History of Detroit Red Wings in Timeline
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, competing in the NHL's Eastern Conference, Atlantic Division. Founded in 1926, they are an Original Six franchise. Initially named the Detroit Cougars, they were briefly known as the Detroit Falcons before becoming the Red Wings in 1932.
1925: Purchase of Victoria Cougars Players
In 1926, the new Detroit franchise purchased the players of the WHL's Victoria Cougars, who had won the Stanley Cup in 1925, to play for the team.
1926: NHL Approves Detroit Franchise
In 1926, after the Stanley Cup playoffs, the NHL approved a franchise for Detroit, with Charles A. Hughes named as governor.
1927: Move to Detroit Olympia and Start of Jack Adams Era
In 1927, the Detroit Cougars moved into the new Detroit Olympia, and Jack Adams began his long tenure as coach or general manager.
1929: First Stanley Cup Playoffs Appearance
In 1929, the Detroit Cougars made their first appearance in the Stanley Cup playoffs, but were defeated by the Toronto Maple Leafs.
1930: Team Renamed Detroit Falcons
In 1930, the Detroit Cougars were renamed the Detroit Falcons, a change that lasted for two seasons before the team adopted its current name.
1930: Cougars Renamed Falcons
In 1930, the Detroit Cougars were renamed the Detroit Falcons.
October 5, 1932: Team Renamed Red Wings
On October 5, 1932, James E. Norris renamed the Detroit Falcons to the Detroit Red Wings, drawing inspiration from the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association's winged-wheel emblem.
1932: Team Renamed Detroit Red Wings
In 1932, the Detroit Falcons were renamed the Detroit Red Wings, the name by which the team is known today.
1932: The "winged wheel" logo replaces the word "Detroit" on jerseys
In 1932, the Detroit Red Wings replaced the word "Detroit" with the "winged wheel" logo on their jerseys.
1934: First Stanley Cup Finals Appearance
In 1934, the Detroit Red Wings made their first appearance in the Stanley Cup Finals, but were defeated by the Chicago Black Hawks.
1936: First Stanley Cup Win
In 1936, the Detroit Red Wings won their first Stanley Cup, defeating Toronto in four games.
1937: Second Stanley Cup Win
In 1937, the Detroit Red Wings won their second consecutive Stanley Cup, defeating the New York Rangers in five games.
1938: Larry Aurie's number retired (unofficially)
In 1938, James E. Norris retired Larry Aurie's number 6; however, current team owners do not consider the number to be officially retired.
1938: First NHL Teams to Play in Europe
In 1938, the Montreal Canadiens and the Detroit Red Wings became the first NHL teams to play in Europe, with the Red Wings playing nine games against the Canadiens in Paris and London.
1941: Stanley Cup Finals Appearance
In 1941, the Detroit Red Wings made it to the Stanley Cup Finals but were swept by the Boston Bruins.
1942: Stanley Cup Finals Loss
In 1942, the Detroit Red Wings lost a seven-game series to the Toronto Maple Leafs after winning the first three games.
1943: Third Stanley Cup Win
In 1943, the Detroit Red Wings won their third Stanley Cup by sweeping the Boston Bruins.
1946: Gordie Howe joins the Red Wings
In 1946, Gordie Howe began his career with the Detroit Red Wings, playing right wing for the team.
1949: First Televised Game
In 1949, Lynch called the first locally televised game at Olympia for the original WWJ-TV.
1950: Stanley Cup Win
In 1950, the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup, defeating the New York Rangers in seven games.
1951: Playoff Upset
In 1951, the Montreal Canadiens upset the Detroit Red Wings in the semi-finals.
December 1952: Marguerite Norris Becomes Team President
In December 1952, James E. Norris died and was succeeded as team president by his daughter, Marguerite, making her the first woman to head an NHL franchise.
1952: Start of the octopus throw
In 1952, Peter Cusimano, a fish market owner, initiated the tradition of throwing an octopus onto the ice during Red Wings playoff games. The eight legs symbolized the number of wins needed to win the Stanley Cup at that time. The Red Wings went on to win the Stanley Cup that year.
1953: Playoff Upset by Bruins
In 1953, the Detroit Red Wings faced another playoff upset, this time at the hands of the Boston Bruins.
1954: Stanley Cup Win
In 1954, the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup, beating the rival powerhouse Montreal Canadiens in seven games. Tony Leswick scored one of the oddest cup-winning goals ever.
1954: End of Regular Season Title Streak
The 1954–55 season ended a run of seven straight regular season titles, an NHL record.
1955: Marguerite Norris Forced to Turnover Red Wings
During the 1955 off-season, Marguerite Norris lost an intra-family power struggle, and was forced to turn over the Red Wings to her younger brother Bruce.
1955: Red Wings win Stanley Cup
The Red Wings swept the Philadelphia Flyers to win the Stanley Cup in 1955. Mike Vernon was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy.
1956: Stanley Cup Finals Loss to Canadiens
In 1956, the Detroit Red Wings met the Montreal Canadiens in the Stanley Cup Finals, but this time the Canadiens won, marking their first of five consecutive Stanley Cups.
1959: Playoff Miss
In 1959, the Detroit Red Wings missed the playoffs for the first time in 21 years.
1965: End of consistent playoff appearances
Between 1931-32 and 1965-66 seasons, The Red Wings consistently made the playoffs, missing only four times.
1966: Playoff Drought Begins
In 1966, the Red Wings began a period of struggles, making the playoffs only twice between the 1966-67 and 1982-83 seasons.
1967: Acquisition of Frank Mahovlich
During the expansion season of 1967–68, the Red Wings acquired Frank Mahovlich.
1968: Mahovlich's Career-High
In 1968–69, Frank Mahovlich scored a career-high 49 goals.
1971: Mahovlich Traded and Howe Retires
In 1971, Frank Mahovlich was traded to Montreal, and Gordie Howe announced his retirement.
1971: Gordie Howe's last season with the Red Wings
The 1971 season was Gordie Howe's last playing with the Detroit Red Wings.
1972: Gordie Howe's number retired
In 1972, the Red Wings retired No. 9 in honor of Gordie Howe, who played right wing for the team from 1946 to 1971.
1974: Harkness Resigns
In 1974, Ned Harkness was forced to resign, ending the period colloquially referred to as "Darkness with Harkness".
1975: Lynch becomes Director of Publicity
In 1975, Lynch became the director of publicity for the Detroit Red Wings, a position he held until 1982.
December 15, 1979: Last Game at Detroit Olympia
On December 15, 1979, the Detroit Red Wings played their last game at the Detroit Olympia, their home rink since 1927.
December 27, 1979: First Game at Joe Louis Arena
On December 27, 1979, the Detroit Red Wings officially began playing at the Joe Louis Arena.
1979: Move to Joe Louis Arena
In 1979, the Detroit Red Wings moved into Joe Louis Arena, which became their home arena until 2017.
1982: Ilitch Acquires the Team
In 1982, Bruce Norris sold the Detroit Red Wings to Mike Ilitch, founder of the Little Caesars pizza chain.
1982: Lynch becomes Public Address Announcer
In 1982, Lynch became the public address announcer for the Detroit Red Wings, a role he continued until his death in 2012.
1982: End of Playoff Drought
In 1982, the Red Wings' struggles came to an end, and they began a streak of consistent playoff appearances from 1983-84 to 2015-16.
1983: Yzerman Drafted
In 1983, the Detroit Red Wings drafted Steve Yzerman.
1983: Vertical arch lettering introduced for player names
In 1983, the Detroit Red Wings introduced vertical arch lettering for players' names on their jerseys and block letters.
1983: Playoff Streak Begins
In 1983, the Red Wings began a streak of consistent playoff appearances, making the playoffs 30 times in 32 seasons from 1983-84 to 2015-16.
1985: Park Coaches Red Wings
In 1985, Brad Park began coaching the Red Wings after Harry Neale was fired.
1985: Lynch becomes public address announcer
In 1985, Budd Lynch began serving as Detroit's public address announcer, a role he held until his death in 2012.
June 3, 1986: Brad Park Fired as Coach
On June 3, 1986, Brad Park was fired as coach of the Red Wings after they finished last place in the league.
1986: Yzerman becomes captain; Red Wings reach conference finals
In 1986, following Danny Gare's departure, Steve Yzerman became the captain. The Red Wings, bolstered by new players and head coach Jacques Demers, won a playoff series for only the second time in the modern era and reached the conference finals, eventually losing to the Edmonton Oilers.
1988: Red Wings win division title, lose in conference finals again
In 1988, the Detroit Red Wings won their first division title in 23 years within a weak division. They again reached the conference finals, only to lose to the Edmonton Oilers, who went on to win the Stanley Cup.
1989: Yzerman scores career-best 65 goals, Detroit upset in first round
In 1989, Steve Yzerman achieved a career-best of 65 goals; however, the Detroit Red Wings were upset in the first round of the playoffs by the Chicago Blackhawks.
1990: Start of Longest Playoff Streak
In 1990, the Red Wings started their longest playoff streak in team history, going to the playoffs every year until 2015-2016.
1991: Red Wings wear alternate logos and uniforms for the league's 75th anniversary
During the 1991-92 season, the Detroit Red Wings used alternate logos and uniforms for select games commemorating the league's 75th anniversary
1991: Sergei Fedorov joins the team; Ray Sheppard signed as free agent
In 1991, Sergei Fedorov joined the Detroit Red Wings. Also, Ray Sheppard signed as a free agent.
1993: Scotty Bowman hired as new head coach
In 1993, Scotty Bowman, former coach of the Montreal Canadiens, was hired as the new head coach for the Detroit Red Wings.
1993: Paul Coffey joins the Red Wings
In 1993, top defenseman Paul Coffey was acquired by the Red Wings.
1994: Red Wings reach the Finals, get swept by New Jersey Devils
In the 1994 season, Coach Scotty Bowman guided Detroit to its first Finals appearance in 29 years, where they were swept by the New Jersey Devils.
1995: Red Wings win NHL record 62 games, fall to Avalanche in conference finals
During the 1995 season, the Detroit Red Wings won a then NHL record of 62 games. After defeating the St. Louis Blues, they lost in the conference finals to the Colorado Avalanche.
1996: "Hockeytown" Trademarked
In 1996, the Detroit Red Wings registered the trademark for "Hockeytown", a moniker that reflects the area's strong hockey culture and the team's popularity.
1997: Konstantinov's accident after Stanley Cup Finals
After the 1997 Stanley Cup Finals, Vladimir Konstantinov was permanently disabled in a vehicle accident, and his number 16 has not been issued to any player since.
1997: Konstantinov suffers brain injury
In 1997, six days after winning the Stanley Cup, Vladimir Konstantinov suffered a brain injury in a limousine accident, ending his career.
1997: Stanley Cup Win
In 1997, the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup, marking their first championship since 1955.
1998: Stanley Cup Win
In 1998, the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup, marking their second consecutive championship.
March 1999: Red Wings acquire Chris Chelios
In March 1999, the Red Wings acquired Chris Chelios from the Chicago Blackhawks, also acquiring Ulf Samuelsson, Wendel Clark, and Bill Ranford at the trade deadline.
2000: Red Wings lose to Avalanche in Western Conference semi-finals
In 2000, the Red Wings finished second in the Central Division but lost to the Avalanche in the Western Conference semi-finals.
2001: Red Wings upset by Los Angeles Kings in playoffs
In 2001, the Detroit Red Wings, who were the NHL's second-best team in the regular season, were upset in the playoffs by the Los Angeles Kings.
2002: Dave Lewis promoted to head coach; Curtis Joseph signed.
In 2002, Dave Lewis was promoted to head coach after Bowman's retirement, and Curtis Joseph was signed to a three-year deal. Also, Henrik Zetterberg joined the lineup.
2002: Stanley Cup Win
In 2002, the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup, marking their third championship since 1997.
2003: Fedorov signs with Mighty Ducks; Hasek returns.
In 2003, Fedorov signed with the Mighty Ducks as a free agent, and Hasek came out of retirement to rejoin the Red Wings.
2003: Red Wings swept by Mighty Ducks in playoffs
In the 2003 playoffs, the Red Wings finished the season second in the Western Conference, but were swept in four games by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.
2004: Red Wings eliminated by Calgary Flames in playoffs
In 2004, the Red Wings finished atop the Central Division and the NHL standings but were eliminated by the Calgary Flames in the second round of the playoffs.
2004: Season Cancellation
The 2004-05 NHL season was cancelled and is not included in the statistics.
July 15, 2005: Mike Babcock becomes new head coach
On July 15, 2005, Mike Babcock, former head coach in Anaheim, became the new head coach for the Detroit Red Wings.
November 21, 2005: Jiri Fischer collapses on bench during game
On November 21, 2005, defenseman Jiri Fischer went into cardiac arrest and collapsed on the bench during a game against the Nashville Predators, leading to the game being canceled.
January 23, 2006: Rescheduled game after Fischer's injury
On January 23, 2006, the game postponed due to Jiri Fischer's injury was made up. The Predators maintained their 1–0 lead from the original game and won 3–2. This was the first time in NHL history a game had been postponed due to an injury.
2006: Longest Active Streak
In 2006, the Detroit Red Wings became the team with the longest active streak of postseason appearances in all of North American professional sports.
2006: Red Wings win Presidents' Trophy, lose to Oilers in playoffs
In 2006, the Red Wings won the Presidents' Trophy and secured home ice advantage for the entire playoffs. However, they lost to the Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the playoffs.
January 2, 2007: Yzerman's jersey number retired
On January 2, 2007, the Red Wings retired Steve Yzerman's jersey number 19.
2007: Red Wings reach conference finals, lose to Ducks
In 2007, the Detroit Red Wings finished first in the Western Conference and tied for first in the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres, but the Sabres were awarded the Presidents' Trophy. Detroit reached the conference finals but lost to the Anaheim Ducks.
2007: Red Wings update jerseys to the new Rbk Edge standard
In 2007, the Detroit Red Wings updated their jerseys to the new Rbk Edge standard for the 2007–08 NHL season, keeping the design close to the original with minor exceptions.
2007: Steve Yzerman's number retired
In 2007, the Red Wings retired Steve Yzerman's No. 19. Yzerman won several trophies and served as Detroit's captain for 19 seasons.
April 19, 2008: NHL bans octopus twirling
On April 19, 2008, the NHL sent a memo to the Red Wings forbidding the twirling of octopuses by Sobotka, who was responsible for removing them from the ice, above his head due to matter flying off and getting on the ice, and stated that violations would result in a $10,000 fine. The responsibility was shifted to the linesmen.
June 4, 2008: Red Wings win Stanley Cup against Pittsburgh Penguins
On June 4, 2008, the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Henrik Zetterberg was named the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy.
July 2, 2008: Marian Hossa signs with the Red Wings
On July 2, 2008, the Red Wings announced the signing of Marian Hossa.
2008: Second PA Announcer Added
In 2008, a second PA announcer, John Fossen, was added to work alongside Lynch.
2008: Stanley Cup Win
In 2008, the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup, marking their fourth championship since 1997.
January 1, 2009: Red Wings defeat Blackhawks in NHL Winter Classic
On January 1, 2009, the Red Wings defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 6–4 in the second NHL Winter Classic at Chicago's Wrigley Field.
2009: Return to Europe
In 2009, the Detroit Red Wings returned to Europe to play in Sweden against the St. Louis Blues, marking their first time playing in Europe since 1938.
2009: Red Wings lose both games to the St. Louis Blues
The Red Wings began the 2009 season in Stockholm, losing both games to the St. Louis Blues 4–3 and 5–3, respectively.
2010: Red Wings win Central Division title, lose to Sharks in playoffs
The Red Wings finished the 2010 season with a 47–25–10 record to win the Central Division title, then lost to the Sharks in round two of the playoffs.
2011: Rafalski, Osgood, and Draper retire; Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash
During the 2011 off-season, Brian Rafalski, Chris Osgood, and Kris Draper retired from the Red Wings. The Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash killed Brad McCrimmon, Ruslan Salei, and Stefan Liv.
May 31, 2012: Nicklas Lidstrom retires
On May 31, 2012, Nicklas Lidstrom retired from the Detroit Red Wings.
July 1, 2012: Red Wings sign Brunner, Tootoo, and Gustavsson
On July 1, 2012, the Detroit Red Wings signed Swiss forward Damien Brunner to a one-year, entry-level contract; forward Jordin Tootoo to a three-year, $5.7 million contract; and goaltender Jonas Gustavsson to a two-year, $3 million deal.
2012: Death of Budd Lynch
In 2012, Budd Lynch passed away, and Erich Freiny took over as the sole PA announcer.
April 27, 2013: Red Wings defeat Dallas Stars to preserve playoff streak
On April 27, 2013, the Detroit Red Wings defeated the Dallas Stars with a 3–0 victory, preserving their streak of 22 consecutive playoff appearances.
July 5, 2013: Red Wings sign Alfredsson and Weiss
On July 5, 2013, the Detroit Red Wings signed Daniel Alfredsson, long time captain of the Ottawa Senators, to a one-year contract and Stephen Weiss, long time Florida Panther, to a five-year contract.
April 9, 2014: Red Wings clinch 23rd consecutive playoff appearance
On April 9, 2014, the Detroit Red Wings clinched their 23rd consecutive playoff appearance.
2014: Red Wings use throwback jerseys for the 2014 Winter Classic
For the 2014 Winter Classic against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Michigan Stadium, The Detroit Red Wings used an alternate jersey mimicking throwback jerseys .
April 9, 2015: Red Wings clinch 24th consecutive playoff appearance
On April 9, 2015, the Detroit Red Wings clinched their 24th consecutive playoff appearance, extending their streak.
2015: End of Playoff Streak
In 2015, the Red Wings' streak of 25 consecutive playoff appearances came to an end.
February 27, 2016: Red Wings wear specially designed jersey for Stadium Series game
On February 27, 2016, the Detroit Red Wings wore a specially designed one-time-only jersey for their Stadium Series game in Denver against the Colorado Avalanche. The jersey featured a thick diagonal white stripe and a stylized red D.
April 9, 2016: Red Wings narrowly make playoffs
On April 9, 2016, despite losing to the New York Rangers, the Ottawa Senators' victory allowed the Detroit Red Wings to narrowly make the playoffs, extending their streak to a 25th season.
June 10, 2016: Death of Gordie Howe
Gordie Howe, a legend in the Detroit Red Wings' history, passed away on June 10, 2016.
September 27, 2016: Red Wings unveil uniform patch to honor Gordie Howe
On September 27, 2016, the Detroit Red Wings unveiled a uniform patch to honor Gordie Howe, who died on June 10, 2016. The patch, depicting Howe's jersey number 9, was worn for all 82 regular season games during the 2016–17 season.
January 1, 2017: Red Wings wear special jersey for Centennial Classic
On January 1, 2017, the Detroit Red Wings wore a specially designed one-time-only white jersey for the Centennial Classic in Toronto against the Toronto Maple Leafs. The jersey featured stripes and silver outlines, with years of Stanley Cup wins.
February 10, 2017: Death of Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch
On February 10, 2017, Mike Ilitch, the owner of the Detroit Red Wings, passed away.
April 9, 2017: Red Wings win final game at Joe Louis Arena
On April 9, 2017, the Detroit Red Wings won their last game at Joe Louis Arena, defeating the New Jersey Devils 4-1.
August 2017: Red Wings condemn white supremacist group's usage of modified logo
In August 2017, the Detroit Red Wings condemned a white supremacist group's usage of a modified version of their logo and threatened legal action.
2017: Move to Little Caesars Arena
In 2017, the Detroit Red Wings relocated to Little Caesars Arena, marking a new chapter in the team's history.
February 1, 2019: Red Kelly's number retired
On February 1, 2019, the Red Wings retired Red Kelly's No. 4. Kelly won four Stanley Cups, the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy three times, and the James Norris Memorial Trophy once during his 13-year career with the Red Wings.
April 19, 2019: Steve Yzerman rejoins Red Wings as general manager
On April 19, 2019, Steve Yzerman rejoined the Detroit Red Wings as general manager and executive vice president.
February 21, 2020: Red Wings first team eliminated from playoff contention
On February 21, 2020, the Detroit Red Wings became the first team to be eliminated from playoff contention before the trade deadline since the 2003-04 Pittsburgh Penguins.
March 10, 2020: Red Wings clinch worst overall NHL record
On March 10, 2020, the Detroit Red Wings clinched the worst overall record in the NHL for the first time since the 1985-86 season.
May 26, 2020: NHL season ends for non-qualifying teams including the Red Wings
On May 26, 2020, the NHL announced that the season was over for the seven teams that did not qualify for the 24-team Stanley Cup playoffs, including the Detroit Red Wings, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
January 13, 2021: Dylan Larkin named Red Wings captain
On January 13, 2021, Dylan Larkin was named the captain of the Detroit Red Wings, succeeding Henrik Zetterberg.
April 30, 2022: Jeff Blashill fired as head coach
On April 30, 2022, Jeff Blashill was fired from his position as head coach of the Detroit Red Wings.
June 30, 2022: Derek Lalonde hired as head coach
On June 30, 2022, Derek Lalonde was hired as the head coach for the Detroit Red Wings.
2022: Red Wings unveil second "Reverse Retro" uniform
In the 2022-23 season, the Detroit Red Wings unveiled a second "Reverse Retro" uniform, using the 1991–92 throwback uniform based on the original Cougars' uniforms but with a red base and black stripes.
February 29, 2024: Red Wings announce first jersey patch advertisement with Priority
On February 29, 2024, the Detroit Red Wings announced their first ever jersey patch advertisement with Priority, a local waste management company.
April 16, 2024: Red Wings eliminated from playoff contention via tiebreaker
On April 16, 2024, the Detroit Red Wings were eliminated from playoff contention for the eighth consecutive season following the Washington Capitals' win over the Philadelphia Flyers.
December 26, 2024: Red Wings fire head coach Lalonde and assistant Boughner
On December 26, 2024, the Detroit Red Wings fired head coach Derek Lalonde and assistant head coach Bob Boughner.
2024: Top Ten Franchise Scorers Update
As of the end of the 2024 NHL season, the list of players who rank in the top ten in franchise history in scoring was updated.
2024: Top Ten Goalies Update
As of the end of the 2024 NHL season, the list of the top ten goalies in franchise history for wins was updated.
April 12, 2025: Red Wings eliminated from playoff contention for ninth consecutive season
On April 12, 2025, the Detroit Red Wings were eliminated from playoff contention for the ninth consecutive season.
2025: Red Wings' 2025 Stadium Series uniforms inspired by automotive industry
For the Detroit Red Wings' appearance in the 2025 Stadium Series, they wore white uniforms with a script "Detroit" lettering in red inspired by Detroit's automotive industry and hockey culture.
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