicago. We're in the top five in goals scored. We've improved defensively from last season -- we're in the top 10, just outside the top five."