Babe Pratt & Red Wing Beginnings
Original Six legacy with 11 Stanley Cup titles.
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making them the third-oldest active team in the NHL, and the oldest in the United States.
Quick Facts
- Key figure
- Babe Pratt
- Original team name
- Detroit Cougars (later Falcons)
- League
- National Hockey League (NHL)
- First era status
- Rebuilding and Identity Formation
- Notable achievement
- Foundation for 1936 Stanley Cup Championship
Lore & Background
The Red Wings are one of the 'Original Six' NHL teams, along with the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, and Toronto Maple Leafs. They have won 11 Stanley Cup championships, trailing only the Canadiens (24) and Maple Leafs (13). On June 3, 1955, the Bruins completed a nine-player trade with the Detroit Red Wings to acquire goaltender Terry Sawchuk as well as forward Marcel Bonin. Sawchuk's playing ability was affected after contracting infectious mononucleosis, but he returned to play; he did not quit hockey midway through the 1956–57 season. On June 10, 1957, Sawchuk was dealt back to the Red Wings in exchange for Johnny Bucyk. The 'Uke Line'—named for the Ukrainian heritage of Johnny Bucyk, Vic Stasiuk, and Bronco Horvath—formed in the 1957–58 season and played together for parts of three seasons (1957–58 to 1959–60), not until 1960–61.
Reader's Guide
The Red Wings' early history is tied to the Original Six era. Key figures include Terry Sawchuk, who was traded to the Bruins in 1955 and returned to the Red Wings in 1957. The 'Uke Line' was a notable forward line for the Bruins, not the Red Wings, but involved players later associated with Detroit.
More in Club History & Eras
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