Because of the city’s success on the ice, the Detroit area became known as “Hockeytown.” Now let’s take a look at why this team has been successful by looking at their most notable franchise goalscoring records.
Single-Game Goalscoring Record: Syd Howe, 6
The record for most goals in a single game by a Red Wings player is held by Syd Howe, who scored six goals on Feb. 3, 1944. He did this historic milestone in a 12-2 win against the New York Rangers. This six-goal performance put him in an elite class of players who had scored that many in an NHL game.
Howe’s record has since been matched by six other players. He was known for being a versatile player that could play all three forward positions and even defense. Howe was once the NHL’s all-time leading scorer, with 529 points in 700 games played. He played for 17 years in the NHL and 12 of those years went to the Red Wings. Howe won three Stanley Cups and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1965.
Single-Season Goalscoring Record: Steve Yzerman, 65
The Red Wings have had a lot of star players dominate on the offensive side of the puck. The single-season goal-scoring record belongs to Steve Yzerman, who scored 65 goals in the 1988-89 season. He holds the top three spots on the goal list, was one of the team’s best offensive players, and his goal-scoring achievement set a benchmark for future Red Wings forwards. His success led to the rise of a lot of legendary goal-scorers and his legacy helped shape Detroit’s offensive identity.
Yzerman’s record has stood for a substantial period of time, but some other elite Red Wings have challenged the record, most notably Sergei Fedorov. He was an instrumental part of Detroit’s success in the 1990’s and early 2000’s. Fedorov scored 56 goals during the 1993-94 season and is ranked fourth on the list. He had a great goal-scoring ability, and was a two-way player. Fedorov was one of the most feared forwards in the league and his achievement started the Wings era of a sustained elite offense.
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The Red Wings started to dominate on both sides of the puck and Fedorov was the key part of that, as he helped the Wings get Stanley Cup wins in the 1997 and 1998. That 1993-94 season put him in the conversation as one of the best Red Wings in franchise history.
Another standout player in the Detroit organization was Henrik Zetterberg. He never reached the 50-goal mark, but he was known for his consistency and timely goal-scoring throughout his career. Zetterberg was great at scoring goals in the clutch moments and he always contributed to the Red Wings’ success over the years. He got to hoist the Stanley Cup in 2008. His leadership on and off the ice was his legacy, and that’s why he is also one of the Red Wings all-time greats.
Career Goalscoring Record: Gordie Howe, 786
The career goal-scoring record belongs to “Mr. Hockey,” Gordie Howe. He was one of the greatest players in the history of the NHL, playing 25 seasons with the Red Wings. Howe scored 786 goals in a Red Wings sweater and he played at a level of excellence that not many players have matched. He had a great combination of skill, toughness, and leadership. All of those traits made him an icon for Detroit and for the NHL.
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Howe’s career goal scoring achievement showed how great his scoring touch was and how long he played the game. He maintained a high level of play, season after season, and was always able to find the back of the net with ease. For most of his career, Howe was the standard for forwards and his career goal total stood for quite a while.
In closing, the Red Wings have a rich team history and a legacy of great players. Detroit has seen some of the most prolific goalscorers that the league has ever known. The franchise is still solid at developing new talent and these records are something that the current players look up to. The Red Wings franchise shows a lot of passion in their style of play and it’s always high-level hockey. Hockey fans look forward to more achievements from the next generation of players that come out of Hockeytown.