Detroit Red Wings Timeline

(1926 - Present)

The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan, and one of the NHL's 'Original Six' franchises. Founded in 1926 as the Detroit Cougars, later renamed the Falcons, they became the Red Wings in 1932. The team has won 11 Stanley Cup championships, making them one of the most successful American NHL teams, with legendary players like Gordie Howe, Steve Yzerman, and Nicklas Lidstrom defining eras of dominance. More Less

Go to: Timeline | Event List | Key Facts | Directory

Founding and Early Years

Franchise founded as Detroit Cougars

May 15, 1926

The NHL awarded a franchise to Detroit in 1926, with the team beginning play that fall as the Detroit Cougars, playing its first seasons at the Border Cities Arena across the river in Windsor, Ontario.

Olympia Stadium hosts decades of Red Wings hockey

Nov 22, 1927 - Dec 15, 1979

Known as 'The Old Red Barn,' Olympia Stadium served as the Red Wings' home for over 50 years, hosting four Stanley Cup-winning teams and generations of hockey legends before the team moved to Joe Louis Arena.

Image source: Stadium at Olympia

Team renamed Detroit Falcons

Sep 1, 1930

After several losing seasons, the club was rebranded as the Detroit Falcons for the 1930-31 season, though the team continued to struggle on the ice and financially.

James Norris buys team and renames it Red Wings

Sep 1, 1932

Chicago grain merchant James E. Norris purchased the struggling franchise and renamed it the Detroit Red Wings, inspired by his former amateur team, the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association 'Winged Wheelers.' The winged wheel logo became one of hockey's most iconic emblems.

Image source: James E. Norris

Mud Bruneteau scores record-setting overtime goal

Mar 24, 1936

Mud Bruneteau scored at 16:30 of the sixth overtime period against Montreal Maroons goalie Lorne Chabot, ending the longest game in NHL history after nearly three additional hours of play. The record stood until 2020.

Image source: Mud Bruneteau

Red Wings miss playoffs for most of two decades

Oct 1, 1966 - Apr 1, 1983

Following the decline of the Howe-era teams and mismanagement under later ownership, Detroit missed the playoffs in 16 consecutive seasons from 1967 through 1982, earning derisive nicknames like the 'Dead Wings.'

Image source: History of the National Hockey League (1992–2017)

Stanley Cup Victories

Red Wings win their first Stanley Cup

Apr 11, 1936

Led by goaltender Normie Smith, who recorded five shutouts in the playoffs, and star players like Syd Howe and Marty Barry, Detroit defeated Toronto to capture the franchise's first Stanley Cup championship.

Back-to-back Stanley Cup titles

Apr 8, 1937

Detroit repeated as Stanley Cup champions in 1937, defeating the New York Rangers in the final, cementing the newly named Red Wings as an early NHL powerhouse.

Red Wings win third Stanley Cup

Apr 13, 1943

Detroit swept Boston in four games to win the 1943 Stanley Cup, powered by rookie defenseman Bill Quackenbush and veteran stars, giving the franchise its third title.

Red Wings win fourth Stanley Cup

Apr 23, 1950

Pete Babando scored the game-winning goal in double overtime of Game 7 against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, delivering Detroit its fourth Stanley Cup and its first since 1943.

Red Wings win fifth Stanley Cup

Apr 15, 1952

Detroit swept both playoff series, going 8-0 in the postseason behind Sawchuk's four shutouts, defeating Montreal in the final to claim the franchise's fifth Stanley Cup.

Image source: 1951–52 Detroit Red Wings season

Red Wings win sixth Stanley Cup

Apr 14, 1954

Detroit edged Montreal in seven games to win the 1954 Stanley Cup, with the Production Line of Gordie Howe, Ted Lindsay, and Sid Abel powering the offense.

Red Wings win seventh Stanley Cup

Apr 10, 1955

Detroit defeated Montreal in the final for its seventh Stanley Cup and fourth in seven years, completing the most successful stretch in franchise history. It would be the team's last championship for 42 years.

Red Wings end 42-year drought with eighth Stanley Cup

Jun 7, 1997

Detroit swept Philadelphia to win its first Stanley Cup since 1955, ending the longest championship drought among Original Six teams. Captain Steve Yzerman passed the Cup to Vladimir Konstantinov, who had been seriously injured in a limousine accident days earlier.

Red Wings win back-to-back Cups

Jun 16, 1998

Detroit swept Washington to repeat as Stanley Cup champions, with Steve Yzerman winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. Konstantinov was wheeled onto the ice to touch the Cup in one of hockey's most emotional moments.

Red Wings win ninth Stanley Cup

Jun 13, 2002

With a roster loaded with future Hall of Famers including Yzerman, Lidström, Shanahan, Hašek, Brett Hull, Luc Robitaille, and Igor Larionov, Detroit beat Carolina in five games for its ninth Stanley Cup. Scotty Bowman retired afterward.

Image source: 2001–02 Detroit Red Wings season

Red Wings win eleventh Stanley Cup

Jun 4, 2008

Detroit defeated Pittsburgh in six games to capture its eleventh Stanley Cup, the most by any U.S.-based NHL franchise, with Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk leading a skilled, puck-possession style of play.

Image source: 2007–08 Detroit Red Wings season

Legendary Players

Gordie Howe signs with the Red Wings

Oct 1, 1946

A lanky teenager from Floral, Saskatchewan, signed with Detroit and debuted in October 1946. He would become 'Mr. Hockey,' playing 25 seasons with the Red Wings and setting records for goals, assists, and points that stood for decades.

Image source: Gordie Howe

Sawchuk debuts and wins Calder Trophy

Nov 1, 1949 - Apr 1, 1950

Rookie goaltender Terry Sawchuk took over the Detroit net in 1949-50, posting remarkable numbers and winning the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie while backstopping Detroit's 1950 Stanley Cup run.

Image source: Terry Sawchuk

Ted Lindsay wins scoring title and sparks dynasty

Apr 1, 1950

Ted Lindsay, nicknamed 'Terrible Ted' for his ferocious style, won the Art Ross Trophy as NHL scoring champion and helped lead Detroit to the 1950 Stanley Cup, launching an era of Red Wings dominance.

Image source: Ted Lindsay

Howe wins first of six Hart Trophies

Apr 1, 1952

Gordie Howe won the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player for the first time in 1952, the opening act of a run in which he captured six Harts and dominated league scoring throughout the decade.

Ted Lindsay attempts to unionize players

Feb 12, 1957

Lindsay spearheaded efforts to form the NHL Players Association. In retaliation, Red Wings management traded him to Chicago, and the first union attempt collapsed, but Lindsay's actions laid groundwork for future player rights.

Gordie Howe scores 500th career goal

Nov 10, 1963

Howe became the first player in NHL history to reach 500 career goals, scoring against Montreal's Charlie Hodge, further solidifying his status as the game's greatest all-around player.

Modern Era

Steve Yzerman drafted fourth overall

Jun 9, 1983

The Red Wings selected 18-year-old Steve Yzerman with the fourth pick in the 1983 NHL Draft. He became captain at age 21 and led Detroit into its modern era of success over a 22-season Hall of Fame career.

Image source: Steve Yzerman

Scotty Bowman hired as head coach

Jul 15, 1993

Detroit hired Scotty Bowman, the winningest coach in NHL history, who transformed the talented but underachieving roster into a perennial contender using European players and innovative systems.

Image source: Scotty Bowman

Red Wings post record 62-win season

Oct 6, 1995 - Apr 14, 1996

Detroit set an NHL record with 62 regular-season victories in 1995-96, surpassing the previous mark, though the season ended in disappointment with a Western Conference finals loss to Colorado.

Limousine accident injures Konstantinov and Mnatsakanov

Jun 13, 1997

Six days after the championship celebration, star defenseman Vladimir Konstantinov and team massage therapist Sergei Mnatsakanov were critically injured when their limousine crashed. The tragedy united the team and inspired its 1998 title defense.

Red Wings acquire Dominik Hašek

Jul 1, 2001

Detroit traded for Buffalo Sabres star goaltender Dominik Hašek, adding the final piece to a star-laden roster that also featured Brendan Shanahan, Nicklas Lidström, and Sergei Fedorov.

Image source: Dominik Hašek

Nicklas Lidström becomes first European Conn Smythe winner

Jun 12, 2008

After anchoring Detroit's defense for over a decade, Swedish legend Nicklas Lidström won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP during the Red Wings' 2008 championship run, becoming the first European-born player to earn the honor.

Image source: Nicklas Lidström

Red Wings return to Stanley Cup Final in rematch with Pittsburgh

Jun 12, 2009

Detroit reached the Stanley Cup Final for the second straight year but fell to Pittsburgh in seven games, narrowly missing a chance at back-to-back championships.

Playoff streak ends after 25 consecutive seasons

Apr 9, 2017

Detroit missed the postseason for the first time since 1990, snapping the longest active playoff qualification streak in major North American professional sports at 25 consecutive years.

Red Wings move from Joe Louis Arena to Little Caesars Arena

Sep 5, 2017

After nearly four decades at Joe Louis Arena, the Red Wings opened play at Little Caesars Arena, a state-of-the-art downtown Detroit venue shared with the NBA's Pistons.

Image source: Little Caesars Arena

Steve Yzerman returns as general manager

Apr 19, 2019

Franchise icon Steve Yzerman returned to the organization as executive vice president and general manager, tasked with rebuilding the Red Wings into a contender once again.

Key Facts

The franchise was founded in 1926 as the Detroit Cougars, renamed the Detroit Falcons in 1930, and finally became the Red Wings in 1932.
The Red Wings have won 11 Stanley Cup championships, including four between 1997 and 2008.
They are one of the NHL's 'Original Six' teams, along with the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs.
Gordie Howe, known as 'Mr. Hockey,' played for the Red Wings from 1946 to 1971 and is considered one of the greatest players in NHL history.
The team plays its home games at Little Caesars Arena in downtown Detroit, having moved from Joe Louis Arena in 2017.

Source

This Detroit Red Wings timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

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