Hockeytown is back for the Detroit Red Wings. At the start of the offseason, the Red Wings social media team ran a poll to see if fans wanted Hockeytown back on center ice. They received over 20,000 votes within the first 24 hours.
“That response is proof of how passionate and engaged the fans are,” said Asia Gholston, Senior Vice President of Brand Marketing for Illitch Enterprises. “They know this is a meaningful step in their eyes towards honoring our legacy.”
The Red Wings started using the nickname Hockeytown in 1996 to generate hype for the team. Since then, the Red Wings have won four Stanley Cups, five President’s Trophies, five Conference Championships and 10 Division Championships. Detroit is unanimously recognized as the most successful hockey franchise in the United States.
“Through an incredible response to this vote, fans have made it clear they’re fired up for what’s to come in celebrating 100 years of Hockeytown,” Gholston added on. “This is only possible due to their unwavering support for the Winged Wheel.”
Why Hockeytown is Back
The Red Wings are celebrating their 100th year as an NHL franchise this season. They’ve unveiled a new logo and have several games planned to commemorate the occasion. This new design combines the Centennial logo with the eponymous Hockeytown logo.
“First, the center ice logo merges a redrawn version of the 1934 Winged Wheel with a modernized “100” design,” the press release reads. “The “1” and “0” also echo the curves of the original mark, rendered in the club’s red and vintage white color scheme. Paired with the classic Hockeytown wordmark, which was introduced in 1996, the special logo creatively honors the city and culture that have shaped one of the NHL’s most iconic franchises into what it is today.”
The Red Wings have not announced whether Hockeytown will remain on center ice in the future.
Red Wings Hope Hockeytown Invigorates Team
It’s been seven years since the Red Wings featured Hockeytown on center ice. While some chalk it up to the move to Little Caesar’s Arena, others focus on the quality of the team. During its heyday, Hockeytown saw host to multiple Stanley Cups and conference championships. Since its removal, the team has yet to make the playoffs. Some fans hope that the reemergence of the logo will rally the team to make the playoffs for the first time in almost a decade.
In addition to the return of Hockeytown, the Red Wings are hosting Eras Nights to honor their history. Each event will highlight a different era of the Red Wings, from the early eras of the Cougars to the dynasties of the 90s. Each of these events features giveaways like hats, jackets and other memorabilia.
“Hockeytown won’t truly be back until there is playoff hockey at Little Caesars Arena,” said Devin Lawrence of The Hockey Writers. “So if it’s gonna say Hockeytown on the ice this season, they might as well go all the way and end this playoff drought.”
The Red Wings kick off their season against the Montreal Canadiens on October 9th.
Red Wings Bring Back Iconic Design