As 2015 comes to a close and a chapter in Detroit Red Wings history ends, we take a look back at the top five games of 2015 this season.
1. Friday October 9
Detroit Red Wings: 4 Toronto Maple Leafs: o
This was the first game of the 2015-16 NHL season. This was also the first regular season game the Detroit Red Wings played without their former head coach, Mike Babcock. Instead, Babcock was coaching the men on the visitors bench at the Joe Louis Arena.
Babcock’s decision to leave left some Red Wings fans in disbelief and unwary of what the Wings future would look like. However the Wings were not a team defined by the coach. The change at head coach did not shake them whatsoever. If anything, facing their former head coach seemed to motivate the Red Wings to put on a show for their hometown crowd.
This was a night of firsts. Dylan Larkin, 19, made the final roster for the Wings and made his official NHL debut at Joe Louis Arena. Jeff Blashill also head-coached his first Red Wings game.
But Larkin wasn’t just going to make his NHL debut, he was going to set the bar for a spectacular and exciting rookie season. Larkin left the Joe speechless. He assisted on the Justin Abdelkader goal and scored a goal himself.
“I think the whole way I knew I was going to shoot,” Larkin said. “I had a lot of speed, just ripped it. It’s an incredible feeling just to see it go in and see the Joe go pretty crazy.”
This game was the beginning to a new era for the Detroit Red Wings. This opening game was definitely one to remember and gave fans of the Detroit Red Wings plenty to be excited about for the remaining 81 regular-season games.
Next: October 24th At Vancouver