The hockey gods were telling me to come back home and get away from the Vegas Golden Knights (at least, that was the plan). They wanted me to hang out at Little Caesar's Arena to watch the Detroit Red Wings play a game on March 16. How did it go for Golden Knights fans?
But in all seriousness, it was time to come home and check out the new arena. The funny thing was that Vegas was still there, only they were exhausted from the road trip. As for the home team? They won, 3-0.
You see, I grew up in Michigan and watched the Red Wings dominate the NHL through the 1990s and 2000s. They won four Stanley Cups during that period and landed the biggest superstars. That included Brett Hull, Dominik Hasek, and Brendan Shanahan. Can you imagine the unlimited power Kelly McCrimmon would have without a salary cap? That's what Detroit had back in the day.
Anyways, me and my friends and family would make our trek to Joe Louis Arena back in the day. That consisted of going through a giant windy tunnel straight out of Spaceballs. It felt like we were Lone Star, Princess Vespa, and Barf getting ready to take out Lord Helmet and the perils of merchandising.
But Joe Louis Arena represented a blue-collar side of Detroit, one that showed the hard-working spirit and determination of its resident autoworkers. With friends and family members that have worked at Ford for decades, I understood how much Red Wings hockey meant to the populace.
The stark contrast is enough to make Golden Knights fans want to see a hockey game in the Motor City. Entertainment capital vs. a blue-collar city? Sign me up!
However, you must properly prepare yourselves for the upcoming trip. That includes what music to listen to, where to go, and even what movie to watch. Ain't no party like a Detroit party because a Detroit party don't stop!
What makes the Detroit Red Wings unique?
When the "Big Three" were going through turbulent times during the late 2000s, sports was the best thing the city had. They didn't have the obnoxious glitz, glamour, and out-of-touch lecturing of Hollywood. Instead, it was the Stanley Cup-contending team along with the resurgent Tigers and hard-working Pistons (nobody cared about the Lions because they sucked).
But as mentioned, it were the Red Wings who were the most successful franchise in the city. Six Stanley Cup Final appearances and four titles in two decades (after breaking a 40+ year drought in 1997) will do that for a populace looking for any happiness. Luckily, they had an owner who wanted to win at all costs. His name? Mike Ilitch.
The founder of Little Caesar's (i.e. the controversial pizza chain that everyone either loves or hates) had a penchant for getting the best players. That included going to Europe and free agency for players. In comes Nicklas Lidstrom and Sergei Federov, along with winning. Suddenly, the franchise went from being snakebitten to dominating the NHL.
It also came with its various caveats. For example, they were the most hated team in the NHL. Long before the Golden Knights held that mantle, hockey fans disliked Ilitch and the Red Wings for their constant success and dumbing down the sport. I guess you can't win them all, eh?