History of the Detroit Red Wings facts for kids
The history of the Detroit Red Wings is all about a professional ice hockey team that started playing in the National Hockey League (NHL) in 1926. The club was first called the Detroit Cougars. They were one of three new teams to join the NHL that year. The team bought the rights to players from another team called the Victoria Cougars. They kept the "Cougars" name for their new Detroit team.
The team had money problems early on. In 1930, they changed their name to the Detroit Falcons. Then, in 1932, a new owner named James E. Norris bought the team. He renamed them the Detroit Red Wings. The Red Wings played their first game on November 18, 1926. They won their first two Stanley Cup championships in 1936 and 1937. The Red Wings have won the Stanley Cup eleven times. This is more than any other American team in NHL history!
The team played its first home games in Windsor, Ontario, at the Border Cities Arena. In 1927, the Detroit Olympia arena opened. This was the team's home until 1979. Then, the Wings moved to Joe Louis Arena, often called "The Joe." They played there until the 2016-17 season. Since the 2017-18 season, the Red Wings have played at Little Caesars Arena.
The team, led by coach and general manager Jack Adams, was very successful in the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. They played in the finals 14 times and won the Stanley Cup seven times. Famous players like Gordie Howe, Ted Lindsay, and Sid Abel (and later Alex Delvecchio) formed a powerful group called the "Production Line." Goaltenders Harry Lumley and Terry Sawchuk also helped the team. From 1948 to 1955, the Wings reached the finals six times. They won the Cup in 1950, 1952, 1954, and 1955.
After Jack Adams left in 1963, the team reached the finals three more times before the NHL expanded in 1967. However, they only made the playoffs twice in the next 16 years. In 1982, Mike Ilitch bought the team. He helped bring the club back to life. He hired Jim Devellano to manage the team. One of Devellano's first big moves was to draft Steve Yzerman in 1983. Yzerman played his entire 22-year NHL career with the Red Wings. He was captain for 19 of those years. He won the Stanley Cup three times as a player and once as a team executive. With Ilitch as owner, the Wings won the Cup in 1997, 1998, 2002, and 2008.
Many Red Wings players and team builders have been honored. Fifty-eight Red Wings players and 14 builders are in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Seven players have had their jersey numbers retired by the club.
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Team Beginnings (1926-1942)
Becoming the Cougars and Falcons
In 1926, the NHL decided to add new teams. Detroit was chosen to get a team. A group of investors bought the 1925 Stanley Cup champion Victoria Cougars team. They named their new NHL team the Detroit Cougars. However, the NHL does not see the Red Wings as a direct continuation of the Victoria team. The Detroit Cougars joined the league on September 25, 1926. This made the NHL have ten teams.
Since their new arena in Detroit wasn't ready, the Cougars played their first season in Windsor, Ontario. Their first game was on November 18, 1926. They lost 2–0 to the Boston Bruins. The Cougars finished their first season with the worst record in the league.
The next year, in 1927, the team moved into the Detroit Olympia. This building became their home arena until 1979. That same year, Jack Adams became the team's coach and general manager. Adams would be a key figure for the team for the next 36 years. The Cougars improved and made the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in 1929. They lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
In 1930, the team changed its name to the Detroit Falcons. They still faced money problems and went into receivership in 1931.
The Red Wings Take Flight (1932-1942)
In 1932, grain merchant James E. Norris bought the team. His first big move was to change the team's name to the Red Wings. He also designed a new logo: a wing coming out of a wheel. This logo is still used today. Norris wanted the logo to connect with Detroit's car industry. He also wanted to honor an old hockey team he played for, the Montreal Hockey Club, which was nicknamed the "Winged Wheelers."
Under the new Red Wings name, the team started to get better. They reached the 1934 Stanley Cup Finals but lost to the Chicago Black Hawks.
In the 1935–36 season, the Red Wings won their first Stanley Cup. They beat the Toronto Maple Leafs. On their way to the finals, they played the longest overtime game in NHL history. It lasted 176 minutes and 30 seconds! Rookie Mud Bruneteau scored the winning goal, giving Detroit a 1–0 win. The very next season, in 1936–37, they won their second straight Stanley Cup. They defeated the New York Rangers.
In 1938, the Wings and the Montreal Canadiens were the first NHL teams to play games in Europe. They visited Paris and London.
The Original Six Era (1942-1967)
Success in the 1940s
The Red Wings reached the Stanley Cup Finals three years in a row in the early 1940s. In 1941, they lost to the Boston Bruins. In 1942, they lost a seven-game series to Toronto. But in 1943, with players like Syd Howe and Mud Bruneteau scoring many goals, Detroit won their third Cup. They swept the Bruins in the finals. The team stayed strong for the rest of the decade, making the playoffs every year.
In 1946, one of hockey's greatest players, Gordie Howe, joined the Red Wings. He was a right-winger from Floral, Saskatchewan. In his first season, he didn't score much, but he would become a superstar later. This was also the last season for coach Jack Adams. He stepped down to focus on being the general manager.
By his second season, Howe played on a line with Sid Abel and Ted Lindsay. They became known as the "Production Line," one of the best lines in NHL history. Lindsay's 33 goals helped the Wings reach the Stanley Cup Finals, where they lost to the Maple Leafs. They reached the Finals again the next season and lost to Toronto again.
The Gordie Howe Years (1950-1966)
The Wings returned to the top in 1950. Pete Babando scored the winning goal in double overtime of Game 7 to beat the Rangers in the Finals. After the game, Lindsay skated around the ice with the Cup. This started a tradition that continues today.
After a playoff loss in 1951, Detroit won its fifth Cup in 1952. They swept both the Leafs and the Canadiens. The Production Line of Howe, Abel, and Lindsay, along with goalie Terry Sawchuk, was amazing. Detroit became the first team in 17 years to go undefeated in the playoffs. After this win, Sid Abel left the Wings, and Alex Delvecchio took his place on the Production Line.
James E. Norris, the owner, passed away in 1952. His daughter, Marguerite Norris, became the team president. She was the first (and only) woman to lead an NHL team.
After another playoff loss in 1953, the Red Wings won back-to-back Stanley Cups. They beat Montreal in 1954 and again in 1955. The 1954–55 season ended a record-setting run of eight straight regular season titles for the Wings.
In 1955, Marguerite Norris gave control of the team to her younger brother, Bruce. Detroit and Montreal met again in the 1956 finals, but this time the Canadiens won.
In 1957, Ted Lindsay helped start the National Hockey League Players' Association (NHLPA). Because of this, he was traded to Chicago. This trade was one of several that hurt the team in the late 1950s. For example, in 1955, Sawchuk was traded away but came back two years later. However, this meant the Wings lost a promising player named Johnny Bucyk to Boston. Bucyk went on to have a Hall of Fame career with the Bruins. In 1959, the Red Wings missed the playoffs for the first time in 21 years.
Within a few years, Detroit got stronger. They made the Finals four times between 1961 and 1966. Even with great players like Howe, Delvecchio, and Sawchuk, the Wings didn't win the Cup during this time. Jack Adams was fired as general manager in 1963. He had been with the team for 36 years, which is the longest for any general manager in NHL history.
The Expansion Era (1967-1993)
The "Dead Wings" Era (1967-1982)
After making the Finals in 1966, the Red Wings had a tough time. They missed the playoffs for almost 20 years. Between 1967 and 1983, Detroit only made the playoffs twice. During this dark period, the team was sometimes called the "Dead Wings."
One reason for the struggles was that the old system for finding young players changed. Also, a new coach named Ned Harkness tried to change how the team played. The veteran players didn't like his strict rules. Harkness left in 1973.
In 1967, the Red Wings got star player Frank Mahovlich from Toronto. He played with Howe and Delvecchio. In 1968–69, Mahovlich scored a career-high 49 goals. However, he was traded in 1970, and Howe retired after the 1970–71 season. Howe later returned to play with his sons in another league. Throughout the 1970s, even with good scorers like Mickey Redmond and Marcel Dionne, the Wings struggled because of weak defense and goaltending.
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The area around the Olympia arena also became unsafe. The city offered the Red Wings a deal to move to a new arena, Joe Louis Arena, on the Detroit River. The Red Wings moved there during the 1979–80 season.
In 1982, after 50 years of family ownership, Bruce Norris sold the Red Wings to Mike Ilitch, the founder of Little Caesars Pizza.
The Yzerman Era Begins (1983-1993)
In 1983, the Wings drafted Steve Yzerman, a center from Cranbrook, British Columbia. He led the team in scoring in his first year. This started the Wings' journey back to the top. That season, Detroit made the playoffs for the first time in six years. Defenseman Brad Park also helped the team and won an award.
In 1987, with Yzerman and new coach Jacques Demers, the Wings won a playoff series for only the second time in many years. They reached the conference finals but lost to the powerful Edmonton Oilers. In 1988, they won their first division title in 23 years. They again reached the conference finals but lost to the Oilers.
In 1989, Yzerman scored a career-best 65 goals. However, Detroit lost in the first round of the playoffs. The next season, Yzerman scored 62 goals, but the team missed the playoffs. Some people wondered if Yzerman should be traded.
Instead, coach Demers was replaced by Bryan Murray. The team returned to the playoffs. Yzerman was joined by Sergei Fedorov, who became a star player in the 1990s. Other important players like Paul Coffey, Slava Kozlov, Darren McCarty, Vladimir Konstantinov, and Nicklas Lidstrom also joined the Red Wings around this time.
The Modern Era (1994-Present)
The Russian Five and Return to Glory (1994-2004)
The rumors about trading Yzerman stopped when Scotty Bowman became coach in 1993. In the 1994–95 season, he led Detroit to its first Finals appearance in 29 years. However, they were swept by the New Jersey Devils.
The Wings kept adding star players. They got Slava Fetisov, Igor Larionov, and goalie Mike Vernon. In 1996, they won an NHL record 62 games. After winning a tough series against the St. Louis Blues, the Wings lost in the Western Conference Finals.
The next year, in 1997, Detroit, with new players like Brendan Shanahan and Larry Murphy, reached the Finals again. They beat the Philadelphia Flyers in four straight games to win the Stanley Cup. It was the Wings' first Stanley Cup since 1955, ending a 42-year drought. Mike Vernon won the award for the best player in the playoffs.
Tragedy struck six days after their championship. Defenseman Vladimir Konstantinov, one of the "Russian Five," suffered a serious brain injury in a car accident. His career ended suddenly. The Red Wings dedicated the 1997–98 season to Konstantinov. They won another Stanley Cup that year, sweeping the Washington Capitals. Yzerman, who won the playoff MVP award, immediately gave the Cup to Konstantinov, who was on the ice in his wheelchair.
The Wings hoped to win a third straight Cup in 1999. They added star defenseman Chris Chelios. But they lost in the playoffs to the Colorado Avalanche.
The Wings and Avalanche had a fierce rivalry during this time. Their games were intense battles. One famous game on March 26, 1997, saw a big brawl. Red Wings player Darren McCarty fought Avalanche player Claude Lemieux to get revenge for a hit from the year before. McCarty scored the winning goal in overtime that night.
In 2001, Detroit lost in the playoffs. The next summer, they got legendary goalie Dominik Hasek. They also signed star players Luc Robitaille and Brett Hull. Rookie center Pavel Datsyuk also joined the team. The Wings were favored to win the Cup in 2002. They had the best record in the league. They beat Colorado in a tough seven-game series. The Red Wings then won another Cup in five games against the Cinderella-story Carolina Hurricanes. Nicklas Lidstrom won the playoff MVP award. Coach Bowman and Hasek retired after this win.
In the 2002–03 season, Dave Lewis became the head coach. The Red Wings signed goalie Curtis Joseph. They also added new player Henrik Zetterberg. The Red Wings finished second in their conference. However, they were surprisingly swept in the first round of the playoffs by the Anaheim Ducks.
In 2003, Dominik Hasek decided to come out of retirement and rejoined the Wings. The Wings also added defenseman Derian Hatcher and forward Ray Whitney. Hasek got injured, and Joseph became the main goalie again. The Wings finished first in the NHL standings. They won their first playoff series but lost to the Calgary Flames in the second round. Steve Yzerman was injured in that series.
In 2004, the Wings focused on keeping their current players. They re-signed Kris Draper and captain Yzerman. They also re-signed Brendan Shanahan. The NHL then had a lockout that canceled the entire 2004–05 season.
The Lidstrom and "Swedish Connection" Era (2005-2012)
In 2005, Mike Babcock became the new head coach. The Red Wings won the Presidents' Trophy in 2006 for having the best record in the league. However, they lost in the first round of the playoffs to the Edmonton Oilers.
After that season, Brendan Shanahan left, and Dominik Hasek returned. Steve Yzerman announced his retirement after 23 seasons with the Wings. He had played the second most games for a single team in history. Yzerman was also the longest-serving team captain in NHL history.
The Red Wings started the 2006–07 season with Nicklas Lidstrom as the new captain. Steve Yzerman's jersey number 19 was retired. The Wings finished first in the Western Conference. They reached the third round of the playoffs but lost to the Anaheim Ducks, who went on to win the Stanley Cup.
To start the 2007–08 season, Henrik Zetterberg set a club record by getting at least one point in the first 16 games. The Wings easily made the playoffs. Goalie Dominik Hasek struggled, so coach Mike Babcock replaced him with Chris Osgood. Osgood, who had returned to the Wings as a backup, played great for the rest of the playoffs. The Red Wings went on to win their 11th Stanley Cup on June 4, 2008. They beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 3–2 in Game 6. This was the Wings' fourth Stanley Cup in 11 years. Zetterberg scored the winning goal and was named the playoff MVP. It was the first time a team captained by a non-North American player (Nicklas Lidstrom) won the Stanley Cup.
In 2008, the Red Wings signed Marian Hossa. In 2009, the Wings became the first team in NHL history to get over 100 points in nine straight seasons. On January 1, 2009, the Red Wings played the Chicago Blackhawks in the NHL Winter Classic at Wrigley Field, winning 6–4. The Wings reached the Stanley Cup Finals again, facing the Pittsburgh Penguins for the second year in a row. But this time, Pittsburgh won in seven games. Detroit became only the second NHL team to lose the Cup at home in Game 7.
The 2009–10 season was tough for the Wings due to many injuries. Key players like Henrik Zetterberg were out. Despite the injuries, they made the playoffs as the fifth seed. They won their first-round series but lost to the San Jose Sharks in the second round.
A healthier Red Wings team won their division in the 2010–11 season. They extended their record for most consecutive playoff appearances to 20 seasons. They swept the Phoenix Coyotes in the first round. In the second round, they faced the San Jose Sharks again. After losing the first three games, the Red Wings won three straight to force a Game 7. They were only the eighth team in NHL history to do this. However, they lost Game 7 to the Sharks.
In 2011, defenseman Brian Rafalski retired. Long-time Red Wings Kris Draper and Chris Osgood also retired and took jobs with the club. The organization faced tragedy when former Red Wings assistant coach Brad McCrimmon and defenseman Ruslan Salei died in a plane crash in Russia. The Red Wings wore a patch on their uniforms with the players' initials.
On February 14, 2012, the Red Wings set an NHL record for most consecutive home wins in a single season with 21 victories. They extended this to 23 straight home wins. The Red Wings also made the playoffs for the 21st straight time. They lost in five games to the Nashville Predators in the first round.
On May 31, 2012, Nicklas Lidstrom retired after 20 seasons and six years as captain. Later, fellow Swedish player Tomas Holmstrom also retired.
The Zetterberg and Datsyuk Era (2013-2017)
Henrik Zetterberg was named the new team captain. In 2012, the Red Wings signed new players like Damien Brunner, Jordin Tootoo, and goalie Jonas Gustavsson.
The team won their last four games of the 2012–13 season to make the playoffs. Their win on April 27, 2013, kept their streak of 22 consecutive playoff appearances alive. This is a record for North American professional sports teams.
As the seventh seed in the 2013 playoffs, the Red Wings faced the Anaheim Ducks. The Wings won the series in seven tough games. The next round, they played the top-seeded Chicago Blackhawks. This series also went seven games. On May 29, the Wings were eliminated in a 2–1 overtime loss in Game 7.
In 2013, the Red Wings signed long-time Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson and Stephen Weiss. In the 2013–14 season, the Red Wings moved to the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. On New Year's Day 2014, the Red Wings hosted the Toronto Maple Leafs for the 2014 NHL Winter Classic at Michigan Stadium. This game set an NHL attendance record with 105,491 fans. The Red Wings made the playoffs for the 23rd straight time but lost in the first round.
On April 9, 2015, the Red Wings clinched their 24th consecutive playoff appearance. This extended the longest streak in major North American sports. However, they lost in the first round to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Head coach Mike Babcock left the Red Wings and became the coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Jeff Blashill, coach of the Red Wings' farm team, was named his replacement.
In the 2015–16 season, the Red Wings extended their playoff streak to 25 seasons. They were eliminated in the first round by the Lightning again.
On February 10, 2017, Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch passed away at age 87.
In the 2016–17 season, the Red Wings missed the playoffs for the first time since the 1989–90 season. This ended their amazing 25-season playoff streak.
On April 9, 2017, the Red Wings beat the New Jersey Devils 4–1 in the final game played at Joe Louis Arena.
Recent Seasons (2017-Present)
The Red Wings played their first regular season game at Little Caesars Arena on October 5, 2017. They won 4–2 against the Minnesota Wild. The Red Wings missed the playoffs for the second season in a row. This was the first time since the early 1980s that the team missed the playoffs in back-to-back years. They missed the playoffs for a third straight season in 2018–19.
On April 19, 2019, the Red Wings announced that Steve Yzerman would return to the team as general manager.
On March 12, 2020, the 2019-2020 NHL season was stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The season was later declared over. This meant the Red Wings missed the playoffs for a fourth straight time. It was also the first time since 1985–86 that the team had the worst record in the league. In the 2020-2021 season, the NHL season was shorter. The Red Wings missed the playoffs for the fifth year in a row. In the 2021-2022 season, the NHL season returned to normal length. The Red Wings missed the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year.
On June 21, 2022, Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider won the Calder Memorial Trophy for being the best rookie player.
On April 30, 2022, general manager Steve Yzerman announced that coach Jeff Blashill's contract would not be extended. On June 30, Yzerman announced that Derek Lalonde would be the new coach.
See also
