Detroit owner Mike Ilitch has passed away

[jetsforever]

Sad news from a great owner, RIP

 

[Tasteslikekevinbacon]

http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/detroit/index.ssf/2014/02/detroit_red_wings_owner_mike_i_1.html

I have a hell of a lot of respect for Mr. Illitch for what he did not only for the Detroit Red Wings, but just for being a generally good human being. Thanks for all the memories, rest in peace.

 

[BigKing]

I have a healthy hatred of the Red Wings, but I'm a Tigers fan.

He was great for hockey. Wish the Tigers could of not choked at least one time this century and gave him that WS title.

RIP

 

[Commander Clueless]

He was and is a hockey legend.


Rest in peace.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

all sports should celebrate and mourn, it's not every day you have an owner that committed to a city, and that's the way the model should stand about how you operate any franchise, business or charity....

Condolences throughout the world and 'MR I' will never be truly gone but that model of how to be successful wish it would spread to all businesses, even those struggling to exist in their current markets.

 

[Dotter]

He will be greatly, greatly missed!

 

[19Yzerman19]

What sad news. He was one of the great one's. I'll have to look it up but if he's not in the HHOF as a builder yet he needs to be because what he did for the Red Wings was nothing short of amazing.

RIP to a true Detroit legend

2003 I believe

 

[Thread The Needle]

RIP, amazing owner. The world will miss him.

 

[silkyjohnson50]

He's a legend to me as a Detroit fan and local. His ownership has brought so many great memories and times of entertainment to me and practically all Detroit sports fans; both with the Red Wings and the Tigers.

He was what most fans dream of from an owner: he was just as big a fan as the fans and as a result made decisions with his money to win rather than pure business at times. Whether it was spending like he did in the pre-cap NHL days or spending big with the Tigers, he clearly wanted to win. And seemingly all of the athletes that played for him greatly respected him.

In light of all of the news about James Dolan/Charles Oakley, I could not be more grateful to grow up in a city that Mr. I ran.

RIP and thanks.

 

[MadhouseOnMadison]

That's a shame. The guy was responsible for plenty of my heartache over the years but it's impossible to not respect him. Rest easy.

 

[SantosHalper]

This is very sad day in hockey and baseball. One of the greatest owners in sports has passed.

And also a walking advertisement of a American dream. Poor immigrant's son, which became a billionaire.

Rest in peace Mike Ilitch.

 

[Sadekuuro]

RIP, Mr. I. Thank you for everything your team has given us all these years.

 

[aemoreira1981]

all sports should celebrate and mourn, it's not every day you have an owner that committed to a city, and that's the way the model should stand about how you operate any franchise, business or charity....

Condolences throughout the world and 'MR I' will never be truly gone but that model of how to be successful wish it would spread to all businesses, even those struggling to exist in their current markets.

Most businesses in the Detroit area have moved out of town to Southfield...most Detroit media are also based in Southfield (all of the U.S. TV stations for the market, except one, are based there). However, Ilitch chose to make the former Fox Theater his headquarters when he could have easily made it in Southfield instead. This death goes beyond sports.

On a personal scale, I was surprised to see that prior to Mike Ilitch's death, he and Marian Ilitch had been married to each other for almost 62 years.

 

[theaub]

 

[ClydeLee]

eating some great cheap deep dish pizza tonight, good hockey legacy too

 

[Hurricane Hugo]

Not a Wings fan, but I had tons of respect for Mr. Illitch and his contribution to hockey. Rest in peace

 

[silkyjohnson50]

Another accomplishment to acknowledge which I don't think any of us have talked about, ironically - being that this is Hockey's Future - is the Little Caesar's youth hockey program that Illitch sponsored.

One of the finest youth programs out there with elite alumni going far back as the likes of Modano, Weight, the Hatcher brothers, Vanbiesbrouck, and Legwand.

And today it's still represented. Many know the story of Vincent Trocheck and his father moving away from the rest of their family in Pittsburgh to Detroit to play for Little Caesars. Zach Werenski also spent some time with Little Caesars, even though he was really a Belle Tire kid.

Sergei Fedorov's dad also used to coach for the program. One of my buddies growing up was lucky and good enough to play for them and got to travel to play in Russia for a tourney which was pretty cool. Sergei would even skate with them from time to time.

 

[Fugu]

Thank you for everything, Mr. I. We will miss you very much.

 

[Ocoee]

Very sad news. I would give anything to have an owner like him of the Pirates.

 

[Kane One]

Rip.

 

[adsfan]

One of the best owners in pro sports.

RIP Mike and my condolences to his family

I have never been a Detroit Red Wings fan, but I agree 100% with the above.

 

[Inkling]

Sad that he didn't get to see the opening of the new arena.

I don't know Detroit at all but it sounded like he had a big hand in rescuing the downtown area when a lot of organizations were abandoning it. Every city, rich or poor, would be lucky to have a big supporter like he was.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

A top NHL owner wanted wins and that's what fans want

 

[ProstheticConscience]

Everything an pro sports owner should aspire to be. A pillar of the NHL and his city, and one of the genuinely real nice guys of the sport.

RIP

 

[ITM]

Not merely a good, very good or great owner.

Mike Illitch was the best owner in North American pro sports bar none.

I lived in the area for a long time. Story after story made the rounds of charitable act after charitable act, kept quiet (for as long as could be expected) and never brought to mind except in admiration.

May his memory be eternal.