What years did Red Wings win Stanley Cup?

The Detroit Red Wings are one of the most storied franchises in NHL history. They have won the Stanley Cup 11 times, tied for the most amongst NHL teams. Their first Cup win came in 1936, and their most recent in 2008. The Red Wings dominated through the late 1990s and early 2000s, winning 4 Stanley Cups in 11 seasons.

Quick Summary of Red Wings Stanley Cup Wins

1936
1937
1943
1950
1952
1954
1955
1997
1998
2002
2008

The Red Wings won the Stanley Cup in 1936, 1937, 1943, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1997, 1998, 2002 and 2008. Their first wins came in the late 1930s and early 1940s. After a long drought, they won again in the early 1950s, with 3 Cups from 1950-1955. Then after another long wait, they dominated in the late 1990s to early 2000s, winning 4 Cups over an 11 year span from 1997-2008.

1936 Stanley Cup

The 1935-36 season was the Red Wings’ first after being purchased by James E. Norris. They were led by captain Doug Young and head coach Jack Adams. The Red Wings finished first in the American Division and defeated the Montreal Maroons and Toronto Maple Leafs in the playoffs to win the Stanley Cup. They defeated the Maple Leafs 3 games to 1 in the final series.

Key Players

  • Ebbie Goodfellow – led team with 53 points
  • Herbie Lewis – 37 points
  • Larry Aurie – 34 points
  • Goalie Normie Smith

1937 Stanley Cup

The Red Wings repeated as Stanley Cup champions in the 1936-37 season. Jack Adams remained head coach, leading the team to a 25-14-9 record and first place finish in the American Division. They defeated the New York Rangers and Montreal Canadiens en route to winning the Cup. The Red Wings won the final series against the Rangers 3 games to 2.

Key Players

  • Ebbie Goodfellow – led team with 41 points
  • Herbie Lewis – 40 points
  • Larry Aurie – 38 points
  • Goalie Normie Smith

1943 Stanley Cup

Detroit returned to the top of the NHL mountain in the 1942-43 season, led by captain Syd Howe and coach Jack Adams. The Red Wings placed first in the NHL with a record of 25-14-11. They defeated the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs in the playoffs before downing the Bruins 2-0 in the best-of-seven Stanley Cup Finals.

Key Players

  • Syd Howe – led team with 32 points
  • Don Grosso – 31 points
  • Joe Carveth – 28 points
  • Goalie Johnny Mowers

1950 Stanley Cup

Detroit hoisted the Cup again in 1949-50. Jack Adams was still coach, now in his 20th season guiding the franchise. The Red Wings went 37-19-14 during the regular season, finishing second in the league behind the Rangers. In the playoffs they took down Toronto and the Rangers to set up a finals matchup with the same New York team. The Red Wings defeated the Rangers 4 games to 3 to take the championship.

Key Players

  • Sid Abel – led team with 78 points
  • Ted Lindsay – 71 points
  • Gordie Howe – 35 points in his rookie season
  • Goalie Harry Lumley

1952 Stanley Cup

Detroit won its fifth Cup in 1951-52, led by head coach Tommy Ivan. The team went 44-14-12 in the regular season, placing first in the standings. The Red Wings took down the Maple Leafs and Canadiens in the playoffs before facing the Canadiens again in the finals. Detroit won the series 4 games to none for their second championship of the 1950s.

Key Players

  • Gordie Howe – led team with 86 points
  • Ted Lindsay – 76 points
  • Red Kelly – 46 points
  • Goalie Terry Sawchuk

1954 Stanley Cup

The Red Wings completed a threepeat by winning it all again in 1953-54 under coach Jimmy Skinner. They went 37-19-14 in the regular season before beating the Maple Leafs and Canadiens in the playoffs. The finals was a rematch against the Canadiens, whom the Red Wings defeated in 7 games to capture their third straight championship.

Key Players

  • Gordie Howe – led team with 81 points
  • Ted Lindsay – 78 points
  • Alex Delvecchio – 31 goals
  • Goalie Terry Sawchuk

1955 Stanley Cup

Detroit extended their Cup streak to four in 1954-55. Jimmy Skinner was still head coach for a team that went 42-17-11, placing first in the standings. After defeating Toronto and Montreal in the playoffs, the Red Wings met the Canadiens yet again in the finals. Detroit emerged victorious in 7 games for their fourth championship in six seasons.

Key Players

  • Gordie Howe – led team with 83 points
  • Ted Lindsay – 78 points
  • Alex Delvecchio – 70 points
  • Goalie Terry Sawchuk

The Long Wait

After winning four Stanley Cups in six seasons in the early 1950s, the Red Wings would not win another for over four decades. There were several close calls in the late 1950s and 1960s after the departure of stars like Howe, Delvecchio and Sawchuk, but the team could not get over the hump. They made the finals three times in the 1960s but fell short on each occasion. It would take a new cast of stars decades later to return the franchise to glory.

1997 Stanley Cup

In the 1996-97 season, the Red Wings were finally able to reclaim their past championship glory. After 42 years without a title, Detroit returned to the summit of the NHL led by coach Scotty Bowman. They went 38-26-18 in the regular season and embarked on an impressive playoff run, losing just 6 games combined in the three rounds prior to the finals. There they dispatched the Philadelphia Flyers in four straight, winning their first Cup since 1955.

Key Players

  • Steve Yzerman – led team with 94 points
  • Sergei Fedorov – 92 points
  • Brendan Shanahan – 75 points
  • Nicklas Lidstrom – 53 points
  • Goalie Mike Vernon

1998 Stanley Cup

The Red Wings were able to defend their title in 1997-98, winning back-to-back Cups for the first time since the early 1950s. Scotty Bowman remained coach, leading the team to a 44-23-15 record and second place finish in the standings. After rolling through the first three rounds, Detroit swept the Capitals in the finals to win their second straight championship.

Key Players

  • Steve Yzerman – 69 points
  • Sergei Fedorov – 59 points
  • Nicklas Lidstrom – 52 points
  • Chris Osgood – emerged as starting goalie

2002 Stanley Cup

Four years later, the Red Wings were the class of the NHL yet again in 2001-02. Scoty Bowman was still at the helm, guiding the team to a 51-17-10 record and President’s Trophy. After three convincing playoff series wins, Detroit met the Cinderella Carolina Hurricanes in the finals. The Red Wings emerged victorious in five games, winning their third championship in six seasons.

Key Players

  • Steve Yzerman – led team with 35 goals
  • Brendan Shanahan – 75 points
  • Nicklas Lidstrom – 54 points
  • Chris Chelios – 40 points
  • Goalie Dominik Hasek

2008 Stanley Cup

The Red Wings added their 11th Cup title in 2007-08, a whopping six years after their last one. Head coach Mike Babcock led the team to a 54-21-7 record and Presidents’ Trophy trophy. After convincing series wins in the first three rounds, Detroit faced the upstart Pittsburgh Penguins in the finals. They emerged victorious in six games to win their fourth championship in 11 seasons.

Key Players

  • Pavel Datsyuk – 97 points
  • Henrik Zetterberg – 92 points
  • Nicklas Lidstrom – 60 points
  • Johan Franzen – 13 goals
  • Goalie Chris Osgood

The Last Decade

The 2008 Stanley Cup stands as the last championship for the Red Wings franchise. They have made the playoffs every year since then, but have not been able to advance past the second round. An aging core led by stars like Zetterberg and Datsyuk was no longer able to deliver deep postseason runs. The team is now rebuilding around young talent like Dylan Larkin, hoping to recapture the magic that brought them so much success two decades ago.

Conclusion

The Detroit Red Wings have a long and storied history in the NHL, much of it spent hoisting the Stanley Cup. Since their first title in 1936, they have won a total of 11 championships, tied for the most all time. Their reign of dominance spanned the late 1930s, early 1940s, and then the early 1950s, when they rattled off 4 Cups in 6 seasons. After a long drought, the Red Wings returned to glory in the late 1990s, winning three times between 1997-2002. Their last Cup came in 2008, marking 11 titles across seven different decades. The Red Wings have cemented themselves as one of the most iconic franchises in hockey history thanks to their consistent pursuit of hockey’s ultimate prize.

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