Anaheim/Detroit rivalry

[Elvs]

Fans of so many teams used to claim that they were Detroit's rival when the Red Wings were at their best. But for the Ducks it's defentiely true.

I met and interviewed Tomas Holmstrom and Nicklas Lidstrom today. You should have seen their faces when I admitted I'm a Ducks fan. "Yeah, they're not a favourite team ..." they said.

Too bad the rivalry is probably never gonna be restored with the Red Wings in the east. I used to root against them because it's my friends favourite team, but I do have a lot of respect for many of their players and their organisation.

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[SmackCrackleNPop]

It was a great rivalry with Detroit.

 

[Norduck]

One of my sisters is a Detroit fan. The past two seasons, it's been fun going to games with her, but not long ago at all it was a bit torturous.

I have a lot of respect for the Red Wings organization, so it's a little extra relish any time the Ducks do beat them. Most of the iconic moments in Ducks' franchise history came in games against Detroit; some exciting and intense playoff series, whether they ended in triumph or despair (or bitter disappointment, a la 2013). Really is a pity they only meet up twice each season now, though imagine how much fun an SCF would be one day.



I saw quite a lot of winged wheels on hats and jackets when I was in Stockholm a little while back, but there were a couple Ducks logos in the crowds as well (mostly Mighty hats). With the recent influx of Swedish players in Anaheim, have you seen any jump in people wearing Ducks merchandise around town? Just curious.

 

[Lord Flashheart]

I loved that rivalry.

 

[Fighter]

That was quite a rivalry, the most intense we've head in history I'd say. Nowadays it's gone, but back then it was fun, except for the whining of the Wings fans...

 

[Elvs]

I saw quite a lot of winged wheels on hats and jackets when I was in Stockholm a little while back, but there were a couple Ducks logos in the crowds as well (mostly Mighty hats). With the recent influx of Swedish players in Anaheim, have you seen any jump in people wearing Ducks merchandise around town? Just curious.

Honestly, I rarely see NHL merchandise at all around in my town. When I was growing up in the 90's, there was a big NHL hype because of Tomas Holmstrom, Mikael Renberg and Mattias Ohlund, who are all natives of my small town. You'd see a lot of kids with Red Wings and Flyers merchendise around then. Today, if you enter a store here, you could find some hats with the Red Wings, Canucks, Ranger or Maple Leafs, but that's about it.

Even though they didn't have many good swedes, you'd see kids with Mighty Ducks hats and sweaters here in the 90's. It was a popular logo among kids, probably the biggest reason I became a fan myself. From a marketing standpoint, outside maybe the OC, I think the organisation would be better off with the Mighty Ducks logo. It attracts kids mostly, but kids grow up and (hopefully) stay with their favourite team. Like me.

 

[Getzmonster]

I loved the rivalry while it lasted, how many other teams can say they've had multiple fights with Datsyuk? That takes a special kind of hate.

But I'm glad they are out of the conference, don't let the door hit ya! I admit there aren't many players left on the current RW roster to warrant much animosity, but seeing that sweater in our barn just reminds me of Holmstrom's big arse in Jiggy's face, Cleary junking one in to ruin our chances in '09, Lidstrom murdering us with that damned shot-pass from the point, Chelios existing... not to mention the RW fans invading the Ponda.

 

[Arthuros]

Never forgive Abdelkader.

 

[Norduck]

Honestly, I rarely see NHL merchandise at all around in my town. When I was growing up in the 90's, there was a big NHL hype because of Tomas Holmstrom, Mikael Renberg and Mattias Ohlund, who are all natives of my small town. You'd see a lot of kids with Red Wings and Flyers merchendise around then. Today, if you enter a store here, you could find some hats with the Red Wings, Canucks, Ranger or Maple Leafs, but that's about it.

Even though they didn't have many good swedes, you'd see kids with Mighty Ducks hats and sweaters here in the 90's. It was a popular logo among kids, probably the biggest reason I became a fan myself. From a marketing standpoint, outside maybe the OC, I think the organisation would be better off with the Mighty Ducks logo. It attracts kids mostly, but kids grow up and (hopefully) stay with their favourite team. Like me.

Haha, me as well. I'm really hoping that third jersey leak is accurate, or something like it at least, because the old Mighty logo is excellent. And it should sell very well with 90s kids.

 

[SmackCrackleNPop]

I wonder how Lydman is doing nowadays

 

[Getzmonster]

Never forgive Abdelkader.

Dang, that's right. Hits like that happen, but I'm still steaming over it, effectively ended it for Lydman.

 

[DaDucks*]

The rivalry was simultaneously both good and painful.

 

[SmackCrackleNPop]

The Selanne goal is my fave moment

 

[alcolol]

I remember being at the HC when Pronger and Niedermayer crunched Holmstrom. The look on the Red Wings' fan next to me was both priceless and timeless. Indeed, a very fond memory of mine.

 

[Sean Garrity]

Saw Journey Authenticated tonight at the OC fair, sang, "...born and raised in South ______". That's right, I refused to use the word because it still makes me think of the Red Wings. #thuglife

 

[Kalv]

and some of the Red Wings fans were all the time like ''meh, you, Ducks? You were no rivals to us, meh''

but yeah it was intense with those guys, sad that they came over the top most of the time but we still got past them a couple of times. Maybe we didn`t advance to the SC finals last postseason because we didn`t beat the Red Wings? Because both previous times we have done it

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

I'm glad they're gone.

 

[AngelDuck]

I know we beat them in 2003 and 2007 but I remember more painful moments than good one's against that ****ing team. I'm not sad they're no longer in the Western Conference

 

[Sojourn]

Detroit is the only team I feel was a legitimate, and honestly born rivalry.

 

[PrototypeX85]

The 2007 series is probably my favorite playoff series involving Anaheim of all time. Two powerhouses fought head to head, and it really could have gone either way. Fortunately, Anaheim was (almost) unstoppable in overtime during that playoff run and got a ton of depth scoring that managed to put them over the top.

The third period of Game 6 is STILL hard for me to watch. Detroit just refused to die, and that embelishment by Chelios to draw the penalty when Detroit was within a goal... Absolutely intense.

 

[IDuck]

I remember being at the HC when Pronger and Niedermayer crunched Holmstrom. The look on the Red Wings' fan next to me was both priceless and timeless. Indeed, a very fond memory of mine.

was my first thought when TM said he didnt like the ducks...I swear pronger killed him with that hit.

 

[Ducks Nation*]

I am not going to lie, during a game vs Detroit this idiot was running up and down the stairs with a red wings flag pissing everyone off, I told him to sit down because I couldn't see, a little later he bought a beer and "accidently" spilled it on my girlfriend, I ended up shoving him and he fell down a couple stairs, luckily when security came he couldn't even talk because he was so drunk and I didn't get in trouble

 

[anezthes]

Detroit is the only team I feel was a legitimate, and honestly born rivalry.

+1.

Filler.

 

[Italian President]

Screw theWings

 

[Sean Garrity]

I've always respected Detroit more than any other team. I love Datsyuk's savvyness, Z's beard, Kronwall's butt, and Lidstrom's boring defensive dominance.