The Metro: What makes the Detroit Red Wings so important to Detroit?

Longtime journalist Helene St. James has covered the Red Wings since 1996 and has written three books about the team. We learned more about the storied history and the importance the team holds in Detroit. 

Red Wings logo

The winged wheel is one of the NHL's most recognizable symbols.

A hundred years ago, the world was changing and ushering in new ways of living, The first transatlantic phone call from London to New York. Ford Motor Company became the one of the first companies to implement the 40-hour work week. And The National Hockey League approved a new franchise team in Detroit. The Red Wings is one of the original six member leagues.

The team has won 11 Stanley cup titles, which is the most out of all United States based NHL teams. 

Helene St. James has been covering The Red Wings for The Detroit Free Press since 1996. She’s the author of multiple books on the wings including The Franchise: Detroit Red Wings: A Curated History of Hockeytown.

 

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Author

  • Tia Graham is a reporter and Weekend Edition Host for 101.9 WDET. She graduated from Michigan State University where she had the unique privilege of covering former President Barack Obama and his trip to Lansing in 2014.