Teams That Won a Championship on a Shoestring Budget – Page 4 – 24/7 Wall St.
The Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup in 1997, 1998, and 2002. Like other title-winning franchises, Detroit’s payroll ballooned as key players helping to win those championships were rewarded with large contracts, and by the 2003-2004 season, the team had the largest payroll at nearly $78 million. Eventually, high-priced stars like Brett Hull, Steve Yzerman, and Brendan Shanahan began to retire or move on to other teams, allowing younger players like Justin Abdelkader and Johan Franzen to sh...