Who's the bigger rival? Detroit or Pittsburgh?

Big Z Man 1990

Registered User
Jun 4, 2011
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Don't say anything at all
These two teams have served as our primary rivals over the years.

During the Central Division era, Detroit was arguably a bigger rivalry, as we only usually played the Penguins once a year under the old schedule format.

But Detroit was mainly a rival from our perspective. Despite having the same markets as the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry, the Red Wings then considered Chicago and St. Louis to be their primary rivals.

It showed on the ice too. Detroit dominated us during the times we were in the Central Division, including a 4-game sweep in the 2009 playoffs.

Then in 2011, the Thrashers became the Winnipeg Jets (and to me the true heir to the original Jets history, but that's another conversation), and when it came time to move us and the Red Wings to the Eastern Conference, the powers that be put us and the Red Wings in separate divisions for the first time. Detroit was more concerned about renewing rivalries with other Original 6 teams, and to keep us and Detroit together likely would have meant separating Pittsburgh and Philadelphia again - and neither wanted that.

It was at that point that we started sharing a division with the Penguins. In addition to other Ohio-Pittsburgh rivalries that have been crafted over the years, the main east-west highway through Columbus, I-70, serves the southern fringes of the Pittsburgh area.

While the Red Wings declined in prominence, Pittsburgh remained contenders and like Detroit during the Central Division days, the Penguins were more often than not on the winning end of games with us. We've even lost two playoff series to them, one in a year the Penguins won the Cup.

I consider Pittsburgh our primary rival now, but that's just me. I want to hear from you about who our bigger rival is between Detroit and Pittsburgh.
 

rotsbu

Registered User
Feb 14, 2020
306
254
I consider Pittsburgh the bigger rival, but to be fair I've only been an avid fan since the CBJ moved to the East. Still, it's pretty easy to dislike the Pens based on (1) their fans filling up half of NWA, (2) their luck in getting Malkin and Crosby in back-to-back drafts, (3) scoring a tying goal in 2017 R1 G3 while Zach was on the ice with a shattered face, and (4) about a million other things.
 

EspenK

Registered User
Sep 25, 2011
15,581
4,147
Pittsburgh I guess. Detroit kicked our ass for so many years just like we are now kicking their's I'm not sure there has ever been a rivalry.Of course the Penguins consider Philly & the Caps their rivals so I'm not sure either is a rivalry in the true sense of the word.
 

Long Live Lyle

Registered User
Feb 10, 2019
1,692
2,038
Chicago, IL
These two teams have served as our primary rivals over the years.

During the Central Division era, Detroit was arguably a bigger rivalry, as we only usually played the Penguins once a year under the old schedule format.

But Detroit was mainly a rival from our perspective. Despite having the same markets as the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry, the Red Wings then considered Chicago and St. Louis to be their primary rivals.

It showed on the ice too. Detroit dominated us during the times we were in the Central Division, including a 4-game sweep in the 2009 playoffs.

Then in 2011, the Thrashers became the Winnipeg Jets (and to me the true heir to the original Jets history, but that's another conversation), and when it came time to move us and the Red Wings to the Eastern Conference, the powers that be put us and the Red Wings in separate divisions for the first time. Detroit was more concerned about renewing rivalries with other Original 6 teams, and to keep us and Detroit together likely would have meant separating Pittsburgh and Philadelphia again - and neither wanted that.

It was at that point that we started sharing a division with the Penguins. In addition to other Ohio-Pittsburgh rivalries that have been crafted over the years, the main east-west highway through Columbus, I-70, serves the southern fringes of the Pittsburgh area.

While the Red Wings declined in prominence, Pittsburgh remained contenders and like Detroit during the Central Division days, the Penguins were more often than not on the winning end of games with us. We've even lost two playoff series to them, one in a year the Penguins won the Cup.

I consider Pittsburgh our primary rival now, but that's just me. I want to hear from you about who our bigger rival is between Detroit and Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh. It’s been much more competitive and intense than the Detroit matchups recently and it’s a divisional matchup.

To make it a great rivalry though, we need to beat them in the playoffs. We’re at absolute best 3rd on their list (behind Philly and Washington, and possibly behind one or both of the New York teams; maybe even an out-of-division team like Boston, too).

It’s definitely a rivalry, but it is a bit of a one-sided now in terms of which way the vitriol is directed.
 

Big Z Man 1990

Registered User
Jun 4, 2011
2,535
353
Don't say anything at all
Pittsburgh. It’s been much more competitive and intense than the Detroit matchups recently and it’s a divisional matchup.

To make it a great rivalry though, we need to beat them in the playoffs. We’re at absolute best 3rd on their list (behind Philly and Washington, and possibly behind one or both of the New York teams; maybe even an out-of-division team like Boston, too).

It’s definitely a rivalry, but it is a bit of a one-sided now in terms of which way the vitriol is directed.

I can tell you that Jackets-Penguins is far more competitive in recent years than Browns-Steelers (you can thank the Browns snoozing on Big Ben for that).
 

Speedy Sanderson

Registered User
Jan 29, 2012
1,567
619
Pittsburgh. Division rivals, two playoff series, and tons of Western PA transplants living here (like my wife).
 

KCbus

Registered User
Jan 3, 2010
2,204
2,471
Reynoldsburg, OH
This is a joke thread, right?

There are two possible answers:
1)Pittsburgh
2)Wrong

During our stay in the Western Conference, we were such a bad team that we didn't even qualify for a rival. And for much of that, Nashville felt like a bigger rival than Detroit. To me, at least.

I hate the Penguins with the white hot intensity of 1,000 STDs.
 

CBJWerenski8

Formerly CBJWennberg10 (RIP Kivi)
Jun 13, 2009
42,076
24,004
Pittsburgh. Detroit never got to be a rivalry because there was two stages.

1. Detroit obliterating us. From like 2000-2012 this was the case.
2. Columbus obliterating them. This has been the case since 2013-present.

Then comes the fact we're not in the same division anymore. Detroit games are just meh.

Pittsburgh isn't really a rivalry either. It would imply that games are even and back and forth, that either team can win. They're our big brother and we rarely ever beat them. However, the playoff history, hate between franchises, and fans is apparent. So I would classify it as a rivalry.
 

Columbus Mike

2015-16 CBJ
Feb 21, 2008
1,332
460
It's Pittsburgh, but until we knock somebody from our division out of the playoffs, the rivalry is a one-way relationship.
 

Big Z Man 1990

Registered User
Jun 4, 2011
2,535
353
Don't say anything at all
The former rivalry with the Red Wings has a recently added element.

The hit cartoon series The Loud House is set in Michigan (where the Red Wings are based), while its spinoff The Casagrandes is set in Ohio.
 

Dumais

It's All In The Reflexes
Jul 24, 2013
1,674
717
Redwings record versus CBJ:
59391.601
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
Penguins record versus CBJ:
36170.679
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Neither, we haven't been good enough, long enough; to have one against anyone IMO.
 

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