Hockeytown and hockey playoffs used to have a symbiotic relationship. You could not imagine one without the other. How could the postseason exist if the Detroit Red Wings weren't in it? It made no sense.
Suddenly, and seemingly without warning, it was all gone. The late nights, waking up tired but happy the next morning after a big W, and those Stanley Cup runs, all disappeared. So, what caused it?
A place to call home
From 1979-2017, the Joe Louis Arena was a special place, even though it was not particularly special. There was nothing fancy about it. It was a tight fit, had a leaky roof, and no fancy amenities. As one of the most well-respected arenas in the league, it was a wonderful place to call home.
The Joe Louis Arena hosted 30 Stanley Cup playoff seasons in its 38 years of being the home of the Detroit Red Wings. Four Cup-winning teams played to capacity crowds of over 20,000 there. Players grew from unknown prospects to Hall of Fame careers. It housed more than just hockey too.
Concerts and scandals
Legendary acts like The Rolling Stones, The Who, Stevie Wonder, and Prince played at The Joe. It hosted WWE and WNBA events. Oh, there was also the 1994 United State Figure Skating Championships with the Nancy Kerrigan/Tanya Harding scandal.
How many hockey venues have any sort of ties to violence in figure skating? Is it just the Joe Louis Arena?
They made a movie about that. They also made a movie about a historic but controversial event in the history of rap. It's the one where N.W.A. was arrested for singing "F--- Tha Police."
Little Caesars Arena
When Little Caesars Arena replaced The Joe, something special was lost. It was that charm, intimacy, and familiarity of the place the Red Wings called home for so long. It was also postseason appearances.
Since the Wings moved into their new home, the team has not made the playoffs. That is okay, though. It takes a while to break in something that big.
LCA is a gorgeous building and a great place to take in any sort of event. Each year, it becomes more like home and the end of the playoff drought draws nearer.
When JLA opened, the Wings were in the middle of the Dead Wings era. It took a while before it hosted a playoff game there too. It was a little shaky at first but it was not too long before the Wings were back on their game and made 25-straight playoff runs, including four Stanley Cup victories in six appearances.
That time is coming for Little Caesars Arena soon too and, once it is here, we will realize it was worth the wait.
In the off chance you have not heard of it, the NHL has a terrific documentary called "The Joe: The Detroit Red Wings & Joe Louis Arena." You can watch it here: