I simply just don’t want to believe it. I want to believe that this is either a mistake, a sick joke, or that they are going to simply add the HOCKEYTOWN script at some point before the season starts. Now, this is probably no big deal in the grand scheme of winning hockey games, and it may even have a cleaner look on the ice. Additionally, I have thought for a long time that the ‘Hockeytown’ font/logo does look overtly 90’s. But on the other hand the 90’s we’re pretty fucking great and the Wings went to three Stanley Cup Finals and won two of them, so I’m okay with it.

The reason this worries me is because as a Red Wings slappy I am VERY protective of the (copywritten) nickname of Hockeytown. For years, cities around the country and even the NHL themselves have tried to claim that they are in fact, Hockeytown, which is just total infuriating bullshit. Like this article from the hockey dipshits at ESPN: Sorry Detroit, Las Vegas is the new Hockeytown.

Is this what Hockeytown looks like to you, ESPN? This bitch can’t even figure out who she’s rooting for.

Let’s get something straight here, we are not called Hockeytown simply because we decided to copywrite the name- we are Hockeytown because we are the greatest American franchise in professional hockey. We are Hockeytown because we made the playoffs for 25 straight years and went to six finals winning four Stanley Cups. We are Hockeytown because we have names like Howe, Lindsay, Sawchuk, Yzerman, and Lidstrom hanging up in the rafters. We’re Hockeytown because we throw fucking Ocotpi on the ice simply because we’re so juiced up to watch the boys play.

Juiced.

WE ARE HOCKEYTOWN because in 2002 we literally put together a roster that had 10 future Hall of Famers on it and is considered one of the greatest teams in SPORTS history. And the reason removing ‘HOCKEYTOWN’ from the center of the ice is actually kind of a BIG DEAL is because it looks like we’re not standing by the title we’ve earned just because we’re having a couple down years right now. I don’t care if we go 1-81 this year, we are, and forever will be HOCKEYTOWN and the rest of the league, whether in person or on TV needs to be reminded of that, and we need to be prideful of it and put it on display for the hockey world to see- right at center ice.

You don’t get to fucking call yourself HOCKEYTOWN just cause you had a good season, your fans are excited, and you put on a decent performance during the pregame. If the Lions decided to just start calling Detroit “Title Town” now that wouldn’t make too much sense now would it? Since the Packers haven’t won a Super Bowl since 2011, do you think they’ve given up on calling Green Bay “Title Town”?- Doubt it.

Do the right thing Wings- keep the name we’ve earned loud and proud right at center ice. #lgrw 🍾

– Frank