Going into the Olympic break, the injury-riddled Detroit Red Wings were riding a hot streak and clinging on to the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Then, when it seemed like the news on the injury front could not get much worse, captain Henrik Zetterberg was injured while playing for Team Sweden in Sochi. He will likely miss the remainder of the regular season.

While it looked like the Olympic break would be a chance for the Red Wings to finally get on the mend and healthy again, optimism immediately became pessimism in Hockeytown when it came to wondering whether or not the Stanley Cup Playoffs would return to the Motor City for the 23rd consecutive season.

Zetterberg is an essential part of this Detroit Red Wings team and will be sorely missed during the stretch run that the Red Wings are about to embark on, but there are also plenty of positive aspects to the team that could help it keep the streak alive.

First of all, while Zetterberg will hit the IR, Johan Franzen is now healthy again. He didn't miss a beat when he scored a hat trick in Ottawa in the team's 6-1 drubbing of the Senators on Thursday night.

Franzen can be a big part of the team's success as well, as he has been known to go on streaks this time of year and become one of the top clutch players in all of hockey. Just look at what he did in March of 2008.

Stephen Weiss will also return from the IR fairly soon, and having him healthy could provide a big boost to the Red Wings after signing him this past summer.

Something that the Red Wings have in their favor, however, that is much different than the past is youth. Gustav Nyquist and Tomas Tatar look like they will lead the next wave of Red Wings stars in Hockeytown and are already starting to shine. Other than them, Riley Sheahan, Tomas Jurco and Danny DeKeyser have played very well in their rookie seasons and show a positive outlook for the future.

However, the future begins now for these young Wings as they will be counted upon in order to get Detroit back in the playoffs. With their speed and skill, they are certainly capable of doing so even though they lack experience.

The Red Wings were also in this similar but unfamiliar situation at this time last year, fighting for a playoff spot and needing to win the final four games of the regular season in order to secure one. Sure enough, they did just that behind the strong goaltending of Jimmy Howard.

Howard has shown his ability to perform well in big games, as he carried the Red Wings into the playoffs and past the Anaheim Ducks in the first round last season.

Last but not least, head coach Mike Babcock is one of the best in the business. If there was any man capable of getting the Red Wings to the playoffs from behind the bench, it is him. He already led Canada to a Gold Medal and is one of the most respected coaches in the NHL.

Although their record does not show it, the Red Wings definitely have a winning formula. Even with their captain hurt, they have experience in players like Pavel Datsyuk and Daniel Alfredsson, all sorts of speed and youth, a clutch goaltender and a trusted coach.

Expect the Red Wings to pick up right where they left off before the break, improving their play and making it to the playoffs for the third consecutive season.