from Nicholas J. Cotsonika of NHL.com,
To feel the essence of Joe Louis Arena, step into the hallway outside the Detroit Red Wings dressing room. Study the plain wooden plaques representing each team since owner Mike Ilitch bought the franchise in 1982, almost every team since the Joe opened in 1979.
Each is screwed into the cinderblock and features the Winged Wheel logo, the words "Detroit Red Wings," the years of the season, and the names of the executives, coaches, players and trainers. The bottom line is the record.
All the plaques since 1990-91 honor a team that made the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Four plaques honor teams that won the Cup, including two that clinched it at the Joe and paraded it on Detroit ice. The 2011-12 plaque honors the team that won an NHL-record 23 straight home games.
It isn't about aesthetics or amenities. It's about people and players and winning.
"From a player's perspective, it's a great arena to play in," Red Wings legend Steve Yzerman, whose No. 19 hangs in the rafters, once said. "It's a simple arena. It's got a good atmosphere."
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