TheDetroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as theWings)[4][5] are a professionalice hockey team based inDetroit. The Red Wings compete in theNational Hockey League (NHL) as a member of theAtlantic Division in theEastern Conference.[6] The franchise is one of the so calledOriginal Six teams of the league.[7] Founded in1926, the team was known as theDetroit Cougars until1930. For the next two seasons, the team was named theDetroit Falcons, before changing their name to the Red Wings in1932.[8]
The Red Wings have won the mostStanley Cup championships of any NHL franchise based in the United States (11),[9] and are third overall amongst active teams in total Stanley Cup championships, behind theMontreal Canadiens (24) andToronto Maple Leafs (13). The Wings played their home games atJoe Louis Arena from 1979 until 2017, after playing for 52 years atOlympia Stadium. They moved intoLittle Caesars Arena beginning with the 2017–18 season. The Red Wings are one of the most popular and successful franchises in the NHL; fans and sports commentators refer to the Detroit area as "Hockeytown", which has been a registered trademark owned by the franchise since 1996.[10]
Between the1931–32 and1965–66 seasons, the Red Wings missed the playoffs only four times. They struggled between the 1966–67 and 1982–83 seasons, only making the playoffs twice in that stretch. After that, however, from 1983–84 to 2015–16, they made the playoffs 30 times in 32 seasons, including 25 straight from 1990–91 to 2015–16 (not including the canceled2004–05 season); in2006, this became the longest activestreak of postseason appearances in all of North American professional sports and finished tied for the third-longest streak in NHL history. Since 1983–84, the Red Wings have tallied sixregular season first-place finishes and have won the Stanley Cup four times (1997,1998,2002, and2008).
Team photo from Detroit's inaugural season (1926–27). The franchise was known as the Detroit Cougars from 1926 to 1930.
Following the1926 Stanley Cup playoffs, during which theWestern Hockey League (WHL) was widely reported to be on the verge of folding,[11] the NHL held a meeting on April 17 to consider applications for expansion franchises, at which it was reported that five different groups sought a team for Detroit.[12] During a subsequent meeting on May 15, 1926,[13] the NHL owners voted, 6 to 2, to approve a franchise to the Townsend-Seyburn group of Detroit and namedCharles A. Hughes as governor.[14] WHL ownersFrank andLester Patrick made a deal to sell the league's players to the NHL and cease league operations. The new Detroit franchise purchased the players of the WHL'sVictoria Cougars, who had won the Stanley Cup in1925 and had made the1926 Stanley Cup Final, to play for the team. The new Detroit franchise also adopted the Cougars' nickname in honor of the folded franchise.[15]
Since no arena in Detroit was ready at the time, the Cougars played theirfirst season at theBorder Cities Arena inWindsor, Ontario.[16][17] For the1927–28 season, the Cougars moved into the newDetroit Olympia, which would be their home rink until December 15, 1979.[18] This was also the first season behind the bench forJack Adams, who would be the face of the franchise for the next 36 years as either coach or general manager.[19]
The Cougars made the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in1929, withCarson Cooper leading the team in scoring.[16][20] The Cougars were outscored 7–2 in the two-game series with theToronto Maple Leafs.[21] In 1930, the Cougars were renamed the Falcons, but their woes continued, as they usually finished near the bottom of the standings, even though they made the playoffs again in1932.[22]
In 1932, the NHL letgrain merchantJames E. Norris, who had made two previous unsuccessful bids to buy an NHL team, purchase the Falcons. Norris' first act was to rename the team; earlier in the century, Norris had been a member of theMontreal Amateur Athletic Association (MAAA), a multi-sport club whose winged-wheel emblem derived from its cycling roots, andwhose hockey team won the first Stanley Cup in 1893. Norris decided that a red version of the MAAA "Winged Wheelers" logo would be perfect for a team playing in the "Motor City", and on October 5, 1932, the club was renamed the Detroit Red Wings.[23] Norris also placed coach Jack Adams on a one-year probation for the1932–33 NHL season.[24] Adams managed to pass his probationary period by leading the Red Wings to their first-ever playoff series victory, over theMontreal Maroons.[25] The team then lost in the semifinals to theNew York Rangers.[26]
In1934, the Red Wings made theStanley Cup Final for the first time, withJohn Sorrell scoring 21 goals over 47 games andLarry Aurie leading the team in scoring.[27] However, theChicago Black Hawks defeated the Red Wings in the Stanley Cup Final, winning the best-of-five series in four games to claim their first title.[28] Two seasons later, the Red Wings won their first Stanley Cup in1936, defeating Toronto in four games.[28] Detroit repeated as Stanley Cup champions in1937, winning over the Rangers in the full five games.[28] In 1938, theMontreal Canadiens and the Red Wings became the first NHL teams to play in Europe, playing in Paris andLondon. The Wings played nine games against the Canadiens and went 3–5–1. They did not play in Europe again until the preseason and start of the2009–10 NHL season, in Sweden, against theSt. Louis Blues.[29]
The Red Wings made the Stanley Cup Final in three consecutive years during the early 1940s.[30] In1941, they were swept by theBoston Bruins, and in1942, they lost a seven-game series to Toronto after winning the first three games.[30] However, in1943, withMud Bruneteau andSyd Howe scoring 23 and 20 goals, respectively, Detroit won their third Stanley Cup by sweeping the Bruins.[30][31] Through the rest of the decade, the team made the playoffs every year, and reached the Stanley Cup Final three more times.[32][33][34]
In1946, one of the greatest players in hockey history came into the NHL with the Red Wings.Gordie Howe, a right winger fromFloral, Saskatchewan, only scored seven goals and 15 assists in his first season, and would not reach his prime for a few more years.[35] It was also the last season as head coach for Adams, who stepped down after the season to concentrate on his duties as general manager and was succeeded by minor league coachTommy Ivan.[36][37] By his second season, Howe was paired withSid Abel andTed Lindsay to form what would become one of the great lines in NHL history: the "Production Line".[36] Lindsay's 33 goals propelled the Red Wings to the1948 Stanley Cup Final, where they were swept by the Maple Leafs.[33] Detroit reached theStanley Cup Final again the following season, only to be swept again by Toronto.[34]
During the1950 semifinals,Leo Reise Jr. scored the winning goal in overtime, which prevented the Maple Leafs from winning four straight championships.[38] In the1950 Stanley Cup Final, the Red Wings defeated the New York Rangers in seven games. In game 7,Pete Babando scored the game winner in double overtime.[38] After the game, Lindsay skated around the Olympia ice with the Stanley Cup.[39]
After being upset by the Montreal Canadiens in the1951 semifinals, Detroit won its fifth Stanley Cup in1952, sweeping both the Maple Leafs and the Canadiens, with the Production Line of Howe, Abel and Lindsay joined by second-year goaltenderTerry Sawchuk.[40][41][42] Detroit became the first team in 17 years to go undefeated in the playoffs.[41][43] They also scored 24 playoff goals, compared to Toronto and Montreal's combined total of 5.[44] Abel left the Red Wings for Chicago during the off-season, and his spot on the roster was replaced byAlex Delvecchio.[45][46] In December 1952, James E. Norris died.[47] He was succeeded as team president by his daughter,Marguerite, which made her the first woman to head an NHL franchise.[47][48]
Team photo of the 1952 Detroit Red Wings
Following another playoff upset in1953 at the hands of the Bruins,[49] the Red Wings won back-to-back Stanley Cups, beating the rival powerhouse Montreal Canadiens. Both of the Stanley Cup Final series played between the two teams were decided in seven games. The seventh game during the1954 Stanley Cup Final was won with one of the oddest cup winning goals ever, when the 5'7" left wingerTony Leswick, known more for his relentless checking than scoring prowess, shot a puck towards the Montreal goal from the middle of the ice. Habs defensemanDoug Harvey tried to gain control of the wobbly puck with his glove but instead redirected it past Montreal goalieGerry McNeil.[50] The repeat of the seriesthe season after was closely contested, as all seven games were won by the home team, with Detroit taking the seventh game. Montreal was sorely lacking its all-starMaurice Richard, who was suspended after hitting a linesman during the regular season, and the Red Wings' stars carried their team, as Lindsay scored four goals in a single game and Howe scored 20 points during the playoffs, 12 of which during the Stanley Cup Final series, all new records in the league.[51]
The 1954–55 season ended a run of seven straight regular season titles, an NHL record.[52] During the 1955 off-season, Marguerite Norris lost an intra-family power struggle, and was forced to turn over the Red Wings to her younger brotherBruce.[53] Detroit and Montreal once again met, in the1956 Stanley Cup Final, but this time the Canadiens won the Stanley Cup, their first of five in a row.[54] In1957, Lindsay, who had scored 30 goals and led the league in assists with 55, teamed up with Harvey to help start theNational Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA).[55][56] As a result, he andgoaltenderGlenn Hall were promptly traded to Chicago.[57]
In1958–59, the Red Wings missed the playoffs for the first time in 21 years.[58] However, within a couple of years, the franchise was able to rejuvenate itself. The Red Wings made the Stanley Cup Final four times between1960–61 and1965–66 seasons.[59] However, they came away empty-handed.[59][60]
Only a year after making the1966 Stanley Cup Final, the Red Wings finished a distant fifth, 24 points out of the playoffs.[61] It was the beginning of a slump that they would not emerge from in almost 20 years. This period is derisively known as the "Dead Wings" era.[62]
One factor in the Red Wings' decline was the end of the old development system.[63] Another factor wasNed Harkness, who was hired as coach in1970 and was promoted to general manager midway through the season. A successful college hockey coach, Harkness tried to force his two-way style of play on a veteran Red Wings team resistant to change. They chafed under his rule in which he demanded short hair and no smoking, and put other rules in place regarding drinking and phone calls.[64] Harkness was forced to resign in 1974, ending the period colloquially referred to as "Darkness with Harkness".[65][66][67]
During the expansion season of1967–68, the Red Wings acquired longtime star left-wingerFrank Mahovlich from the defending Cup champions in Toronto. Mahovlich would go on a line with Howe and Delvecchio, and in1968–69, he scored a career-high 49 goals and had two All-Star seasons in Detroit.[68][69][70] However, Mahovlich was traded to Montreal in1971, while Howe announced his retirement the same year.[66][71] Throughout the decade, the Red Wings were hampered due to a number of factors.[72]
On December 27, 1979, during the1979–80 season, the Red Wings officially began playing at theJoe Louis Arena after leaving the Olympia, where they had played since 1927.[73] In 1982, after 50 years of family ownership, Bruce Norris sold the Red Wings toMike Ilitch, founder of the pizza chainLittle Caesars.[74]
Named team captain in 1986,Steve Yzerman captained the Red Wings until his retirement in 2006.
In the1986–87 season, with Yzerman, now the captain following the departure ofDanny Gare, joined byPetr Klima,Adam Oates,Gerard Gallant, defensemanDarren Veitch, and new head coachJacques Demers, the Red Wings won a playoff series for only the second time in the modern era.[83][84] They made it all the way to the conference finals against the powerfulEdmonton Oilers, but lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champions in five games.[84][85] In1988, they won their first division title in 23 years. They did so, however, in a relatively weak division, as no other team in the Norris finished above .500.[86] As was the case in the previous season, they made it to the conference finals only to lose again to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Oilers in five games.[87]
In1989, Yzerman scored a career-best 65 goals, but Detroit was upset in the first round by the Chicago Blackhawks.[88][89][90] The following season, Yzerman scored 62 goals, but the team missed the playoffs.[91][92]
During the1995–96 season, the Red Wings won a then NHL record 62 games. However, after defeating the St. Louis Blues in seven games, they would fall in the conference finals to the eventual Stanley Cup champions, theColorado Avalanche.[106][107][108]
Misfortune befell the Red Wings six days after their championship; defenseman Vladimir Konstantinov, one of the members of the "Russian Five", suffered abrain injury in alimousine accident, and his career came to an abrupt end.[100][112][113] As a result, the team dedicated the1997–98 season to him.[113] The Red Wings won the Stanley Cup in four games, this time over theWashington Capitals, and Konstantinov was brought onto the ice in his wheelchair so he could touch it.[113]
Superstar acquisitions and more success (1999–2006)
The following season, the Red Wings appeared to be poised to win a third consecutive Stanley Cup when they acquired three-timeNorris Trophy winnerChris Chelios from his hometown Chicago Blackhawks in March 1999.[114][115] Also acquired at the trade deadline were defensemanUlf Samuelsson, wingerWendel Clark, and goaltenderBill Ranford.[115] Despite high aspirations, however, Detroit would end up losing in the conference semifinals to Colorado in six games.[116] In2000, the Red Wings would finish second in the Central Division. Just like the previous season, however, they would lose to the Avalanche in the Western Conference semifinals.[117][118]
The Red Wings were invited to the White House in November 2002, after winning theStanley Cup.
In2001, Detroit, the NHL's second-best team in the regular season, were upset in the playoffs by theLos Angeles Kings.[119][120] During the ensuing off-season, the team acquired goaltenderDominik Hasek (the defendingVezina Trophy winner) and forwardsLuc Robitaille andBrett Hull.[121][122][123] Russian prospectPavel Datsyuk also joined the team.[124] Strengthened by the additions, the Red Wings posted the league's best record in the2001–02 regular season and defeated Colorado in seven games in the conference finals after beating theVancouver Canucks and St. Louis Blues in rounds one and two.[125] The Red Wings then went on to capture another Stanley Cup, in five games, over theCarolina Hurricanes, with Nicklas Lidstrom winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoffs' MVP.[125] Bowman and Hasek both retired after the season.[126][127]
The 2002 off-season saw the Red Wings promote associate coachDave Lewis to the head coach position after Bowman's retirement.[128] In the market for a new starting goaltender after Hasek's retirement, they signedCurtis Joseph from the Toronto Maple Leafs to a three-year, $24 million deal.[129] Also new to the lineup was highly touted Swedish prospectHenrik Zetterberg.[130] The Red Wings finished the season second in the Western Conference, which pitted them in the2003 playoffs against the seventh-seeded Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.[131][132][133] The Mighty Ducks shocked the ice hockey world when they swept the Red Wings in four games en route to aStanley Cup Final appearance.[134][135]
In the off-season, long time Red Wing Fedorov signed with the Mighty Ducks as a free agent.[136] Additionally, Hasek opted to come out of retirement and join the Red Wings for the2003–04 season.[137] Joseph, despite being one of the highest-paid players in the NHL, spent part of the season in the minor leagues.[138] Hasek himself would be sidelined with a groin injury.[139] Notwithstanding, the Red Wings would finish atop of the Central Division and the NHL standings.[140][141] The Red Wings eliminated theNashville Predators in six games in the first round of the2004 playoffs, which led to a second round match-up with theCalgary Flames.[142] The teams split the first four games, and headed to Detroit for a pivotal game 5, which the Red Wings lost 1–0.[143] They were then eliminated two nights later in Calgary by the same score in overtime.[144] The Red Wings did not play in the2004–05 season due to thelockout, which canceled the entire NHL season.[145]
On July 15, 2005,Mike Babcock, former head coach in Anaheim, became the new head coach for the Red Wings.[146] On November 21, 2005, defensemanJiri Fischer went intocardiac arrest and collapsed on the bench during a game against the Nashville Predators.[147] The game was canceled because of his injury and was made up on January 23, 2006.[148] This was the first time in NHL history a game had been postponed due to an injury.[149] While the game was played for the full 60 minutes, the Predators were allowed to maintain their 1–0 lead from the original game and won 3–2.[148] The Red Wings won thePresidents' Trophy with a 58–16–8 record, earning them 124 points and secured home ice advantage for the entire playoffs.[150][151] They opened the2006 playoffs against the Edmonton Oilers with a 3–2 overtime victory at Joe Louis Arena, but the Oilers won four of the next five games to take the series.[152][153]
Continuing the shakeup of the Red Wings roster, the off-season saw the departure of Brendan Shanahan, the return of Dominik Hasek and the retirement of Steve Yzerman.[139][154][155] Yzerman retired with the distinction of having been the longest-serving team captain in NHL history.[156]
The Red Wings opened the2006–07 season with Nicklas Lidstrom as the new captain.[157] The team retired Yzerman's jersey number 19 on January 2, 2007.[158] The Red Wings finished first in the Western Conference and tied for first in the NHL with theBuffalo Sabres, but the Sabres were awarded the Presidents' Trophy because they had more wins.[159][160][161] Detroit advanced to the third round of the2007 playoffs after defeating Calgary and theSan Jose Sharks both in six games, coming back to win three-straight after the Sharks had a 2–1 series lead.[162][163][164] The Red Wings would then lose to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks in the conference finals in six games.[165]
To start the 2007–08 campaign, Zetterberg recorded at least a point in each of Detroit's first 17 games, setting a club record.[166] The Wings cruised to the playoffs, where they faced the Nashville Predators.[167] After goaltender Dominik Hasek played poorly in games 3 and 4 of the series, both losses, head coach Mike Babcock replaced him with Chris Osgood.[168] Osgood never left the net for the remainder of the playoffs, as the Red Wings came back in that series in six games.[169] In the second round, they swept the Colorado Avalanche in four games.[170] They then went on to theStanley Cup Final after defeating the Dallas Stars in six games in the conference finals.[171] The Red Wings won the Stanley Cup against thePittsburgh Penguins in game 6 on June 4, 2008, by the score of 3–2. This was the Red Wings' fourth Stanley Cup in 11 years and their 11th overall in franchise history.[172] Zetterberg scored the winning goal in the decisive game, and was also named the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs.[172] Lidstrom became the first non-North American player to captain a Stanley Cup-winning team.[173]
On July 2, 2008, the Red Wings announced the signing ofMarian Hossa.[174] On January 1, 2009, the Red Wings played the Chicago Blackhawks in the secondNHL Winter Classic at Chicago'sWrigley Field, defeating them 6–4.[175] Although they finished second in the conference to the San Jose Sharks, the Wings became the first team in NHL history to top 100 points in nine straight seasons.[176][177] In the playoffs, the Red Wings swept theColumbus Blue Jackets, then defeated the eighth-seeded Anaheim Ducks in a hard-fought seven-game series.[178][179] They took on the vastly improved Chicago Blackhawks in the conference finals, winning in five games.[180] The Red Wings would face the Pittsburgh Penguins in theStanley Cup Final for a second consecutive year, but this series would feature a different outcome as the Penguins defeated the Red Wings in seven games.[181] The Red Wings became only the second NHL team to lose the Stanley Cup at home in game 7.[182]
The Red Wings began the2009–10 NHL season inStockholm, losing both games to the St. Louis Blues 4–3 and 5–3, respectively.[183] They were plagued by injuries throughout the season and lost the second most man games to injury, with only the last place Edmonton Oilers losing more.[184][185] The beginning of the season was a struggle for the Red Wings, with key players out of the lineup, including Zetterberg,Tomas Holmstrom,Johan Franzen,Valtteri Filppula andNiklas Kronwall.[184] After the Olympic break, Detroit posted a record of 13–3–2 and earned 28 points, the most by any team in the NHL.[186] This run helped them secure the fifth playoff seed in the Western Conference. This, however, was the first time the Red Wings did not have home ice advantage in a playoff series in ten seasons.[187][188] Detroit won their first-round playoff series over thePhoenix Coyotes in seven games.[189] In the second round, they would be defeated by the San Jose Sharks in five games.[190]
Nicklas Lidstrom during the2009–10 season. Named captain in 2006, he maintained the position until his retirement in 2012.
A healthier Red Wings team finished the2010–11 NHL season with a 47–25–10 record and 104 points to win the Central Division title.[191] They once again faced the Phoenix Coyotes in the first round of the playoffs, this time sweeping them 4–0.[192] The Red Wings then went on to face the Sharks in round two. After losing the first three games of the series, the Red Wings won three consecutive games to force a game 7, becoming just the eighth team in NHL history to accomplish the feat.[193][194] The Red Wings lost game 7 to the Sharks by a score of 3–2 and were eliminated.[195]
During the 2011 off-season, Red Wings defensemanBrian Rafalski retired.[196] Detroit soon signed free agent defensemanIan White to take his place.[197] Long-time Red Wings Chris Osgood andKris Draper also announced their retirement from hockey, with both soon taking positions within the club.[198][199] Detroit signed goaltenderTy Conklin for his second stint with the team.[200] Tragedy struck the organization and the rest of the NHL with the2011 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash, which killed former Red Wings assistant coachBrad McCrimmon and defensemanRuslan Salei, who had joinedthe KHL team during the summer.Stefan Liv, a former Red Wings goaltending prospect, was also among the fatalities.[201][202] The Red Wings then added a patch to the left arm of their uniforms with the trio's initials.[203]
During the season, the Red Wings won an NHL-record 23 consecutive home games.[204][205] The Red Wings also made the NHL playoffs, extending their streak of 21-straight playoff appearances, as the fifth seed.[206][207] They were defeated in five games by their opening round opponent, the Nashville Predators.[208] On May 31, 2012, Nicklas Lidstrom retired.[209]
Zetterberg was named successor to Lidstrom as team captain.[210] On July 1, 2012, the first day of the NHL free agency period, the Red Wings signed Swiss forwardDamien Brunner to a one-year, entry-level contract; forwardJordin Tootoo to a three-year, $5.7 million contract; and goaltenderJonas Gustavsson to a two-year, $3 million deal.[211][212][213]
The team won their final four games of the2012–13 season to earn the seventh seed of the playoffs. The Red Wings' 3–0 victory over the Dallas Stars on April 27, 2013, preserved their streak of 22 consecutive playoff appearances. As the seventh seed in the2013 playoffs, the Red Wings faced the second-seeded Anaheim Ducks.[214] They survived a fierce battle that included four overtime games, winning the series 4–3 after a 3–2 game 7 victory in Anaheim.[215] The next round pitted the Red Wings against the top-seeded Chicago Blackhawks. Despite jumping out to a 3–1 series lead, the Red Wings would ultimately lose to the eventual Stanley Cup champions in seven games.[216][217]
On April 9, 2015, the Red Wings clinched their 24th consecutive playoff appearance, thus extending their streak.[224] The team was eliminated in the first round by theTampa Bay Lightning.Petr Mrazek had earned the starting goaltender role fromJimmy Howard, and Kronwall was suspended for game 7 as Tampa Bay erased a 3–2 deficit to win the series.[225][226] Mike Babcock, concluding the final year of his contract, left the Red Wings to become the new head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs.[227]Jeff Blashill, head coach of the Red Wings' top minor league affiliate, theGrand Rapids Griffins, was named his successor on June 9.[228]
On April 9, 2016, despite the Red Wings losing 3–2 to the New York Rangers, the Ottawa Senators defeated the Boston Bruins 6–1 as the Red Wings narrowly made the playoffs and extended their streak to a 25th season.[229] They would lose in the first round to the Lightning again, this time in five games.[230]
During the off-season, Datsyuk decided to return to Russia.[231] On February 10, 2017, club owner Mike Ilitch died.[232] The Red Wings' playoff streak ended after 25 seasons in the 2016–17 season.[233] The Red Wings won their last game at Joe Louis Arena 4–1 on April 9, 2017, against the New Jersey Devils.[234]
The opening of Little Caesars Arena and rebuilding (2017–present)
Interior of Little Caesars Arena in September 2017. The Red Wings played their first regular season game at the arena a month later.
The Red Wings played their first regular season game atLittle Caesars Arena on October 5, 2017, winning 4–2 over theMinnesota Wild.[235] The Red Wings finished the 2017–18 season with a 30–39–13 record. They missed the playoffs for the second season in a row, marking the first time since the early 1980s the team missed the playoffs in consecutive years.[236][237] The Red Wings finished the 2018–19 season with a 32–40–10 record, missing the playoffs for a third consecutive season.[238]
On April 19, 2019, the Red Wings announced thatSteve Yzerman rejoined the team as general manager and executive vice president.[239] On February 21, 2020, the Red Wings became the first team to be eliminated from playoff contention before thetrade deadline since the2003–04 Pittsburgh Penguins.[240] On March 10, 2020, the Red Wings clinched the worst overall record in NHL for the first time since the 1985–86 season.[241] On March 12, the2019–20 season was suspended by the NHL due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[242] On May 26, 2020, the NHL announced that the rest of the season was over for the seven teams that did not qualify for the 24-team Stanley Cup playoffs, which included the Red Wings.[243] With a record of 17–49–5, this was the first time since the 1985–86 season that the Red Wings finished with fewer than 20 wins.[244][245] The Red Wings also became the second team since the 2004–05 NHL lockout, and the subsequent start of thesalary cap era, to finish with a sub-.300 points percentage, along with the2016–17 Colorado Avalanche.[246][247] Their .275 points percentage was the worst for an NHL team since the1999–2000 Atlanta Thrashers.[247]
Dylan Larkin was named the Red Wings captain on January 13, 2021, who succeeded Henrik Zetterberg following his retirement in 2018.[248] On April 26, the Red Wings were eliminated from playoff contention for the fifth consecutive season.[249] They would ultimately finish with a 19–27–10 record.[250] The Red Wings finished the 2021–22 season at 32–40–10. They missed the playoff for the sixth consecutive season.[251] On April 30, 2022, Jeff Blashill was fired as head coach.[252] They then hiredDerek Lalonde as their head coach on June 30, 2022.[253] During 2022–23 season, the Red Wings would re-sign Dylan Larkin to an eight-year contract extension.[254] The Red Wings finished the season at 35–37–10. They missed the playoffs for the seventh consecutive season.[255][256] The Red Wings finished the 2023–24 season with a 41–32–9 record. However, they were eliminated from playoff contention for the eighth consecutive season via tiebreaker on April 16, 2024, after the Washington Capitals' 2–1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers.[257]
On December 26, 2024, after a slow start to the2024–25 season, the Red Wings fired head coach Lalonde and assistant head coachBob Boughner.Todd McLellan was hired as their new head coach, withTrent Yawney as an assistant head coach.[258][259] On April 12, 2025, the Red Wings were eliminated from playoff contention for the ninth consecutive season after theMontreal Canadiens lost in overtime to theToronto Maple Leafs.[260] This extended their longestplayoff drought in franchise history.[261] They finished the season with a 39–35–8 record.[262]
In the preseason, the Red Wings wear straight serifed nameplates on their jerseys, as seen onDylan Larkin (left). In the regular season and playoffs, they wear vertical arched letters, as seen onPavel Datsyuk (right).
The Red Wings'jerseys (traditionally known in hockey as "sweaters") have been more or less the same since the 1930s – a white or red base with red or white piping. The only significant changes have been the replacement of the wordDetroit with the "winged wheel" logo in 1932, and vertical arch lettering for the players' names and block letters in 1983.[263] The Red Wings wear the vertical arched letters in the regular season and playoffs, but use straight serifed nameplates during the preseason.[264][265]
The Hockey News voted the Red Wings' "winged wheel" logo the second best in the league in 2008.[266] The Red Wings, like all NHL teams, updated their jerseys to the newRbk Edge standard for the 2007–08 NHL season.[267] The Red Wings kept their design as close to original as possible, the exceptions being: On the road (white) jersey, there was more red on the sleeves as the color panel began closer to the shoulder, and the letters of thecaptain andalternate captains were moved to the right shoulder.[268][269]
WhenAdidas became the uniform outfitter starting with the 2017–18 season, the Red Wings kept the same basic look.[270][271]
The Red Wings have rarely used any alternate logos or uniforms since the trend became popular in the 1990s, the sole exceptions were select games of the1991–92 season commemorating the league's 75th anniversary, and for a commemorative game on January 27, 1994, atChicago Stadium.[272][273] Those jerseys were based on the uniforms worn by the team (then the Detroit Cougars) in 1927–28.[274] The throwbacks are primarily white with five red horizontal stripes on the body, the broadest middle stripe bearing "Detroit" in bold letters, and three red stripes on the sleeves.[272][273] This jersey served as the basis for the uniforms worn byWayne Gretzky's team ofNHLPA All-Stars, nicknamed the "99ers", for their exhibition tour in Europe during the1994–95 NHL lockout.[275]
Stylized "D" logo used by the team during its inaugural season. The stylized "D" logo served as the basis for a "retro" alternate jerseys introduced in 2009.
The Red Wings wore alternative "retro" jerseys for the2009 Winter Classic in Chicago. The jerseys were based on the uniforms worn by the Detroit Cougars during their inaugural season of 1926–27.[276] These jerseys were white, with a single bold red stripe on the sleeves and chest, and a uniquely styled white Old EnglishD centered on the chest stripe.[277] These jerseys were also worn for their final 2009 regular season home game, again against the Chicago Blackhawks.[278] The Red Wings again used an alternate jersey mimicking throwback jerseys for the2014 Winter Classic against the Toronto Maple Leafs atMichigan Stadium.[279]
The Red Wings wore a specially designed one-time-only jersey for theirStadium Series game in Denver against the Colorado Avalanche on February 27, 2016. The majority of this jersey was the traditional red, decorated with a thick diagonal white stripe running from the player's right shoulder across the front towards the left hip. The bottom of each sleeve featured a thick white stripe from wrist to elbow. The crest on the front of the jersey was a stylized redD. The words "Red Wings" were printed in all capital letters on the left side of the collar, and the phrase "EST. 1926" was printed inside the back of the collar. These jerseys featured the current Red Wings logo on the left shoulder cap. The names and numbers were printed larger than traditional NHL jerseys to increase visibility and player identification for fans watching the game atCoors Field, a stadium traditionally used for Major League Baseball.[280][281][282]
The Red Wings unveiled a uniform patch on September 27, 2016, to honorGordie Howe, who died on June 10, 2016. The patch was a depiction of Howe's jersey number 9 and was worn by the team above the logo on the front of the jersey on the left side of the chest for all 82 regular season games during the2016–17 season.[283]
The Red Wings wore a specially designed one-time-only jersey for theCentennial Classic in Toronto against the Toronto Maple Leafs on January 1, 2017. It was a white jersey that had four stripes on the arms. Three of the stripes were red, while the fourth was silver. On the silver stripes were the years the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup. The logo and numbers were outlined in silver.[284]
For the 2020–21 season, the Red Wings wore special "Reverse Retro" alternate jerseys designed by Adidas. The uniform featured a white base and white sleeves inspired by the Red Wings' road uniforms of the Original Six era. Silver stripes replaced red stripes in commemoration of the team's 11 Stanley Cup championships and the 2017 Centennial Classic.[285] A second "Reverse Retro" uniform was unveiled in the 2022–23 season, using the 1991–92 throwback uniform based on the original Cougars' uniforms but with a red base and black stripes.[286]
The Red Wings' logo received significant media attention in August 2017 when it was discovered that awhite supremacist group used a modified version of it, in which the wheel's spokes consisted of the occultSS symbolBlack Sun; it was theaegis of their shields during theUnite the Right rally inCharlottesville, Virginia. As a result, the Red Wings condemned the group for the usage of the logo and threatened legal action.[287][288]
On February 29, 2024, the Red Wings announced their first ever jersey patch advertisement with Priority, a local waste management company.[289][290]
For the Red Wings' appearance in the2025 Stadium Series, they wore white uniforms with a script "Detroit" lettering in red. The lower sleeves and socks were predominantly red, and the trademark "winged wheel" logo is on the left shoulder. The "Hockeytown" slogan was placed on the right leg. The uniforms were generally inspired by Detroit's automotive industry and hockey culture.[291]
On September 15, 2025, the Red Wings unveiled their commemorative red and vintage white centennial season uniform, featuring visual nods from Detroit Cougars and Falcons designs, lace-up collars, and an original chain-stitched version of the "Winged Wheel" crest.[292]
The "Legend of the Octopus" is a sports tradition during Detroit Red Wings playoff games, in which an octopus is thrown onto the ice surface for good luck.[293] During the playoffs, Joe Louis Arena was generally adorned with a giant octopus with red eyes, nicknamed "Al" after former head ice managerAl Sobotka.[294]
The1952 playoffs featured the start of the octopus throw. The owner of a local fish market, Peter Cusimano, threw one from the stands onto the ice. The eight legs are symbolic of the eight wins it took to win the Stanley Cup at the time. The Red Wings went on to sweep both of their opponents that year en route to a Stanley Cup championship. The NHL has, at various times, tried to eliminate this tradition but it continues to this day.[295][296]
Sobotka was responsible for removing the thrown creatures from the ice. When the Red Wings played at Joe Louis Arena, he was known for swinging the tossed octopuses above his head when walking off the ice. On April 19, 2008, the NHL sent a memo to the Red Wings that forbade this; they said that violating the mandate would result in a $10,000 fine.[297] Instead, it was to up to the linesmen to remove the octopuses.[298] In an email to theDetroit Free Press, NHL spokesman Frank Brown justified the ban because matter flew off the octopus and got on the ice when Sobotka swung it above his head.[297] This ban was later loosened to allow for the octopus twirling to take place at the Zamboni entrance.[299]
Typically during the last minute or two of games that the Red Wings are winning, especially around the end of the season and during the playoffs, fans are known to start singing along toJourney's "Don't Stop Believin'". The song is played over the PA system and continues until it is muted while the crowd sings the words "Born and raised in South Detroit," then the song resumes over the speakers in the arena.[300][301][302]
Lynch called the first locally televised game at Olympia for the originalWWJ-TV in 1949.[305] He remained with the organization for 63 years, serving as director of publicity from 1975 to 1982, and was thepublic address announcer from 1982 until his death in 2012.[305] From 2008 to 2012, a second PA announcer was added to work alongside him, first John Fossen, then Erich Freiny.[309][310] Freiny took over as the sole PA announcer following Lynch's death.[310]
This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Detroit Red Wings. For the full season-by-season history, seeList of Detroit Red Wings seasons.
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, OTL = Overtime losses, ROW = Regulation + OT wins, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
The Detroit Red Wings acknowledge an affiliation with many inductees to theHockey Hall of Fame, including 68 former players and 12 builders of the sport.[311] The 12 individuals recognized as builders by the Hall of Fame include former Red Wings executives, general managers, head coaches, and owners. In addition to players and builders, several broadcasters have been awarded theFoster Hewitt Memorial Award from the Hockey Hall of Fame.Budd Lynch, a radio play-by-play announcer, was the first Red Wings broadcaster to be awarded the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award. Lynch also served as Detroit's public address announcer from 1985 until his death in 2012. In addition to Lynch,Bruce Martyn,Mickey Redmond, andDave Strader have also won the award.[306][311]
The Red Wings haveretired eight numbers. The first number the Red Wings retired was No. 9 in 1972 in honor of Gordie Howe, who played right wing for the team from 1946 to 1971.[316] Howe won both theArt Ross Trophy and theHart Memorial Trophy six times each and won the Stanley Cup as a Red Wing four times.[319] In 2007, the Red Wings retired Steve Yzerman's No. 19.[158] During Yzerman's career, he won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, the Conn Smythe Trophy, theFrank J. Selke Trophy, theLester Patrick Trophy, and theTed Lindsay Award.[320] Yzerman served as Detroit's captain for 19 seasons, an NHL record, and won the Stanley Cup three times as a player with the Red Wings.[158][320][321] The most recent retired number isRed Kelly's No. 4, which was retired on February 1, 2019.[313] During Kelly's 13-year career with the Red Wings, he won four Stanley Cups, theLady Byng Memorial Trophy three times, and theJames Norris Memorial Trophy once.[322] The franchise will retireSergei Fedorov's No. 91 on January 12, 2026.[323] During his 13-year career with the Red Wings, Fedorov won theFrank J. Selke Trophy twice, theHart Memorial Trophy andTed Lindsay Award once, and the Stanley Cup three times.
The Red Wings have also made the number 6 ofLarry Aurie and the number 16 ofVladimir Konstantinov no longer available for issue. However, the numbers are not considered to be officially retired.[324] Although Aurie's number was retired in 1938 by James E. Norris, current team owners do not consider the number to be retired.[325] Konstantinov's number has not been issued to any player since he was permanently disabled in a vehicle accident after the1997 Stanley Cup Final.[326] Number 99 is also unavailable as it was retired by the league in honor of Wayne Gretzky.[327]
These players rank in the top ten in franchise history in scoring as of the end of the 2024–25 season.[329] Figures are updated after each completed NHL season.
* – current Red Wings player
Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game
These goaltenders rank in the top ten in franchise history for wins as of the end of the 2024–25 season.[330][331] Figures are updated after each completed NHL season. There is a four-way tie for ninth place in postseason wins, resulting in 12 players listed in that table.
* – current Red Wings player
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OT = Overtime losses; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average
^abInductee only played for the Red Wings, and was not a team executive or a member of the coaching staff. Despite their induction in the builders category, the team continues to acknowledge an affiliation with the Hall of Fame member.
^The banner features the captain "C" to honor his 20 years as team captain with the Red Wings.
^Regner, Art (December 9, 2022).""Ask Art": Red Wings Mailbag".DetroitRedWings.com. NHL Enterprises, L.P.Archived from the original on November 14, 2023. RetrievedNovember 14, 2023.Plus, the next alternate jersey will embrace the history, tradition, and the red and white colors, which the franchise has always worn since 1926.
^"Red Wings to wear uniform patch to honor Gordie Howe".NHL.com. NHL Enterprises, L.P. September 27, 2016.Archived from the original on February 16, 2017. RetrievedNovember 28, 2022.They will wear a white "9" patch on their red home jerseys and a red "9" patch on their white road jerseys.
^Rasmussen, Clark (September 30, 2009)."Red Wings End Preseason with 6-2 Win over Farjestad". DetroitHockey.Net.Archived from the original on December 23, 2019. RetrievedDecember 23, 2009.The Red Wings were involved in the NHL's first foray into Europe, visiting Paris and London alongside the Montreal Canadiens in 1938. The two teams played nine games with the Wings going 3-5-1 in the series.
^"1956-57 NHL Leaders".Hockey-Reference.com.Archived from the original on September 9, 2017. RetrievedSeptember 9, 2017.
^Mullen, Liz (January 23, 2017)."The making of a union".SportsBusiness Journal.Archived from the original on September 9, 2017. RetrievedSeptember 8, 2017.
^"Hasek Traded to Red Wings".Los Angeles Times. Associated Press. July 1, 2001.Archived from the original on September 21, 2020. RetrievedSeptember 15, 2017.
^Crowe, Jeff (October 20, 2001)."Robitaille Is Feeling Lucky".Los Angeles Times.Archived from the original on September 20, 2020. RetrievedSeptember 15, 2017.
^White, Lonnie (June 14, 2002)."Bowman Goes Out on Top".Los Angeles Times.Archived from the original on September 21, 2020. RetrievedSeptember 15, 2017.
^Khan, Ansar (March 22, 2018)."Detroit Red Wings lose finale against N.Y. Islanders, 4-3, in overtime".MLive.Archived from the original on August 27, 2019. RetrievedApril 17, 2018.The Red Wings hadn't missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons since they failed to qualify five years in a row from 1979-83. It is the first time they have missed two years in a row under the Ilitch ownership.
^abBeam, Todd; Kujawa, Kyle; DiFilippo, Alex; Barnowski, Nick, eds. (2016). "Hall of Fame Detroit Red Wings".Detroit Red Wings 2016–17 Media Guide(PDF). Detroit Red Wings. p. 218.Archived(PDF) from the original on May 9, 2018. RetrievedMay 8, 2018.
UPSL: Alianza FC •Detroit City FC II • Detroit Metro FC •Detroit United • Drita SC • DUKA FC • FC Olimpik Macomb • Hamtramck City FC • Intra United SC
MWPL: Cedars FC • Detroit Badgers FC • FC Pontiac • Inter Detroit FC • Legends FC •Liquid Football • Michigan Jaguars FC •Michigan Stars U23 • Troy United FC
2025–26 Detroit Red Wings season
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