9102070048 DETROIT FREE PRESS 911003 Thursday, October 03, 1991 METRO FINAL

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4D MITCH ALBOM, STEVE CROWE STAFF PICKS; 1991-92 NHL SPECIAL SECTION Copyright (c) 1991, Detroit Free Press Mitch Albom Every year it seems the Wings go shopping overseas and come back with a few winners. Combine that with Bryan Murray's increasing command over this Wings ship, and you have a team that should contend for the Norris Division title. Steve Crowe The Wings' net worth -- based on whether goalie Tim Cheveldae must appear nightly -- will determine their degree of ascension. Anything less than two playoff-series victories will be perceived as stagnation. Keith Gave If chemistry counts for anything -- and I think it does -- the Red Wings are off to a good start. In the seven years I've been around the team, I've never seen a more together, happy group. It's not how they start, though, it's how they finish, and this team in this division could wind up anywhere from first to fourth. I'll say second, but it doesn't matter because the four playoff qualifiers will have about an equal shot playing for the Stanley Cup in late May. Corky Meinecke I see Steve Yzerman and Sergei Fedorov near the top of the scoring list. I see Murray making a shrewd deal for another goalie. I see Yzerman smirking at Chicago coach Mike Keenan after the Wings eliminate the Hawks in the Norris finals. But, sorry, that's all I see. George Puscas Sure, the Wings are better, but better than whom? They haven't caught Chicago or St. Louis, and the heat behind third place is on them. Look out and good luck, Wings. Charlie VincentThe Wings will be younger and probably better than the last couple of seasons, and a healthy Jimmy Carson could give them more firepower. Have they improved enough in the net to be anything more than an also-ran? Only four teams allowed more goals last season. Unless they improve that statistic, the Wings are destined to be no better than third in the Norris.