When and why did you become a Wings fan?

[Lampedampe]

I can start it off!

Well, i'm quite a new hockey fan. I was never a fan of sports at all up untill 2013 when the WC was going on i started getting into hockey. I wen't from not knowing too much about it to investing a lot of time watching hockey, mostly WC hockey at this point and the game just grew on me. And when team Sweden wen't to the finals i got ecstatic and got my hand on tickets for the game, and as we know sweden won which was just amazing to be there when it happened. So i decided i wanted to watch more hockey after that

And this is where i ended up watching game 5 of Wings vs Hawks... And yes, i remember very well when the commentator, don't remember who, said that the hawks had never in their franchise history over come a 3-1 deficit before. So yeah i failed completely at bandwagoning and i decided at that point that i was gonna start rooting for the Wings. And we all know how that story wen't... yeah let's not talk about that. But the wings stuck with me though, and i haven't changed so far atleast And even though i haven't experienced that much of the wings-hawks rivalery i still hate the hawks because of the series.

I just realized that i'm probably the only wings fan at this board that is yet to witness the wings win a single round in the play-offs.

Click to read more...

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

I started becoming a diehard Wing fan in 1971 at the age of 10 went to the old Olympia Stadium and watched Detroit and Philly in my very first hockey game. And then i went to 3 more games at the new Joe Louis Arena that opened the year i graduated from High School in 1979. I saw the 1980 All Star game there plus two other Wing games Washington and Chicago in early 1980. And then left Michigan for Florida with my folks in 1981 I've been a Tampa Bay Lightning season ticket holder for 6 years previously. So i'm kind of both Red Wing and Lightning fan here.

 

[Goalie guy]

Grew up here in southeast MI, early 80's got a little black and white tv for my room. no cable on those tv's kids. I could only get 3 stations, Well hockey night it was for me. Been a Wing nut for the rest of my life.

 

[Slapper]

Playing the EA NHL series in late 90s-early 00s. Played with wings all the time and loved Yzerman etc. but it was more of an videogame fandom thing and I wasnt paying much attention to the real life Wings.

Few years ago I met a guy who is a hard Wild fan and he tends to wake up during nights to watch the games and he kinda dragged me into it. Wings usually play 2-2:30am our time so its really inconvenient for eurofans but I always wake up for the playoff games.

Fun fact: I've seen like 8 Wings games this season and they've lost every single one.

 

[CerealKiller]

Only got into Hockey recently, first game I saw was a Red Wing game, I saw Datsyuk making people look silly and was instantly hooked. I believe the first game I saw was when he flipped it over Niemi. In a way I bandwagoned onto a good player but now I love the team for the team and not just 13.

 

[Shaman464]

Detroit is my defacto home town.

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

Probably 91 or 92 for really remembering stuff, but basically as long ago as I can remember. Hockey was on PASS sports most of the time and we didn't have access to that, so I didn't really catch much as a 7 year old.

The why is easier. Loved hockey from growing up playing street hockey and they were the local NHL team. And just the way they played was a big draw as well. They were so smooth and fun to watch. It felt like every time Fedorov had the puck, he was going to race down on a breakaway and score.

 

[Flowah]

The year I moved to Michigan I was like 4 years old and it was the first year they made the playoffs to start their current streak. So they haven't missed since I've been in Michigan. You're all welcome.

And that next year my parents signed me up for a hockey league. I guess they asked a bunch of the parents at the preschool I was going to what some good after school activities were and being Michigan, a lot said hockey. I never had any say because I was a toddler. But there I was on the ice a year later.

So played hockey, lived in a hockey state, that state's team was good since I can remember. Perfect storm of being a fan of the Red Wings.

 

[crashnburnluder]

Mine is simple, was living in Pa. All it took was 5 goals from Fedorov to beat Washington 5-4, at age 7/8? And never wore another number again except 91

 

[hyduK]

Born in Toronto, started watching hockey as early as I can remember, probably like 91/92. Older cousin was a Wings fan, so I latched onto that.

If not for him, I'd probably have been a Toronto fan.

I should probably buy him a gift as a token of appreciation.

 

[WingedWheel1987]

1st grade. Friend introduced me to hockey.

 

[SoupNazi]

91/92. My parents always rooted for Detroit and it was just natural I followed the Wings since they were the household team even though I grew up in Pens country.

 

[TheMule93]

2012 playoffs is when I started watching hockey. I did watch a few games over the years prior to then, but I was just tuning in casually.

wings because location. I grew up in the suburbs of Detroit.

 

[RRhoads]

Back in 1993. My friend gave me a Red Wings hat the year before. I didn't know much about the Wings, or even the NHL at that time, but another friend had the NHLPA game on his Sega Mega Drive. Since I had a Red Wings hat, I played with them. Been a die hard fan ever since.

I'm really grateful my friend didn't give me a Leafs hat.

 

[aar000n]

I cant find it. It was the year they lost to Chicago with Hanlon in the net. We just came back from 3 or 4 down the previous night. 88 or 89 season. I remember we got federov the year after we missed the playoffs.

 

[Frk It]

Became a Red Wings fan because of Pavel Datsyuk. Got into hockey his rookie season.

Will remain one after he retires, but will probably always be my favorite player.

 

[LeighDx59]

Was kinda just born into it. My mom watches all the time and when I was around 5-6 I started watching too and was hooked.

 

[Red Stanley]

Back in 1993, when I started playing that NHL game on the Super NES. The Wings were one of the teams I enjoyed playing the most. Started following the actual team next year and loved all the Russian talent they brought in. They were truly something completely different from everyone else back then and it was a pleasure to watch.

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

I cant find it. It was the year they lost to Chicago with Hanlon in the net. We just came back from 3 or 4 down the previous night. 88 or 89 season. I remember we got federov the year after we missed the playoffs.

That would have been 88 then. Fedorov was in the 89 draft

 

[Henkovic]

Since the mid 80s. I was about 7 or 8 and got two pins from my older brother. One Penguins pin and one Red wings pin. The Pens pins was so ugly that I gave it back...

At first followed the team by reading about the games in Swedish papers. The first game highlights I saw on Swedish TV was in the early 90s when a young swede, that used to play for my hometowns hockey team in Västerås, made his debut.

I was able to be at The Joe on this day two years ago when his number was sent to the rafters...

Since the mid 90s I've tried to watch as many games as possible, and the last 6 years or so I've watched every single game on TV.

 

[PullHard]

My dad spent the first part of his childhood growing up in Peterborough, Ontario and I guess the Wings would come and play exhibition games against the local Jr. A team (he is never really sure how to explain the team because leagues and their titles have changed since the 50s when this was happening so I don't really know what team this was) and he saw Gordie Howe play in person a few times at these games. He became a lifelong fan after seeing him play and I just grew up with the Wings always on TV. Turned out well for me timing-wise, because I always had ammunition to chirp my friends with growing up in the GTA .

 

[The Zermanator]

Born in '90, grew up in Winnipeg. Didn't really have a favourite team as a kid, more favourite players than anything. Steve Yzerman, Daniel Alfredsson, Teemu Selanne, Joe Sakic, Rob Blake, etc. Yzerman/Alfie/Sakic were my top 3. Eventually Stevie Y would rise above the rest in my eyes.

Cut to the '02 Cup run. Cheering for the Wings because of 19, seeing this team filled with guaranteed HOFers sealed it for me. By the time Yzerman really started to decline because of his injuries and eventually retired it didn't matter anymore. I was no longer just an Yzerman fan, it was all Red Wings for me. Going on 15 years now!

When the Jets returned, the atmosphere in Winnipeg was crazy. But I only cared because I'd finally get to see the Wings live! I was so stoked. So I know I'll always go to at least one Jets game every year.

EDIT: Stevie Y has since passed on the torch of my all-time favourite to the Magic Man. I can honestly say, after Pavel, I'm not sure that torch will ever be passed on again. It's been a privilege to have watched and enjoyed his career from start to finish. One of the most unique players of all time. And we had the same rookie season!

 

[HisNoodliness]

Not sure the year exactly. I was born in 95 and as an infant my favorite color was red and my family huge hockey fans so I liked watching the red team the most. I've stuck with them ever since (admittedly they've made it easy on me). But I've been watching the wings my entire life. By five I was skating around wearing a wings jersey.

 

[Ezekial]

Born in 89 childhood in Michigan.

 

[Obe2kenobe]

Got into hockey going to Lake Superior State Hockey games in the late 80's and thru mid 90's. There success winning NCAA championships in 88, 92 and 94 and getting to see future NHL players like Doug Weight, Brian Rolston etc. got me into watching NHL but I could only watch Hockey Night in Canada and the Leafs on a sometimes fuzzy picture.