Octopus Thrower
Fansided

Detroit Red Wings: Comparing the Tigers and Red Wings Pt 1

By Nate Francis

facebooktwitterreddit

Octopus Thrower works with Detroit Tigers’ Blog Motor City Bengals on a piece that compares the  two teams of Owner Mike Illitch’s empire: The Detroit Red Wings & Detroit Tigers. Today, Motor City Bengals’ Tom Zahari compares the successes of the Red Wings and Tigers, and how they arrived there differently. You can follow Tom on Twitter @zaharitom7. 

The Detroit Red Wings have been the class of Detroit sports for my entire life. Since their 2006 trip to the World Series, the Detroit Tigers have been side by side with the Red Wings in Detroit sports. Recently, the Tigers and Red Wings have both taken steps back, but the Red Wings have reloaded with young talent, while the Tigers have to rebuild.

More from Red Wings News

The root of the difference between the Red Wings and Tigers is their team design. The Red Wings based their franchise around strong drafting, while the Tigers have built themselves around trades and free agent signings. The Tigers drafted the players they use to trade, but they do not produce home grown products like the Red Wings.

The only players on the Tigers’ active roster that they drafted or signed before they were Major Leaguers through the international pool are Justin Verlander, Nick Castellanos, Alex Avila, James McCann, Bruce Rondon, Al Alburquerque, and Jefry Marte.

On the other hand, the only players on the Red Wings roster they did not draft are Brad Richards, Mike Green, Kyle Quincey, and Drew Miller. The core of the Red Wings have always been Red Wings or Grand Rapids Griffins, and they have developed into top tier players, unlike the Tigers.

The Tigers and Red Wings have also dealt with opposite changes in their sport and organization in the time they have been successful. The Tigers became successful in 2006 when Mike Illitch decided he would spend money to do whatever he could to bring a World Series to Detroit. While the Tigers could spend more money, the Red Wings had to spend less with the implementation of the salary cap in the 2005-2006 season. The Tigers were only successful once they started to spend money, while the Red Wings won a Stanley Cup in 2008 and continued to make the postseason.

As the Detroit Tigers have started to fade, the Red Wings remain and their accomplishments continue to amaze not just hockey fans, but sports fans. The Red Wings have made staying at the top of their sport look easy, while other teams have come and gone.

A product of the Red Wings success in their 24 consecutive playoff appearances is the NHL playoff format, but their streak is one of the most impressive feats in all of modern sports. If the Tigers had the same format, they would be right on the edge of the playoffs, much like the Red Wings were the last couple of years, but the MLB playoff system does not allow half of the league to qualify for the postseason.

What has been missing for the Red Wings since 2008 is the same thing that has been escaping the Tigers since 1984: a championship. The Tigers have come close with their World Series appearances in 2006 and 2012, but have lost 8 of the 9 games they have played. The Red Wings have made the playoffs, but the expectation is not to just make the playoffs, they are to win in them.

As both teams head for the future, they are heading in different directions. The Tigers have a core of strong position players, but are lost in pitching. The Red Wings are in the midst of a reload with their young talent and Jeff Blashill at the helm. Barring injuries, the Red Wings should extend their playoff streak while the Tigers’ streak should end after this season or will assuredly end in 2016.

As the Detroit Tigers have started to fade, the Red Wings remain and their accomplishments continue to amaze not just hockey fans, but sports fans. The Red Wings have made staying at the top of their sport look easy, while other teams have come and gone.

More from Octopus Thrower

Home/Red Wings News