detroit red wings history
detroit red wings history
After a one-year layoff and a 3-year hiatus from the Stanley Cup Finals, the Detroit Red Wings look to return to unprecedented glory coming into the 2005-06 NHL season. Hockey town should be as loud as a General Motors car plant with the likes of Chris Chelios, Steve Yzerman, and Brendan Shanahan still patrolling the ice at Joe Louis arena in downtown Detroit. The Wings, with Manny Legace guarding the net, add up to something really special happening this year for fans with Red Wings tickets.
Under head coach Scotty Bowman who took over the reigns in the 1993-94 season, the Detroit Red Wings once again became one of the most dominant teams in NHL history. Detroit went to the Stanley Cup Finals 4 times under Bowman, in 1995, 1997, 1998, and 2002, hoisting the Cup three times. The run included 5 conference finals and 8 division championships. During Bowman’s reign as head coach, the Wings never failed to reach the NHL’s postseason.
At the end of the 1996 season, Scotty Bowman received the Jack Adams Award for being named the season’s top coach. In that 1996 season, the Wings posted a franchise best record of 62-13-7, earning 131 points and a trip to the conference finals, where they lost to the Colorado Avalanche. Bowman had the likes of Sergi Federov, Paul Coffey and Nicklas Lindstrom to help support his defensive style of play throughout the years. Federov won the Selke Trophy in 1994 and 1996 as the top defensive forward in the league for those 2 years as well as winning the Hart Trophy in 1994 as the leagues MVP.
Paul Coffey took home the 1995 Norris Trophy as the top defensive player in the league as a member of the Red Wings as did Nicklas Lindstrom for the 2001, 2002, 2003 seasons. Team captain Steve Yzerman has had the helm as team captain since the 1986-87 season, and he lets his play speak for itself, winning the Selke Trophy in 2000 as top defensive forward, and the Conn Smythe in 1998 as the playoff MVP
Scotty Bowman retired after the 2002 season and went out a winner with the Stanley Cup held high over his head. Bowman remained with the Red Wings as a consultant but handed over the reigns of the team to head coach Dave Lewis.
Detroit Red Wings ticket holders will be watching a team with a few grey hairs in 2005-2006, but the Red Wings are good enough to make Joe Louis Arena a great place to visit during NHL hockey season. Robert Lang and Kris Draper make the Wings a tough team in the middle of the ice and the Wings defense is still as rugged as ever with the ageless Chris Chelios, and tough as leather Jiri Fischer providing the backbone. New head coach Mike Babcock will be depending on his veterans to punch the Red Wings ticket to the NHL Playoffs.
