It's Tuesday Number Day!

Well things have gone a little better since my last post - and that's promising. And that's where we'll start - with your daily dose of optimism:

The Red Wings are 2-2 for the first time since 2002-03. For what it's worth (read: nothing), Detroit won Game #5 against Minnesota by a score of 5-3, on the goaltending of Curtis Joseph and stellar coaching of Dave Lewis. The team only lost one more game that October - and finished the season 48-20-10-4, good enough for second place in the Conference (andwasthensweptbyMikeBabcockandtheDucks). Ignore that last part. 

Much was made of Brad May switching numbers from 20 to 24, joining Red Wings badasses like Chris Chelios and Bob Probert. But he also joins Pete Mahovlich, Greg Joly, Bart Crashley, and Randy Manery (who, consequently, was the first player to represent the Atlanta Flames in an NHL All-Star Game).

In the same vein, Aaron Downey became the latest member of the "Last Player to Wear Two Different Jersey Numbers" Club to fall. First, Todd Bertuzzi took over his 44, and Brad May wore 20 for a game. Speaking of which, Brad May becomes the NEWEST member of that club (20 & 24), joining Kyle Quincey (4 & 45), Tomas Kopecky (32 & 82), and Valtteri Filppula (41 & 51). *Regular Season Use Only*

Kirk Maltby is the only Red Wing averaging a point for each game played.

Forbes has listed Mike Ilitch’s net worth at $1,400,000,000. Not terribly relevant to the on-ice product, but so full of awesome, it’s worth noting nonetheless.

With Chris Chelios skating with the Chicago Wolves of the AHL, he becomes the 22^nd active former Red Wing (or prospect) to be on an NHL or AHL roster this season. By comparison, there are 8 in the KHL and 10 in other European leagues. There are also 8 free agents who have yet to announce their retirement (Calder, Dandenault, Devereaux, Downey, Eriksson, Joseph, McCarty, and Shanahan).

Don’t look now! But, Tomas Holmstrom and Ville Leino lead the team by being on pace for 41 goals this season. But, obviously, it shouldn’t be read into because Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk are on pace for a combined zero.

Patrick Eaves had zero hits in his one game played, the only Wing without a hit. Derek Meech is the lone Red Wing without a shot on goal.

Todd Bertuzzi and Niklas Kronwall lead the team with six giveaways each. Pavel Datsyuk leads the way with six takeaways.

Of the 14 skaters to play in all four games, Jonathan Ericsson has the fewest shifts played (67 – which is fewer than Johan Franzen’s three game 70), while Niklas Kronwall has the most (115).