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Ian Meyers, 6, with mom Lori outside Nemo's Bar and Grill in Detroit, can't wait Monday to go to his first Red Wings game.; Don Cherry's flashy jackets are ready for action.Hockey Is Back in Town
10 reasons why we're happy -- or not!10
Steve Yzerman is back for a 22nd season, his 19th as captain and his first as a 40-year-old.Online extras
Red Wings schedule
Monica Cosca, left, and her sister, Marina, of Macomb Township welcome the Wings back with open arms and a little dance during a timeout. The Wings were back on the ice for an exhibition home opener at The Joe on Monday night for the first time in more than 16 months.
DETROIT -- Monday night, the Red Wings played a game at Joe Louis Arena for the first time in more than 16 months.
Actually, it was 504 days, 4 hours and 30 minutes between opening faceoffs, but who's counting? Forgive and forget, right? Well, if the exhibition home opener is any indication, the NHL was welcomed back with open arms here in Hockeytown.
"We're real lucky in Michigan: It's like a big chunk of Canada down here, where everybody's just dying to have hockey," said Mike Babcock, the Wings' new coach. "I think we're real fortunate in that. But that doesn't mean we can't reach out and do what we have to do to try to get the game back where it should be. ... We want to give the fans something to be excited about."
With that in mind, here's what has us excited about hockey's homecoming:
1. Captain comeback
The Captain's back. The long layoff chased away some of the game's veteran greats -- future Hall of Famers like Mark Messier, Scott Stevens and Ron Francis. But Steve Yzerman is back for a 22nd season, his 19th as captain, and his first as a 40-year-old.
It's also likely his last as a player, though the NHL's longest-serving captain isn't about to confirm that. Yzerman, who is closing in on 700 career goals, doesn't want a farewell tour with rocking chairs and curtain calls. All he wants is a chance to hoist the Stanley Cup one more time.
"I wanted to give it my best shot," Yzerman said. "I'm not afraid of the challenge, and this year, there's a lot to try and accomplish."
2. Lions and Tigers ... oh, my!
The ice will come in handy, don't you think? Another rotten season from the Tigers is really starting to stink. And the Lions' start -- next home game, it's the fans' turn to wear black -- isn't encouraging.
The Lions have won one playoff game since 1957. The Wings have won 153 and three championships. The Tigers haven't qualified for the postseason since 1987. The Red Wings haven't missed the playoffs since 1990.
Everybody loves a winner. And with the Wings, well, there's simply a lot more to love lately.
3. Hoops, hoops, hooray!
Speaking of winners, that's another reason to cheer the NHL's return. It means the NBA season can't be far behind. A month from now, it'll be the Pistons' turn to unveil a new coach and a new championship blueprint as they hit the hardwood in defense of their Eastern Conference crown.
All Joe Dumars & Co. have done while hockey was on sabbatical is win one NBA championship in 2004 and come within a few minutes of another this spring.
4. Grapes of wrath
Go ahead, admit it. You missed Don Cherry, too. Even if he drove you batty with his bombastic, Euro-trashing rants -- and just wait till he sees the Wings' roster full of Swedes -- you still flipped the channel to CBC to catch "Coach's Corner" on Saturday nights.
But it's more than just the plaid jackets, starched shirts and Ron MacLean's straight-man routine we've missed. We've missed it all. "Hockey Night in Canada" is an institution that goes back to the NHL's Original Six era.
A word of caution, though: While the NHL lockout is over, CBC's labor dispute is not. A month ago, the company locked out more than 5,000 Canadian Media Guild members. Unless things get settled before the Oct. 8 debut of HNIC, all you'll get is the video feed of the game.
5. Pennies from heaven
Detroit's sports bars are breathing a sigh of relief, as shuttles to the game crisscrossed downtown.
"It's been 16 long months since the Red Wings skated at Joe Louis area, and I'm holding my breath that the fans will be as enthusiastic this season as they were in the past," said Vaughn Dederian, whose downtown Anchor Bar's success depends largely on the 42-plus home games.
"If the team wins and competes hard this season, the fans will come back and we will have good nights. There is a huge difference in the turnout after wins than after losses."
6. Meet the new boss
Hockey's back, and it's bringing a new game with it. New rules, new faces and a new marketing approach will be the biggest story around the league this season.
You'll certainly recognize some old, familiar faces with the Wings: Yzerman, Shanahan, Lidstrom, Draper, Osgood and others.
But even in Detroit, everything old is new again with the addition of Babcock, a fiery redhead whose energy level suggests an unhealthy caffeine consumption.
Turns out that's just what the doctor -- General Manager Ken Holland -- ordered.
"He's the boss," Holland said. "He's going to be in their face and keep them on edge a little bit."
7. Hockeytown heroes
The Zamboni has a full tank of gas, and Al Sobotka's got the shovel ready, so the first octopus toss can't be far away.
Budd Lynch, 87 years young, is ready and waiting, too. This will be his 56th season as the Wings' public address announcer, and he sounds better each year.
Karen Newman is finding her pitch for the national anthem.
Mo Cheese, provided he's kept in shape during the lockout, should be ready with that cheesy "Curly Shuffle" routine. And Mickey Redmond has waited a long, long time to tell us, "Bingo, Bango! This is what the fans came for!"
... and three reasons we're not so happy to see hockey return ...
8. Talk is cheap
For more than a year, all we heard was millionaires arguing about cost certainty. Little did we know, the only real cost certainty was this: Ticket prices weren't going to get any cheaper in the new NHL. Say it ain't so, Joe (Bucks)!
9. Seeing red
Give it a few months, but soon they'll be everywhere. As sure as the leaves change colors in the fall in Michigan, so do the jerseys and jackets in Hockeytown. Gaudy, red leather jackets, Probert jerseys and mullets -- it's a retro fashion infraction that just won't die.
10. The big chill
Sure, hockey's back to keep you warm at night when winter arrives. But the "new-and-improved" NHL schedule designed to spark divisional rivalries packs about as much entertainment value as an icy morning commute. The Wings won't face Toronto, Montreal or Boston, but they'll get to see Nashville and Columbus 16 times.
April flowers and spring showers -- not to mention the playoffs -- are a long way off.
Detroit News Staff Writer David Shepardson contributed to this report. You can reach John Niyo at john.niyo@detnews.com.
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