New York, NY (WFAN)  -- The Stars and Red Wings are a compelling series and short of the Wings squaring off with original six partner Chicago, this is the series you wanted to see in the West.

The Stars made a change at the top this season, firing GM Doug Armstrong after a slow start and replacing with the two headed monster of former assistant GM Les Jackson and former Stars' great Brett Hull. Hull, who scored the Stanley Cup winning goal for Dallas in their Finals triumph over Buffalo in 1999, also has won a Cup with the Red Wings in 2002.

The Wings Head Coach Mike Babcock led the team to another 50 win season, his third in three years at the helm of the Winged Wheel. Dave Tippett guides the Stars, who won a 4OT game in game six to eliminate San Jose. They had a 3-0 lead in that series and came within a great Marty Turco save or two of playing a game seven in San Jose.

Two huge storylines have emerged from these teams: both teams sporting a player who you didn't figure would be the key guy for his team in this series.

Start with Detroit, and two players have risen up to steal the front pages of the Detroit News and Detroit Free Press. Forward Johan Franzen has 11 goals and had nine (with two hat tricks) against Colorado in the Wings sweep of their hated rivals. Against Nashville, he snapped a 1-1 OT tie to give Detroit a critical game five win with the series tied 2-2 heading back to Nashville for game 6. In the series against Colorado, he broke the second of Gordie Howe's team records with those nine goals, as Howe's eight was the most in a series by a Red Wing until that time. (By the way, for those with a dish, great story about this on FSN Detroit. Red Wings Weekly reporter Shireen Saski talks to the players about which Howe record will fall next.)

The other is Chris Osgood. The backup goalie when the playoffs started to Dominik Hasek, Osgood is 6-0 and has rescued the Red Wings. Speaking of breaking records by immortal players in Wings history, Osgood will break Terry Sawchuk's team record for playoff wins if he wins all four games in the series. He enters with 44. Chris Chelios, a scratch in game four with a minor injury is expected to play in game one tonight. Chelios passed Patrick Roy in the Colorado series with 248th game played in the post season, a new NHL record. Other than Tippett, who is five months older than Chelios, the ageless wonder is older than the other three coaches still alive in the post season.

For the Stars, Brendan Morrow is the man in the spotlight on a team that boasts Mike Modano and Marty Turco. His performance against San Jose is the stuff playoff legends are made of, as his coach and several teammates talked about how he carried the team on his back willingly through a grueling six game win and 4OT clincher. Morrow had a career year with 32-42=74 after missing part of last season. His past year has been eventful. He missed half of last season when a skate blade cut open his wrist and severed tendons.

This on Morrow from The Dallas Morning News' Mike Heika:

"I've always loved the way that he's played the game, because he has that throwback style," said Detroit Red Wings forward Darren McCarty, who will face Morrow tonight in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals. "He can mix it up, he can throw his body around, and he can score goals. He can do it all. He's come into his own, especially now. He's taken a leadership role and run with it. He's a huge reason why they are where they are."

That confluence came at an interesting time in the Stars organization. Morrow idolized Brett Hull as a kid and had a routine of watching Hull's highlight video before every game he played as a teenager.

"I watched it once, I scored a few goals, and so I just started watching it before every game," said Morrow, who grew up in Saskatchewan and said he liked Hull's on-ice personality.

When Hull was named co-GM of the Stars in November, he decided it was time to really work with Morrow. He gave him some pointers. He told him how to find open ice by backing away from the net. He told him to relax and have fun.

Notes: Marty Turco enters the series 0-7-2 in his last ten starts at Joe Louis Arena. Turco, who played his college hockey at nearby Michigan, repeatedly has told the media that he's not concerned. The good karma here is that the last time the Stars and Wings met in the post season, Turco had just finished leading Michigan to Frozen Four Championship and National Title, beating Boston College in OT (Michigan's last title).

The Stars have 40 or more wins in 10 of the past 11 seasons, with only New Jersey having a more consistent record of excellence.

The Red Wings are the only team in the post season with three defensemen scoring more than 30 points during the season. Former Devil Brian Rafalski (13-42=55) , Niklas Kronwall (7-28=35), and "Norris", aka Nik Lidstrom, went 10-60=70.

Prediction: The Stars might be the best team the Red Wings play in the playoffs, no matter if they advance to play Pitt or Philly. If they survive the physical assault of the Stars, they win the series and I say they will. Wings in 6.

Tomorrow: Flyers and Penguins preview.