Detroit Red Wings facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Detroit Red Wings |
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|---|---|
| Conference | Eastern |
| Division | Atlantic |
| Founded | 1926 |
| History | Detroit Cougars 1926–1930 Detroit Falcons 1930–1932 Detroit Red Wings 1932–present |
| Home arena | Little Caesars Arena |
| City | Detroit, Michigan |
 |
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| Colors | Red, white |
| Media | FanDuel Sports Network Detroit 97.1 The Ticket |
| Owner(s) | Ilitch Holdings |
| General manager | Steve Yzerman |
| Head coach | Derek Lalonde |
| Captain | Dylan Larkin |
| Minor league affiliates | Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL) Toledo Walleye (ECHL) |
| Stanley Cups | 11 (1935–36, 1936–37, 1942–43, 1949–50, 1951–52, 1953–54, 1954–55, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2007–08) |
| Conference championships | 6 (1994–95, 1996–97, 1997–98, 2001–02, 2007–08, 2008–09) |
| Presidents' Trophies | 6 (1994–95, 1995–96, 2001–02, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2007–08) |
| Division championships | 19 (1933–34, 1935–36, 1936–37, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1991–92, 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96, 1998–99, 2000–01, 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11) |
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team from Detroit. People often call them the Wings. They play in the National Hockey League (NHL) as part of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The Red Wings are one of the league's Original Six teams, meaning they are one of the oldest teams in the NHL.
The team started in 1926 as the Detroit Cougars. They changed their name to the Detroit Falcons in 1930. Finally, in 1932, they became the Detroit Red Wings.
The Red Wings have won the most Stanley Cup championships (11) of any NHL team based in the United States. Only the Montreal Canadiens (24) and Toronto Maple Leafs (13) have won more overall. The Wings played their home games at Joe Louis Arena from 1979 to 2017. Before that, they played for 52 years at Olympia Stadium. Since the 2017–18 season, they play at Little Caesars Arena. The Red Wings are very popular and successful. Fans and sports reporters often call the Detroit area "Hockeytown". The team has owned this trademark since 1996.
From the 1931–32 to the 1965–66 seasons, the Red Wings almost always made the playoffs. They had a tough time from 1966–67 to 1982–83, only reaching the playoffs twice. But then, from 1983–84 to 2015–16, they made the playoffs 30 times in 32 seasons! This included a streak of 25 straight playoff appearances from 1990–91 to 2015–16. This was the longest active streak in North American professional sports in 2006. Since 1983–84, the Red Wings have won the Presidents' Trophy (for the best regular season record) six times. They also won the Stanley Cup four times during this period: 1997, 1998, 2002, and 2008.
Contents
- Team History: The Red Wings' Journey
- Team Information
- Broadcasters
- Recent Season Records
- Players and Honors
- See also
Team History: The Red Wings' Journey
Starting Out: Cougars to Red Wings (1926–1949)
In 1926, the NHL decided to add new teams. Five different groups wanted a team in Detroit. The league approved a team for the Townsend-Seyburn group. This new Detroit team bought the players from the Victoria Cougars, a team that had won the Stanley Cup in 1925. To honor them, the new Detroit team also called themselves the Cougars.
Since Detroit didn't have an arena ready, the Cougars played their first season in Windsor, Ontario. For the 1927–28 season, they moved into the new Detroit Olympia. This arena was their home until 1979. This was also the first season for Jack Adams as coach. He would be a key person for the team for 36 years as either coach or general manager.
The Cougars made the playoffs for the first time in 1929. They lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs. In 1930, the Cougars changed their name to the Falcons. But they still struggled, often finishing near the bottom of the standings. They did make the playoffs again in 1932.
In 1932, a businessman named James E. Norris bought the Falcons. Norris had been part of a sports club in Montreal that had a "winged-wheel" symbol. He thought a red version of this logo would be perfect for a team in "Motor City" (Detroit). So, on October 5, 1932, the team was renamed the Detroit Red Wings. Norris also kept coach Jack Adams. Adams led the Red Wings to their first playoff series win against the Montreal Maroons. They then lost in the semi-finals to the New York Rangers.
In 1934, the Red Wings reached the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time. They lost to the Chicago Blackhawks. Two seasons later, in 1936, the Red Wings won their first Stanley Cup, beating Toronto. Detroit won the Stanley Cup again in 1937, defeating the Rangers. In 1938, the Red Wings and the Montreal Canadiens became the first NHL teams to play games in Europe.
The Red Wings reached the Stanley Cup Finals three years in a row in the early 1940s. They lost in 1941 and 1942. But in 1943, Detroit won their third Stanley Cup by sweeping the Boston Bruins. For the rest of the 1940s, the team made the playoffs every year and reached the Finals three more times.
In 1946, one of hockey's greatest players, Gordie Howe, joined the Red Wings. He didn't score much in his first season, but he would become a superstar. This was also the last season for Jack Adams as head coach. He focused on being the general manager, and Tommy Ivan became the new coach. By his second season, Howe played with Sid Abel and Ted Lindsay. They formed one of the best lines in NHL history, called the "Production Line". Lindsay's 33 goals helped the Red Wings reach the Stanley Cup Finals, where they lost to the Maple Leafs. Detroit reached the Finals again the next season, but lost to Toronto again.
The Gordie Howe Era (1950–1966)
In the 1950 Stanley Cup semi-finals, Leo Reise Jr. scored the winning goal in overtime against the Maple Leafs. In the Finals, the Red Wings beat the New York Rangers in seven games. Pete Babando scored the winning goal in double overtime of Game 7. After the game, Lindsay skated around the ice with the Stanley Cup.
After losing in the 1951 semi-finals, Detroit won its fifth Stanley Cup in 1952. They swept both the Maple Leafs and the Canadiens. The "Production Line" of Howe, Abel, and Lindsay, along with new goalie Terry Sawchuk, were amazing. Detroit became the first team in 17 years to go undefeated in the playoffs. They scored 24 playoff goals, while Toronto and Montreal combined for only 5. After this, Abel left for Chicago. Alex Delvecchio took his place. In December 1952, James E. Norris passed away. His daughter, Marguerite Norris, became the first woman to lead an NHL team.
After another playoff loss in 1953, the Red Wings won two Stanley Cups in a row, beating their rivals, the Montreal Canadiens. Both Finals went to seven games. In the 1954 Stanley Cup Finals, Tony Leswick scored a strange winning goal in Game 7. The next season, 1955, all seven games were won by the home team, with Detroit winning Game 7. Montreal was missing their star, Maurice Richard, who was suspended. The Red Wings' stars carried their team. Lindsay scored four goals in one game, and Howe scored 20 points in the playoffs, setting new league records.
The 1954–55 season ended a streak of seven straight regular season titles, an NHL record. In 1955, Marguerite Norris was replaced by her younger brother Bruce. Detroit and Montreal met again in the 1956 Stanley Cup Finals, but this time the Canadiens won. In 1957, Lindsay helped start the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA). Because of this, he and goalie Glenn Hall were traded to Chicago.
In 1959, the Red Wings missed the playoffs for the first time in 21 years. But they soon got better. The Red Wings reached the Finals in four of the next six years between 1961 and 1966. However, they didn't win the Cup during this time.
Tough Times: The "Dead Wings" Era (1967–1982)
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Just one year after making the Finals, the Red Wings finished far out of the playoffs. This started a long period of struggle that lasted almost 20 years, known as the "Dead Wings" era.
One reason for the decline was the end of the old player development system. Another factor was Ned Harkness, who became coach in 1970. He tried to make the veteran Red Wings team play his way, which they didn't like. Harkness resigned in 1974.
During the 1967–68 expansion season, the Red Wings got star player Frank Mahovlich from Toronto. Mahovlich played with Howe and Delvecchio. In 1968–69, he scored a career-high 49 goals. However, Mahovlich was traded in 1971, and Howe retired the same year. The Red Wings faced many challenges throughout the 1970s.
On December 27, 1979, during the 1979–80 season, the Red Wings started playing at the Joe Louis Arena. In 1982, after 50 years of family ownership, Mike Ilitch, who founded the pizza chain Little Caesars, bought the Red Wings.
The Steve Yzerman Era (1983–2006)
In 1983, the Red Wings drafted Steve Yzerman. He was a center from the Peterborough Petes. He led the team in scoring in his first year. That season, with Yzerman and other key players, Detroit made the playoffs for the first time in six years. This was also the year the Red Wings added Bob Probert, a tough player who was a familiar face for the team in the 1980s and 1990s.
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In the 1986–87 season, Yzerman became the captain. With new coach Jacques Demers, the Red Wings won a playoff series for only the second time in a long time. They reached the conference finals but lost to the powerful Edmonton Oilers. In 1988, they won their first division title in 23 years. They made it to the conference finals again but lost to the Oilers.
In 1989, Yzerman scored a career-best 65 goals. But Detroit lost in the first round of the playoffs. The next season, Yzerman scored 62 goals, but the team missed the playoffs.
After that season, Demers was fired. Bryan Murray became the new coach. The team returned to the playoffs. Yzerman was joined by Sergei Fedorov, who would become an award-winning star. In 1991, the team signed Ray Sheppard. In 1993, the Red Wings got top defenseman Paul Coffey. Other important players drafted around this time included Vladimir Konstantinov, Nicklas Lidstrom, Vyacheslav Kozlov, Darren McCarty, and Chris Osgood.
The Russian Five and Back-to-Back Stanley Cups (1994–1998)
In 1993, former Montreal Canadiens coach Scotty Bowman became the new head coach. In his second season, the lockout-shortened 1994–95 NHL season, Bowman led Detroit to their first Finals appearance in 29 years. But they were swept by the New Jersey Devils.
During the 1995–96 season, the Red Wings won an NHL record 62 games. However, they lost in the Western Conference finals to the Colorado Avalanche.
The next season, the Red Wings added Brendan Shanahan and Larry Murphy. In the playoffs, they beat the St. Louis Blues, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, and the Avalanche. In the Finals, the Red Wings swept the Philadelphia Flyers. This was their first Stanley Cup since 1955, ending a 42-year drought. Goalie Mike Vernon won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
Six days after their championship, something sad happened. Defenseman Vladimir Konstantinov, one of the "Russian Five" players, was in a car accident and suffered a serious brain injury. His career ended suddenly. The team dedicated the 1997–98 season to him. The Red Wings won the Stanley Cup again, sweeping the Washington Capitals. Konstantinov was brought onto the ice in his wheelchair so he could touch the Cup.
More Success with Superstar Players (1999–2006)
The next season, the Red Wings seemed ready to win a third straight Stanley Cup. They added three-time Norris Trophy winner Chris Chelios in March 1999. They also got defenseman Ulf Samuelsson, winger Wendel Clark, and goalie Bill Ranford. Despite high hopes, Detroit lost to Colorado in the Western Conference semi-finals. In 2000, the Red Wings finished second in their division. But they lost to the Avalanche again in the Western Conference semi-finals.
In 2001, Detroit, the NHL's second-best team, was upset in the playoffs by the Los Angeles Kings. During the off-season, the team acquired goalie Dominik Hasek (who had won the Vezina Trophy) and forwards Luc Robitaille and Brett Hull. Russian player Pavel Datsyuk also joined. With these new players, the Red Wings had the best record in the 2001–02 regular season. They beat Colorado in seven games in the Western Conference finals. The Red Wings then won another Stanley Cup, beating the Carolina Hurricanes in five games. Nicklas Lidstrom won the Conn Smythe Trophy. Both Bowman and Hasek retired after this season.
For the next season, Dave Lewis became the head coach. The Red Wings signed goalie Curtis Joseph and added new player Henrik Zetterberg. The Red Wings finished second in the Western Conference. But they were shocked when the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim swept them in four games in the 2003 playoffs.
In the off-season, Fedorov left for the Mighty Ducks. Hasek decided to come out of retirement and rejoin the Red Wings for the 2003–04 season. Joseph spent some time in the minor leagues, and Hasek was injured. Still, the Red Wings finished first in their division and the NHL. They beat the Nashville Predators in the first round of the 2004 playoffs. Then they faced the Calgary Flames. The Red Wings lost Game 5 at home and were eliminated in Game 6. The Red Wings did not play in the 2004–05 season because the entire NHL season was cancelled due to a lockout.
On July 15, 2005, Mike Babcock became the new head coach. On November 21, 2005, defenseman Jiri Fischer collapsed during a game due to a heart issue. The game was cancelled and replayed later. The Red Wings won the Presidents' Trophy with a great record, earning home ice advantage for the playoffs. But in the 2006 playoffs, they lost to the Edmonton Oilers in six games.
During the off-season, Brendan Shanahan left. Dominik Hasek returned, and Steve Yzerman retired. Yzerman was the longest-serving team captain in NHL history.
The "Euro-Twins" Era (2006–2017)
The Red Wings started the 2006–07 season with Nicklas Lidstrom as the new captain. The team retired Yzerman's jersey number 19 on January 2, 2007. The Red Wings finished first in the Western Conference. Detroit reached the third round of the 2007 playoffs after beating Calgary and the San Jose Sharks. But they lost to the Anaheim Ducks in six games.
To start the 2007–08 season, Zetterberg set a club record by getting at least one point in the first 17 games. The Wings easily made the playoffs. Goalie Dominik Hasek struggled in Games 3 and 4 against the Nashville Predators, so coach Mike Babcock replaced him with Chris Osgood. Osgood played the rest of the playoffs. The Red Wings won that series, then swept the Colorado Avalanche. They reached the Stanley Cup Finals after beating the Dallas Stars. The Red Wings won the Stanley Cup against the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 6 on June 4, 2008. This was their fourth Stanley Cup in 11 years and their 11th overall. Zetterberg scored the winning goal and was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner. It was the first time a team with a non-North American captain (Lidstrom) won the Stanley Cup.
On July 2, 2008, the Red Wings signed Marian Hossa. On January 1, 2009, the Red Wings played the Chicago Blackhawks in the second 2009 NHL Winter Classic at Chicago's Wrigley Field, winning 6–4. The Wings became the first team in NHL history to get over 100 points in nine straight seasons. In the playoffs, they swept the Columbus Blue Jackets, then beat the Anaheim Ducks in a tough seven-game series. They then beat the Chicago Blackhawks in five games. The Red Wings faced the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Finals again, but this time the Penguins won in seven games. The Red Wings became only the second NHL team to lose the Stanley Cup at home in Game 7.
The Red Wings started the 2009–10 NHL season in Stockholm, losing both games to the St. Louis Blues. They had many injuries throughout the season. The beginning of the season was hard for the Red Wings, with key players like Zetterberg and Tomas Holmstrom out. After the Olympic break, Detroit played very well and earned the fifth playoff spot. This was the first time in ten seasons the Red Wings didn't have home ice advantage in a playoff series. Detroit won their first-round playoff series against the Phoenix Coyotes in seven games. But they lost to the San Jose Sharks in five games in the second round.
A healthier Red Wings team finished the 2010–11 NHL season with 104 points, winning the Central Division title. They swept the Phoenix Coyotes in the first round of the playoffs. Then they faced the Sharks again. After losing the first three games, the Red Wings won three straight games to force a Game 7. They were only the eighth team in NHL history to do this. But the Red Wings lost Game 7 to the Sharks 3–2 and were eliminated.
During the 2011 off-season, defenseman Brian Rafalski retired. Detroit signed defenseman Ian White. Long-time Red Wings Chris Osgood and Kris Draper also retired and took jobs with the team. Goalie Ty Conklin joined the team again. A sad event happened when a plane crash killed former Red Wings assistant coach Brad McCrimmon and defenseman Ruslan Salei, who had joined a KHL team. Stefan Liv, a former Red Wings goalie prospect, also died. The Red Wings added a patch to their uniforms with the players' initials.
During the season, the Red Wings won an NHL-record 23 consecutive home games. The Red Wings also made the NHL playoffs, extending their streak to 21 straight appearances. They lost to the Nashville Predators in five games in the first round. On May 31, 2012, Nicklas Lidstrom retired.
Zetterberg was named the new team captain. On July 1, 2012, the Red Wings signed forward Damien Brunner, forward Jordin Tootoo, and goalie Jonas Gustavsson.
The team won their last four games of the 2012–13 season to earn a playoff spot. Their 3–0 win over the Dallas Stars on April 27, 2013, kept their streak of 22 consecutive playoff appearances alive. In the 2013 playoffs, the Red Wings faced the Anaheim Ducks. They won a tough series 4–3 after a Game 7 victory. The next round, they played the top-seeded Chicago Blackhawks. Even though the Red Wings led the series 3–1, they lost to the Blackhawks in seven games.
On July 5, 2013, the Red Wings signed long-time Ottawa Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson and Florida Panther Stephen Weiss. In the 2013–14 season, the Red Wings moved to the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. This meant they played more games against teams in their time zone. On April 9, 2014, the Red Wings made their 23rd consecutive playoff appearance. They lost to the Boston Bruins in the first round.
On April 9, 2015, the Red Wings made their 24th consecutive playoff appearance. They were eliminated in the first round by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Goalie Petr Mrazek became the starter. Mike Babcock, whose contract ended, left the Red Wings to coach the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jeff Blashill, coach of the Red Wings' minor league team, became his replacement on June 9.
On April 9, 2016, the Red Wings barely made the playoffs for their 25th season in a row. They lost in the first round to the Lightning again, this time in five games.
During the off-season, Datsyuk decided to return to Russia. On February 10, 2017, team owner Mike Ilitch passed away. The Red Wings' amazing playoff streak ended after 25 seasons in the 2016–17 season. The Red Wings won their last game at Joe Louis Arena 4–1 on April 9, 2017, against the New Jersey Devils.
New Arena and Rebuilding (2017–Present)
The Red Wings played their first regular season game at Little Caesars Arena on October 5, 2017, winning 4–2 against the Minnesota Wild. The Red Wings missed the playoffs for the second season in a row, which hadn't happened since the early 1980s. They missed the playoffs for a third straight season in 2018–19.
On April 19, 2019, the Red Wings announced that Steve Yzerman returned to the team as general manager. On February 21, 2020, the Red Wings were the first team to be out of playoff contention before the trade deadline. On March 10, 2020, the Red Wings had the worst record in the NHL for the first time since 1985–86. On March 12, the 2019–20 season was stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Red Wings did not qualify for the playoffs. With only 17 wins, it was their fewest wins since the 1985–86 season.
Dylan Larkin was named the Red Wings captain on January 13, 2021, taking over from Henrik Zetterberg. On April 26, the Red Wings were out of playoff contention for the fifth season in a row. They finished the 2021–22 season missing the playoffs for the sixth straight season. On April 30, 2022, Jeff Blashill was fired as head coach. They then hired Derek Lalonde on June 30, 2022. During the 2022–23 season, the Red Wings re-signed Dylan Larkin to a long contract. They missed the playoffs for the seventh season in a row. The Red Wings finished the 2023–24 season with a better record, but they were eliminated from playoff contention for the eighth consecutive season on April 16, 2024.
Team Information
Logo and Uniforms
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The Red Wings' jerseys have mostly stayed the same since the 1930s. They are either white or red with red or white stripes. The main changes were replacing the word Detroit with the "winged wheel" logo in 1932. Also, the players' names changed to vertical arched letters in 1983. The Red Wings wear vertical arched letters in the regular season and playoffs. But they use straight nameplates during the preseason.
The Hockey News magazine said the Red Wings' "winged wheel" logo was the second best in the league in 2008. The Red Wings, like all NHL teams, updated their jerseys for the 2007–08 season. They kept their design very close to the original.
When Adidas became the uniform maker in 2017–18, the Red Wings kept the same basic look.
The Red Wings have rarely used different logos or uniforms, even when it became popular in the 1990s. The only times were for special games. For example, in the 1991–92 season for the league's 75th anniversary, and a game on January 27, 1994. Those jerseys were like what the team (then the Detroit Cougars) wore in 1927–28. These throwback jerseys were mostly white with red stripes and "Detroit" written across the chest.
The Red Wings wore special "retro" jerseys for the 2009 NHL Winter Classic in Chicago. These jerseys were based on the Detroit Cougars' uniforms from their first season in 1926–27. They were white with a red stripe and a unique white Old English D on the chest. They also wore these jerseys for their last home game in 2009. The Red Wings used another alternate jersey for the 2014 NHL Winter Classic against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Red Wings wore a special one-time jersey for their Stadium Series game in Denver on February 27, 2016. This jersey was mostly red with a thick white stripe across the front. It had a red stylized D as the crest. The words "Red Wings" were on the collar, and "EST. 1926" was inside the back of the collar. These jerseys had the current Red Wings logo on the left shoulder. The names and numbers were larger so fans in the stadium could see them better.
On September 27, 2016, the Red Wings showed a uniform patch to honor Gordie Howe, who passed away on June 10, 2016. The patch showed Howe's jersey number 9. The team wore it on their jerseys for all 82 games of the 2016–17 season.
The Red Wings wore a special jersey for the NHL Centennial Classic in Toronto on January 1, 2017. It was a white jersey with four stripes on the arms, three red and one silver. The silver stripe had the years the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup. The logo and numbers had silver outlines.
For the 2020–21 season, the Red Wings wore "Reverse Retro" alternate jerseys. These had a white base and sleeves, inspired by the Original Six era road uniforms. Silver stripes replaced red stripes to celebrate the team's 11 Stanley Cup championships. A second "Reverse Retro" uniform came out in 2022–23. It used the 1991–92 throwback design but with a red base and black stripes.
In August 2017, the Red Wings' logo got attention when a group used a changed version of it. The Red Wings said they did not approve of this and would take legal action.
On February 29, 2024, the Red Wings announced their first jersey patch advertisement with Priority, a local company.
Fan Traditions
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The "Legend of the Octopus" is a special tradition during Detroit Red Wings playoff games. Fans throw an octopus onto the ice for good luck. During the playoffs, Joe Louis Arena often had a huge octopus with red eyes, nicknamed "Al".
The octopus throwing started in the 1952 playoffs. A local fish market owner, Peter Cusimano, threw one onto the ice. The eight legs of the octopus stood for the eight wins it took to win the Stanley Cup back then. The Red Wings went on to win the Stanley Cup that year. The NHL has tried to stop this tradition at times, but it still continues.
Al Sobotka, the former ice manager, was in charge of removing the octopuses from the ice. When the Red Wings played at Joe Louis Arena, he was known for swinging the tossed octopuses over his head. In 2008, the NHL told the Red Wings to stop this, saying it could lead to a fine. They said pieces flew off the octopus when he swung it. This rule was later changed to allow the octopus twirling near the Zamboni entrance.
During the last minute or two of games that the Red Wings are winning, especially during the playoffs, fans often sing along to Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'." The song plays over the arena speakers, then it's muted while the crowd sings "Born and raised in South Detroit," and then the song plays again.
Broadcasters
The Red Wings' main radio station is WXYT-FM 97.1. If there's a conflict with Detroit Tigers baseball or Detroit Lions football, games are on WWJ 950. There are also other stations in Michigan and Southwestern Ontario.
FanDuel Sports Network Detroit has the exclusive local television rights for the Red Wings.
Announcers:
- Ken Daniels: Television play-by-play announcer.
- Mickey Redmond: Television color commentator (home games and some away games).
- Chris Osgood: Television color commentator (some away games) and studio analyst.
- Larry Murphy: Studio analyst and television color commentator (some away games).
- Danny DeKeyser: Studio analyst.
- John Keating: Television pre-game and post-game host.
- Trevor Thompson: Television pre-game and post-game host and reporter.
- Natalie Kerwin: Digital reporter.
- Ken Kal: Radio play-by-play announcer.
- Paul Woods: Radio analyst.
- Daniella Bruce: Alternate radio analyst.
- Jeff Riger: Primary radio intermission and post-game host.
Honored Broadcasters
Four people from the Red Wings organization have received the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award:
- Budd Lynch: TV and radio play-by-play and color – 1949–1975 (awarded 1985)
- Bruce Martyn: Radio play-by-play – 1964–1995 (awarded 1991)
- Mickey Redmond: TV color commentary – 1979–1981, 1986–present (awarded 2011)
- Dave Strader: TV play-by-play – 1985–1996 (awarded 2017)
Lynch called the first local TV game at Olympia in 1949. He stayed with the team for 63 years. He was the public address announcer from 1982 until he passed away in 2012.
Recent Season Records
This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Detroit Red Wings. For the full history, see List of Detroit Red Wings seasons.
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against, Finish = Division Rank, Playoffs = Playoff Result
| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | GF | GA | Finish | Playoffs |
| 2019–20 | 71 | 17 | 49 | 5 | 39 | 145 | 267 | 8th, Atlantic | Did not qualify |
| 2020–21 | 56 | 19 | 27 | 10 | 48 | 127 | 171 | 7th, Central | Did not qualify |
| 2021–22 | 82 | 32 | 40 | 10 | 74 | 230 | 312 | 6th, Atlantic | Did not qualify |
| 2022–23 | 82 | 35 | 37 | 10 | 80 | 240 | 279 | 7th, Atlantic | Did not qualify |
| 2023–24 | 82 | 41 | 32 | 9 | 91 | 278 | 274 | 5th, Atlantic | Did not qualify |
Players and Honors
Current Team Roster
Updated December 28, 2022
| # | Nat | Player | Pos | S/G | Age | Acquired | Birthplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 52 |  |
Jonatan Berggren | LW | L | 24 | 2018 | Uppsala, Sweden |
| 59 |  |
Tyler Bertuzzi  |
LW | L | 30 | 2013 | Sudbury, Ontario |
| 8 | |
Ben Chiarot | D | L | 34 | 2022 | Hamilton, Ontario |
| 18 |  |
Andrew Copp | C | L | 30 | 2022 | Ann Arbor, Michigan |
| 73 | |
Adam Erne | LW | L | 30 | 2019 | New Haven, Connecticut |
| 14 | |
Robby Fabbri |
C | L | 29 | 2019 | Mississauga, Ontario |
| 38 | |
Robert Hagg |
D | L | 30 | 2022 | Uppsala, Sweden |
| 45 | |
Magnus Hellberg | G | L | 34 | 2022 | Uppsala, Sweden |
| 17 |  |
Filip Hronek | D | R | 27 | 2016 | Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic |
| 35 |  |
Ville Husso | G | R | 30 | 2022 | Helsinki, Finland |
| 81 | |
Dominik Kubalik | LW | L | 29 | 2022 | Plzen, Czech Republic |
| 71 | |
Dylan Larkin (C) | C | L | 28 | 2014 | Waterford, Michigan |
| 28 | |
Gustav Lindstrom | D | R | 26 | 2017 | Ostervala, Sweden |
| 22 | |
Matt Luff |
RW | R | 28 | 2022 | Oakville, Ontario |
| 2 | |
Olli Maatta | D | L | 30 | 2022 | Jyvaskyla, Finland |
| 39 | |
Alex Nedeljkovic | G | L | 29 | 2021 | Parma, Ohio |
| 82 | |
Jordan Oesterle | D | L | 32 | 2021 | Dearborn Heights, Michigan |
| 57 | |
David Perron | LW | R | 37 | 2022 | Sherbrooke, Quebec |
| 43 | |
Mark Pysyk |
D | R | 33 | 2022 | Sherwood Park, Alberta |
| 27 | |
Michael Rasmussen | C | L | 26 | 2017 | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| 23 | |
Lucas Raymond | LW | R | 23 | 2020 | Gothenburg, Sweden |
| 53 |  |
Moritz Seider | D | R | 24 | 2019 | Zell, Germany |
| 85 | |
Elmer Söderblom | LW | L | 23 | 2019 | Gothenburg, Sweden |
| 70 | |
Oskar Sundqvist | C | R | 31 | 2022 | Boden, Sweden |
| 24 |  |
Pius Suter | C | L | 29 | 2021 | Zurich, Switzerland |
| 90 | |
Joe Veleno | C | L | 25 | 2018 | Montreal, Quebec |
| 96 | |
Jake Walman | D | L | 29 | 2022 | Toronto, Ontario |
| 11 | |
Filip Zadina |
RW | L | 25 | 2018 | Pardubice, Czech Republic |
Hockey Hall of Fame Members
Many people connected to the Detroit Red Wings are in the Hockey Hall of Fame. This includes 68 former players and 12 "builders" of the sport. Builders are people like executives, general managers, coaches, and owners. Also, several broadcasters have won the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award. Budd Lynch, a radio announcer, was the first Red Wings broadcaster to win this award.
Players
- Sid Abel
- Daniel Alfredsson
- Al Arbour
- Marty Barry
- Andy Bathgate
- Leo Boivin
- John Bucyk
- Chris Chelios
- Dino Ciccarelli
- Paul Coffey
- Charlie Conacher
- Roy Conacher
- Alec Connell
- Pavel Datsyuk
- Alex Delvecchio
- Marcel Dionne
- Bernie Federko
- Sergei Fedorov
- Viacheslav Fetisov
- Frank Foyston
- Frank Fredrickson
- Bill Gadsby
- Eddie Giacomin
- Ebbie Goodfellow
- Glenn Hall
- Doug Harvey
- Dominik Hasek
- George Hay
- Hap Holmes
- Marian Hossa
- Gordie Howe
- Mark Howe
- Syd Howe
- Brett Hull
- Duke Keats
- Red Kelly
- Brian Kilrea
- Igor Larionov
- Herbie Lewis
- Nicklas Lidstrom
- Ted Lindsay
- Harry Lumley
- Frank Mahovlich
- Mike Modano
- Larry Murphy
- Vaclav Nedomansky
- Reg Noble
- Adam Oates
- Brad Park
- Bud Poile
- Marcel Pronovost
- Bill Quackenbush
- Luc Robitaille
- Borje Salming
- Terry Sawchuk
- Earl Siebert
- Brendan Shanahan
- Darryl Sittler
- Jack Stewart
- Tiny Thompson
- Norm Ullman
- Rogie Vachon
- Mike Vernon
- Carl Voss
- Jack Walker
- Harry Watson
- Cooney Weiland
- Steve Yzerman
Builders
- Jack Adams
- Keith Allen
- Scotty Bowman
- Murray Costello
- Jim Devellano
- Ken Holland
- Mike Ilitch
- Tommy Ivan
- Bruce Norris
- James D. Norris
- James E. Norris
- John Ziegler Jr.
Retired Numbers
| No. | Player | Position | Career | Number Retirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Terry Sawchuk | G | 1949–1955 1957–1964 1968–1969 |
March 6, 1994 |
| 4 | Red Kelly | D | 1947–1960 | February 1, 2019 |
| 5 | Nicklas Lidstrom | D | 1991–2012 | March 6, 2014 |
| 7 | Ted Lindsay | LW | 1944–1957 1964–1965 |
November 10, 1991 |
| 9 | Gordie Howe | RW | 1946–1971 | March 12, 1972 |
| 10 | Alex Delvecchio | C | 1950–1974 | November 10, 1991 |
| 12 | Sid Abel | C | 1938–1943 1945–1952 |
April 29, 1995 |
| 19 | Steve Yzerman | C | 1983–2006 | January 2, 2007 |
The Red Wings have retired eight numbers. The first number retired was No. 9 in 1972 for Gordie Howe. He played right wing for the team from 1946 to 1971. Howe won many awards and four Stanley Cups with the Red Wings. In 2007, the Red Wings retired Steve Yzerman's No. 19. Yzerman was Detroit's captain for 19 seasons, an NHL record. He won three Stanley Cups as a player. The most recent retired number is Red Kelly's No. 4, retired on February 1, 2019. Kelly won four Stanley Cups and several awards during his 13 years with the Red Wings.
The Red Wings also don't use number 6 for Larry Aurie and number 16 for Vladimir Konstantinov. These numbers are not officially retired, but no player has worn them since. Number 99 is also unavailable because the league retired it for Wayne Gretzky.
Team Captains
Here are all the players who have been team captain for the Detroit franchise.
- Art Duncan, 1926–1927
- Reg Noble, 1927–1930
- George Hay, 1930–1931
- Carson Cooper, 1931–1932
- Larry Aurie, 1932–1933
- Herbie Lewis, 1933–1934
- Ebbie Goodfellow, 1934–1935, 1938–1941
- Doug Young, 1935–1938
- Ebbie Goodfellow and Syd Howe, 1941–1942
- Sid Abel, 1942–1943
- Mud Bruneteau and Flash Hollett, 1943–1944
- Flash Hollett, 1944–1945
- Flash Hollett and Sid Abel, 1945–1946
- Sid Abel, 1946–1952
- Ted Lindsay, 1952–1956
- Red Kelly, 1956–1958
- Gordie Howe, 1958–1962
- Alex Delvecchio, 1962–1973
- Alex Delvecchio, Nick Libett, Red Berenson, Gary Bergman, Ted Harris, Mickey Redmond, and Larry Johnston, 1973–1974
- Marcel Dionne, 1974–1975
- Danny Grant and Terry Harper, 1975–1976
- Danny Grant and Dennis Polonich, 1976–1977
- Dan Maloney and Dennis Hextall, 1977–1978
- Dennis Hextall, Nick Libett, and Paul Woods, 1978–1979
- Dale McCourt, 1979–1980
- Errol Thompson and Reed Larson, 1980–1981
- Reed Larson, 1981–1982
- Danny Gare, 1982–1986
- Steve Yzerman, 1986–2006
- Nicklas Lidstrom, 2006–2012
- Henrik Zetterberg, 2013–2018
- Dylan Larkin, 2021–present
First-Round Draft Picks
- 1963: Peter Mahovlich (2nd overall)
- 1964: Claude Gauthier (1st overall)
- 1965: George Forgie (3rd overall)
- 1966: Steve Atkinson (6th overall)
- 1967: Ron Barkwell (9th overall)
- 1968: Steve Andrascik (11th overall)
- 1969: Jim Rutherford (10th overall)
- 1970: Serge Lajeunesse (12th overall)
- 1971: Marcel Dionne (2nd overall)
- 1973: Terry Richardson (11th overall)
- 1974: Bill Lochead (9th overall)
- 1975: Rick Lapointe (5th overall)
- 1976: Fred Williams (4th overall)
- 1977: Dale McCourt (1st overall)
- 1978: Willie Huber (9th overall)
- 1979: Mike Foligno (3rd overall)
- 1980: Mike Blaisdell (11th overall)
- 1982: Murray Craven (17th overall)
- 1983: Steve Yzerman (4th overall)
- 1984: Shawn Burr (7th overall)
- 1985: Brent Fedyk (8th overall)
- 1986: Joe Murphy (1st overall)
- 1987: Yves Racine (11th overall)
- 1988: Kory Kocur (17th overall)
- 1989: Mike Sillinger (11th overall)
- 1990: Keith Primeau (3rd overall)
- 1991: Martin Lapointe (10th overall)
- 1992: Curtis Bowen (22nd overall)
- 1993: Anders Eriksson (22nd overall)
- 1994: Yan Golubovsky (23rd overall)
- 1995: Maxim Kuznetsov (26th overall)
- 1996: Jesse Wallin (26th overall)
- 1998: Jiri Fischer (25th overall)
- 2000: Niklas Kronwall (29th overall)
- 2005: Jakub Kindl (19th overall)
- 2007: Brendan Smith (27th overall)
- 2008: Thomas McCollum (30th overall)
- 2010: Riley Sheahan (21st overall)
- 2013: Anthony Mantha (20th overall)
- 2014: Dylan Larkin (15th overall)
- 2015: Evgeny Svechnikov (19th overall)
- 2016: Dennis Cholowski (20th overall)
- 2017: Michael Rasmussen (9th overall)
- 2018: Filip Zadina (6th overall)
- 2018: Joe Veleno (30th overall)
- 2019: Moritz Seider (6th overall)
- 2020: Lucas Raymond (4th overall)
- 2021: Simon Edvinsson (6th overall)
- 2021: Sebastian Cossa (15th overall)
- 2022: Marco Kasper (8th overall)
- 2023: Nate Danielson (9th overall)
- 2023: Axel Sandin Pellikka (17th overall)
- 2024: Michael Brandsegg-Nygard (15th overall)
Franchise Leaders
All-Time Leading Scorers
These players are in the top ten for points in Red Wings history as of the end of the 2022–23 season.
- * – current Red Wings player
Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game
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All-Time Leading Goaltenders
These players are in the top ten for wins in Red Wings history as of the end of the 2018−19 season.
- * – current Red Wings player
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; OT = Overtime losses; SO = Shutouts; GAA = Goals against average
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Franchise Individual Records
- Most goals in a season: 65, Steve Yzerman (1988–89)
- Most assists in a season: 90, Steve Yzerman (1988–89)
- Most points in a season: 155, Steve Yzerman (1988–89)
- Most penalty minutes in a season: 398, Bob Probert (1987–88)
- Most points in a season by a defenseman: 80, Nicklas Lidstrom (2005–06)
- Most points in a season by a rookie: 87, Steve Yzerman (1983–84)
- Most wins in a season by a goalie: 44, Terry Sawchuk (1950–51 and 1951–52)
- Most shutouts in a season by a goalie: 12, Terry Sawchuk (1951–52, 1953–54, and 1954–55) and Glenn Hall (1955–56)
- Most shutouts in a single postseason: 6, Dominik Hasek (2002)
- Longest home win streak in NHL history: 23 games (November 5, 2011, to February 19, 2012)
- Most wins in a season in NHL history: 62 (1995–96)
See also
In Spanish: Detroit Red Wings para niños
- The Grind Line
- List of NHL players
- List of NHL seasons
- List of Stanley Cup champions
