Detroit Red Wings: Rivals?

A while back, I was listening to some Colorado Avalanche fans talking about the Stadium Series game between the Detroit Red Wings and the Avs. One of the talking points was how the Red Wings and the Avs no longer have the same rivalry or animosity toward each other that previously existed. That then made me think, if not the Avalanche, then which team, or teams are currently the Red Wings’ rivals? And why?

Merriam-Webster defines rivalry as ‘a state or situation in which people or groups are competing with each other’. While I guess that’s technically correct, it’s pretty vague and narrows down Detroit’s rivals to all of the 29 other NHL teams. Well maybe not the Vancouver Canucks.

I get sporting rivalries, two points for a win against any team is good, but defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs means more to me than a win over the Dallas Stars or the Carolina Hurricanes. And it’s not because the Leafs are our division rivals and the other two teams aren’t.

Rivalries are formed by many things, but history is usually a key factor, and the Red Wings have plenty of history. We recently ran a poll on twitter asking readers to vote for which team they considered to be the Wings’ rivals, the options being the Blackhawks, Avalanche, Canadiens and Maple Leafs. Other teams were suggested too, so we’ll look at those later on.

Chicago Blackhawks – 56%

The Red Wings have been battling the Blackhawks for as long as the NHL has existed. The two teams have meet over 800 times so it’s no surprise the ‘Hawks take over half of the vote.

In the the 1933/34 season the two teams met in the Stanley Cup final for the first time, and have met in the playoffs 15 times since then. Most recently, the Blackhawks knocked the Red Wings out of the 2012-13 playoffs in the conference semi-finals. Chicago would go on to win the Cup that season.

The NHL’s 2013/14 realignment saw Detroit and Columbus make the move from the Western Conference to the Eastern. Prior to this, the Red Wings and Blackhawks had shared the same division since 1981, although the two teams had shared the old American division previously. This realignment means that the Red Wings and Blackhawks will only meet twice each regular season. This has massively changed the dynamic in the rivalry as the teams are no longer fighting each other for a playoff spot.

I don’t reserve the same level of hate for the Blackhawks that I do for some other teams, but I see them as the likely winners of the Cup this season. In the two games we played this season, we lost 9-3 on aggregate.

Historically the Red Wings have been the more successful team, winning 11 Stanley Cups to the Blackhawks’ 6. Although of late; that success has swung decidedly toward Illinois. Is Chicago a rival for the Stanley Cup? Sure. Compared to some other teams on this list, the Blackhawks have a good chance of going all the way to the final this season. It’s hard not to respect the team’s level of ability and consistency.

Toronto Maple Leafs – 21%

As another original six team, the rivalry between the Maple Leafs and the Red Wings goes way back to the start of the league. Detroit’s northern neighbours may not have lifted the Stanley Cup since since the sixties; but they’ve still won it two more times than the Red Wings. Of late; the Leafs have struggled to find form and have languished at the lower end of the division.

While the Leafs’ woes bring joy to many a Red Wings fan, the Canadian team’s poaching of our own coach definitely reinforced that rivalry. The departure of the traitorous Mike Babcock left Detroit with a feeling of uncertainty; although we’re certainly in a better place now. In a show of support, Babcock is cheering for his former team to make the playoffs.

The Maple Leafs are definitely a rival, but unlike the Chicago Blackhawks, they’re not a contender for the cup. The Leafs aren’t winning a thing this season. The next few seasons might prove differently though, Toronto have been trading for draft picks left, right and centre (probably in defence too). That long term building is something that Babcock has a proven track record in.

Toronto took 21% of our vote. I predicted it would be a little higher. I definitely smile when they’re losing.

Colorado Avalanche – 19%

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, along with most Red Wings fans, I hated the Avalanche. Still do a little bit. The Detroit – Colorado rivalry was one of the the most bitter in all sport, not just the NHL. You can buy DVDs about it. Back in those heady days, the Red Wings and the Avalanche were both pretty successful: Detroit lifted the Cup in 1997, 1998 and 2002. Colorado won it in 1996 and 2001. The Avs haven’t appeared in a Stanley Cup final since.

I’d imagine that every fan of either team knows the story that led to the infamous ‘Fight Night at the Joe’. I won’t go into it here because we’ve already covered it on this very website.

Does this rivalry still exist? Yes. But it’s nowhere near as intense is it was and is mostly in the memories of slightly older fans (I include myself in that group). The players involved have retired and Colorado’s prowess as a team capable of challenging for the Cup has diminished somewhat.

For this season, the honours are even; the Avs beat us in a shoot-out our own house, but we won in the Stadium Series game. The latter meant a lot, not because it was an outdoor game (I hate those) but because both teams were able to dust off their alumni players and bring back some memories.

Montreal Canadiens – 4%

When it comes to the percentage share, the Habs took only 4% of the total. The team started the season strong and looked like they’d hold onto the top of the Atlantic division for the whole season, they even looked like a Cup-winning team. Right now they’re sixth in the division and a wildcard spot looks to be slightly out of reach.

Despite winning more Stanley Cups than any other team, the Habs aren’t living up to their history. Injuries seem to have put an early end to the team’s season. Which is kinda a shame, they looked to be the only team capable ending Canada’s 20+ year Cup drought. But I’m not Canadian, so I don’t care too much about that.

It’s not out of the question that Montreal could find form again and cause trouble for Detroit’s playoff run, but it seems unlikely (probably just jinxed it). Is there a rivalry between the two teams? Yeah, although I feel it’s more because they share a division than share history. Like Toronto, I’m happy whenever I see a team take two points from the Habs.

That’s all for now, in the next post we’ll take a look at some more Red Wings rivalries including Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay. What teams do you think we’ve got a rivalry with that we haven’t already covered? Please comment below or let me know on twitter.

LGRW