Detroit Red Wings: Four More For the Rafters in Motown
By Bob Heyrman
The Detroit Red Wings franchise continues to be a historic one. An original six franchise, with many different superstar players dawning the winged wheel along the way. Here, we talk about four more numbers that have “rafter” potential.
The Detroit Red Wings continue to keep their jersey retirement to a very prestigious club. They will not just retire any jersey in Motown. You have to be more than just a superstar player, most of all you need to produce championships.
The Ilitch family continues to keep this group of numbers retired almost to a minimum. That goes for the Detroit Red Wings along with the Detroit Tigers. Once your jersey hangs over the ice at Little Caesars Arena, or your number is painted on the brick wall in center field at Comerica Park, you know you’re in “elite” company.
Having it this way, makes the honor even more spectacular for the athlete who looks skyward to see his sweater, along with just over a handful of others hanging motionless from the rafters. Near the retired jerseys, sharing a common ceiling space, you’ll be sure to find a corresponding championship banner.
The Detroit Red Wings organization currently has seven jerseys retired throughout their remarkable history. Terry Sawchuk (1), Nicklas Lidstrom (5), Ted Lindsay (7), Gordie Howe (9), Alex Delvecchio (10), Sid Abel (12) and Steve Yzerman (19).
The Detroit Red Wings and the Detroit Tigers both owned by the estate of Mike Ilitch and Ilitch Holdings Inc, have become somewhat stubborn with who gets their number retired for both franchises.
What about Lou Whitaker? Sweet Lou is a prime example, his name and number should be on the bricks and no-one should be able to wear his number 1 for the Detroit Tigers.
Some of the same situations have occurred in the past for the Red Wings and hopefully not a trend that continues in the future. We make a case for four additional players that we feel deserve the honor to have their jersey suspended above the Detroit Red Wings ice for eternity.