In 1926, the team currently known as the Detroit Redwings made the first appearance in the National Hockey League. Originally known as the Cougars, the team was also called the Falcons at one point before they were renamed the Redwings by a new owner in memory of a team he had played for earlier in the century.
1932, the year the team became the Redwings, is also the first year they won their first ever playoff series. 1934 marked the first appearance of the Detroit Redwings in the Stanley Cup Finals. The team has won a total of 18 Division Championships, six conference Championships, and 11 Stanley Cups, making them the most successful team in the country and the third most successful in the league. They also currently hold the longest active streak of postseason play with appearances in the last 19 seasons in a row.
Of course professional sports is full of strange and fascinating traditions, one of which is definitely the Detroit Redwings “Legend of the Octopus.” The story is that in 1952, two fans of the team who happened to own a store in Detroit threw an octopus onto the ice, claiming that each of the eight legs symbolized a win that was needed in the playoffs to come out on top. At the time, a team only needed to win two best of seven series. The team won the series that year and since then the eight legged creatures often find their way onto the ice in the postseason games at home.
When they’re not dodging hors d'œuvres on the ice, the team is consistently out in the community giving back to the fans that so loyally support them. The “Heart of Hockeytown” is a foundation created by the team to help area youth and disadvantaged to lead a better life and have a brighter future. They of course are active in youth education and hockey teams, but are also active in the fight against cancer, raising money and hosting events to find a cure.
Since 1979, the home of the Detroit Redwings has been Joe Louis Arena. Also known as “The Joe” and “JLA”, the arena is one of only three in the league without a corporate sponsored name and is also one of the oldest venues in hockey. Despite recent additions to seating in the arena, there has been talk of a new arena for a few years now. Although there are no firm plans as of yet, the Redwings lease is up and they can either try to go the way of having a whole new arena built, or they can sign a new lease which would surely have provisions in it for renovations and remodeling.
Whether they play in the old Joe Louis Arena, or a new one in the future, the Detroit Redwings are sure to remain one of the best loved and most successful teams in the league for quite some time. Between the amazing shows they put on in the arena, and the tremendous help they are in the community, the team is bound to be a fan pleasing sensation for years to come.
2009-10 Detroit Redwings
The defending Central Division and Western Conference Champion Detroit Redwings know that they were just two goals away from their 12th Stanley Cup last season and look to get back to the big game this season with a few new wrinkles. Marian Hossa fulfilled his 1-year deal and left to sign with the Chicago Blackhawks as did Tomas Kopecky.
The team did acquire two former Maple Leafs, (Kris Newbury and Jeremy Williams) as well as Todd Bertuzzi from the Calgary Flames and Doug Janik from the Montreal Canadiens.
In the draft, the Red Wings selected Center Landon Ferraro with the 32nd overall pick in the draft and Tomas Tater with the 60th overall pick.
The Red Wings are currently situated in third place in the Central Division with a 27-19-10 record.
Previous Seasons
Hockey fans will not be surprised if the Redwings finish on top of the Western Conference. Why? Because Detroit has finished there since the 2005/06 season, and this tradition is unlikely to change. The Red Wings are an established club that easily integrates young talent that can get things done on the ice. Tickets for Detroit should be exciting to have this season, as the Redwings will be definitely trying to prove themselves after being eliminated by the Penguins last season – and wanting to have that playoff success and ranking back.
Detroit Red Wings tickets are back at full strength. In Mike Babcock's first season as head coach of the Detroit Red Wings, the team is enjoying an improved record. After Chris Osgood suffered an injury near the beginning of the year, Manny Legace filled the team's goalie position, proving to be a helpful addition. Many fans speculate that this will be captain Steve Yzerman's last season in the National Hockey League, and the team appears ready to win another championship before the veteran retires.
When the NHL first formed in 1926, the Motor City was selected to have one of the first six franchises. The team played as the Cougars, and it was not until a new owner changed the name to the Red Wings when Detroit began to see what has become an expected level of success. While the team struggled during the latter half of the 1960s until the mid-1980s, the team has otherwise enjoyed sustained dominance in league play, winning 10 Stanley Cup Championships and sending numerous players to the Hall of Fame. Included among the Red Wings' best is the legendary right wing Gordie Howe who remains the team's career point leader. While the Red Wings won the league title three times before Howe's entrance to professional hockey, he helped the Red Wings establish their greatest era. With Howe's offensive attack, the Red Wings earned four championship trophies during the 1950s.
After Howe's retirement in 1971, Red Wings hockey tickets began to fall in popularity, and the team only made the playoffs once in a span of 16 years. However, when the team drafted Yzerman in 1983, fans in Detroit began to see the team's resurgence. After considerable improvement, Scotty Bowman assumed the head coaching duties and the team climbed back into the upper echelon of the NHL. Bowman guided the team to their first victory in the Stanley Cup Finals in over 40 years and then continued to lead the team to two more championships. The franchise's 2002 season was especially remarkable. After trading for goalie Dominik Hasek and right wing Brett Hull, the team finished with the best record in the NHL and put an exclamation point on the season with a definitive victory over the Carolina Hurricanes to win the title. After Bowman relinquished the head coaching duties, the team remained a leading force in the league. However, Hasek's retirement left the team without their star goalie, and the Red Wings failed to make the Stanley Cup Finals before the 2005 player lockout. Despite recent troubles in postseason play, fans at Joe Louis Arena believe that their team will return to its powerful form.
Get your Detroit Red Wings tickets and enjoy the ride. With Legace's consistent performance and the recent signing of veteran Chris Chelios, the Red Wings are one of the most competitive teams in the Central Division of the Western Conference. While Yzerman has struggled through injuries during the past two seasons, the NHL's 6th leading career point scorer's experience will surely prove beneficial to the team during 2005 and 2006. After winning the President's Trophy for the league's best regular season record in 2004, the Red Wings hope that this year's success in the regular season can transfer to the playoffs.
