The Detroit Red Wings closed out the calendar year of 2025 on a winning note, defeating the Winnipeg Jets by a 2-1 final score at Little Caesars Arena in their annual New Year’s Eve game in downtown Detroit.
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For the Red Wings, it was their sixth victory in their last seven outings on home ice, improving their overall record to 14-7-1 in front of the home fans.
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Red Wings forward Mason Appleton, who collected his second goal in as many games in the victory over the Jets on Wednesday evening, explained that Detroit wants to be a club that their opposition fears when they arrive at Little Caesars Arena.
“You want to be a team that’s feared when someone comes into your building,” he said. “To kind of establish something like that and build toward it, it goes a long way, because you want teams to fear you and have that doubt in their heads before you even drop the puck.”
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Head coach Todd McLellan can feel the energy in the building from the routinely sold out crowds in the venue, noting that the team feeds off it.
“I think maybe we don’t talk about it enough, and maybe we should, but you can feel the energy (in the building) build with each game,” McLellan said. “I feel like when we come now, it’s there, and there’s excitement. The games are tight, and we may not always win them, but they’re competitive games.”
One of the most passionate fan bases in the NHL, the fans have remained with the Red Wings through thick and thin and have brought the energy night in and night out at Little Caesars Arena, which has yet to host a Stanley Cup Playoff game since opening in 2017.
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However, if the Red Wings continue on their current path, playoff hockey could very well be returning to the Motor City for what would be the first time since 2016. While the energy in the venue from the fans has been strong, the playoffs would bring an entirely new level of spirit and passion.
“When I can feel it, I’m sure the players can, too,” McLellan said of the fans. “So, they’re helping us along, they really are, and we appreciate it.”
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