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  The greatest hockey team in the nation, and the greatest hockey team of all time is the Detroit Red Wings. They don't call Detroit "Hockey Town" for nothin'.
  Look at all the red in this picture! Picture on the left: parade after winning the Stanley Cup. THE BIRTH OF THE RED WINGS
DETROIT WAS GRANTED an NHL franchise on September 25, 1926. The team was bought by local businessmen who took the Victoria Cougars of the Western Canadian Hockey League and moved them, with the nickname, to the Motor City and established the Detroit Hockey Club Incorporated. For the 1926/27 season, the Cougars played out of the Windsor Arena (more often referred to as the Border Cities Arena) on the Canadian side of the Detroit River. The Arena had been built the previous year for that city's Ontario Hockey Association team and was the largest in the OHA loop with a seating capacity of 6,000, Many of those fans came by boat from Detroit, and the following year, when the NHL arrived, the Arena's seating was increased to 9,000.
The Cougars weren't supposed to play many games in Windsor, but construction delays of their own stadium forced them to play out of the Border Cities Arena for the entirety of their inaugural season. Faithful Detroit fans had to buy their tickets in Detroit, pay an amusement tax at the time of purchase, and then pay a "War Tax" on the Canadian side when traveling to the games!
 The following season, the Cougars finally had a native home - the Olympia on Grand River Avenue. Designed by Charles Howard Crane, this stadium housed the largest indoor skating rink in the United States when it opened in 1927.The Olympia was a monument to construction and the modern age, but the hockey club wasn't very good yet. In 1930, in an attempt to change the team's fortunes, the nickname was changed to Falcons. This had little effect on the team's ability to win, and coupled with the financial toll exacted by the Great Depression, the Club staggered under great losses. On April 28, 1932, the Union Guardian Trust Company filed a notice of default on the mortgage and on July 28, 1933 the Detroit Hockey Club was ordered to pay $776,770. Unable to do so, the mortgage was foreclosed on November 4 and the Trust Company took possession of the team and property.
Later that month, however, James Norris, a grain broker from Chicago, bought the team and renamed it Red Wings after the Winged Wheelers, a team Norris played for in Montreal during his youth. Norris also imported the wheel insignia which he saw was a natural representation of Detroit's place as the center of the nation's automobile industry.
Detroit improved their game 1932 as Jack Adams was hired as GM and coach. Adams was a former star in Vancouver Millionaires and Toronto. In his first season, Detroit finished second in the American Division, sharing the same points as the winner, Boston Bruins. The next season, 1933/34, they won their division and went to the Stanley Cup final, where they lost to Chicago.
 When the season started 1935/36, there were only eight teams left in the league, four in each division. Detroit won their first Stanley Cup this year and they repeated the next year. This was a triumph for Jack Adams and the team in general, led by right wing Larry Aurie. To win in 1936, Detroit had to endure the longest game in the history of professionel hockey. They faced Montreal Maroons as their first opponent in the playoffs. The game could not be decided until the sixth overtime period. Rookie Mud Brûneteau scored the only goal in the game after 176 minutes and 30 seconds. After that the Maroons were beaten and the Red Wings won their next two games before taking on Toronto in the finals.1941/42 there were only six teams left: Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs. The four best teams went to playoff. For 25 years, NHL consisted of these six teams, often called "The Original Six".
The 3rd Stanley Cup came 1942/43, once again with Jack Adams in charge. Defender Jack Stewart led the team this time. Stewart was a tough, hardhitting defender who stopped his opponents by crushing them into the boards. He was known for his ability to pick up the puck and for his passing skills.
 One of those who learned from Stewart was Red Kelly, Detroit's next great defenseman. His name was actually Leonard Kelly but his haircolor gave him the nickname. Kelly was a complete hardhitting, highscoring player with an excellent sense for the game.In 1946/47 a Red Wing that would become one of the most famous players was voted second for the Calder Trophy. Gordie Howe played his first season at the age of 18. He blossomed 1948/49 as Detroit had a star trio in center Sid Abel, left wing Ted Lindsay and right wing Howe. They were called "The Production Line" because of their offensive skills. 1949/50 they were 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the league in scoring (just as "The Kitchener Kids ten years earlier) and they led Detroit to league and Stanley Cup victory.
Red Kelly, Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay was the big names in Detroit's Stanley Cup victories 1950, 1952, 1954 and 1955. Until autumn 1952, Howe and Lindsay still played with Sid Abel in the legendary "Production Line". Howe and Lindsay were number one and two in scoring 1951/52 and 1952/53. Howe won four years in a row at the beginning of the 50's.
 But Howe and Lindsay were hated outside of Detroit. Before the semifinal vs Toronto 1955, both Howe and Lindsay were threatened that they would be shot if they entered the ice and played. They still played and Toronto lost in four straight games. After one of Detroit's wins, Lindsay skated around the rink, aiming his stick at the crowd as if it was a gun.At this time, Jack Adams was still GM and Jimmy Skinner was the new coach. Marty Pavelich and Tony Leswick was one of the main reasons why Detroit won the seventh and final game vs Montreal. They were both defensive forwards and their aggresive forechecking made it difficult for Montreal to create any offense. Alex Delvecchio was also important in the game, scoring two goals.
The Olympia remained unaltered until 1965 when the northeast part of the building was enlarged to allow for 1,800 additional seats. At this time, all 13,000 seats were replaced (at $23 each), a new piping system was installed, new boards were added and a new scoreclock was hoisted above center ice (a few years later, private boxes were also installed). However, the decline of the neighborhood, the ageing of the building, and the need to increase revenues soon made the old red barn obsolete. The Red Wings left the Olympia for the city's new sports palace - the Joe Louis Arena. The last game to be played was an old-timers vs. current Red Wings game (won by the youngsters 6-2) on February 21, 1980. The last goal ever scored at the Olympia's was scored by Gordie Howe.
 The era of the Red Wings was about to pass at the 60's already, although they played four finals during those years. Gordie Howe and Alex Delvecchio were the only players worth mentioning and Detroit couldn't produce new talents. Howe ended his career in Detroit 1971 and Delvecchio 1974.Detroit was a lousy team from the point when Howe quit until Steve Yzerman got his breakthrough 1986/87 and goalie Mike Hanlon shined in net to lead Detroit to become division champions. That year, coach Jacques Demers was voted coach of the year. But the years between 1970-87 are sad years for Red Wing fans. The team really fell apart when incompetent Nick Harkness was hired as coach and GM. His years in Red Wings history was called "Darkness of Harkness". Eventhough he was fired 1974 it would take many years before the club could restore their greatness.
The Red Wings played their first home game at the Joe Louis on December 27, 1979 and the Norris family continued to own the club until June 1982 when Bruce Norris sold the Wings to current owner Mike Ilitch. Not until the early 90's did the club regain their status as a great team. Yzerman was helped by players such as Nicklas Lidstrom, and the russians Sergei Fedorov, Vladimir Konstantinov and Vyacheslav Kozlov. They would be joined later by Viacheslav Fetisov and Igor Larionov.
 Detroit has been favourites for the Stanley Cup the last couple of years. In the shortened season 1994/95 they won the League but was surprizingly swept in the finals by the New Jersey Devils. The followin year they dominated the League and broke the NHL record by winning 62 games. This time they were stopped by Colorado Avalanche in the semifinals. Detroit and Colorado quickly grew a rivalry between them when Claude Lemieux hit Kris Draper in the back, into the boards. Draper had to go through serious facial surgery after the attack.In 1996/97 Detroit had a rather mediocre regular season until they played Colorado at home, March 26. Detroit won the fightfilled game, 6-5. Darren McCarty scored the overtime goal, but not until he had avenged his teammate Draper. Lemieux was bloodied after the game, as was Patrick Roy who was beaten up by goalie Mike Vernon. The game put Detroit on fire and they were unstoppable in the playoffs. They lost only four games, sweeping both Anaheim Mighty Ducks and Philadelphia Flyers to win their first Stanley Cup in 42 years, ending the longest cup drought in NHL. In 1998 they swept Washington Capitals in the finals for their second straight Cup.
AL THE OCTOPUS
There are no better traditions in sports than in the game of hockey. One such tradition is the throwing of octopi onto the ice at Red Wings games. Here is the history...
 The octopus first made it's appearance on April 15, 1952, during the Red Wings' Stanley Cup playoff run. Two Detroit brothers, Pete and Jerry Cusimano, who owned a fishmongers in the Eastern Market, threw one on the ice at Olympia Stadium. Each tentacle of the octopus was symbolic of a win in the playoffs. Back then, the NHL consisted of just the origional six teams, and eight wins (two best-of-seven series) were needed to win the Stanley Cup. The Red Wings swept the series that year, and the Octopus has come to be the good luck charm ever since.
The tradition carried over to Joe Louis Arena on opening night in 1979 when several of the cepholopods found their way onto the ice.
 During the 1995 playoffs, Bob Dubisky and Larry Shotwell, co-workers at a meat and seafood retail company near Detroit, tossed a 38-pound octopus onto the ice during the National Anthem prior to Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. The year after, the duo struck again with a 50-pounder in the Conference Finals. Although the feat received no air time on the nationally broadcast game, the octopus was proudly displayed on the hood of the Zamboni between periods.JOE LOUIS ARENA
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