Is the rivalry with Toronto real?

[ScubaV]

I've been a Red Wings fan for about 30 years and lived in metro Detroit for 10 of those. I somewhat regularly see in online fandom references to a rivalry with the Leafs. In theory, it makes sense due to each team's long history and physical proximity. In practice, there's no such thing. I can't remember a time when both teams were legitimate Stanley Cup contenders at the same time. They were in opposite conferences for a long time and Wikipedia shows their last playoff series being 1993. Certainly there's nothing even remotely close to what the Wings had with the Avs or Hawks, and still not close to lesser rivalries like with the Blues or Pens. Even the Sens have had more intense regular season matches that could be considered a budding rivalry.

So would you consider the rivalry to be real or just an ancient historical artifact?

 

[izlez]

I find leafs fans annoying and therefore root against them. But, I think that applies to 30 other NHL fanbases as well. Don't think there is a rivalry here

 

[SirloinUB]

I don't know. I hate the Maple Leafs. I also hate the sens and habs

 

[RedHawkDown]

It would definitely be real if the Wings ever were competitive at the same time. The teams are in the same division and close enough geographically that a rivalry could easily evolve.

 

[minimal]

Hate their guts, but Detroit hasn't given Toronto a reason to make it mutual.

 

[Realgud]

The Wings only rival right now is Ottawa

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Biggest rival when I started watching in the 80s and who I was taught to hate the most.

 

[Run the Jewels]

It was a rivalry during Stevie's early years in the league but it hasn't been a real rivalry for a long time due to a host of factors. It could become one again, but tough to call it a real rivalry for the past 30 or so years.

 

[FMichael]

I'd say 'other' since we have Original 6 brotherhood keeping us 'rivals', but as others have mentioned we seem to have a bone to pick with the Sens, FLA, and TB.

 

[cjm502]

Games against the Sens are the only ones with rivalry vibes. Man I miss the days of being in the central division when the Wings were still on top of the hockey world and any game against Chicago, St. Louis, Nashville, or Columbus had potential to get violent.

 

[stillwater]

Fantastic! Now you can argue back and forth what actually constitutes a "rival", much like the inane argument in the other thread about what constitutes a draft "hit" or "miss".

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

No, Detroit and the Leafs haven't been real rivals since the early 90s when Gilmour was there. Since then the Leafs moved to the east first, so we saw them less. Then the leafs got realbad when the wings got realgud. Then the wings moved east and the leafs got realgud when the wings got realbad.

 

[LongTimeDRWF]

The wings and leafs were big rivals in the mid 60’s (yep, I recall those days) when the leafs last won cups, then again briefly in the 90’s, but mostly missed being great teams at the same time Maybe it is on 30 cycle the teams more or less rise around the same time.

Signing Marner this summer would likely make them rivals again for a few years…surprisingly, around a 30 year cycle

 

[SoupNazi]

I hate the Leafs, but I don’t think there’s a real rivalry between us anymore. Could that change? Sure. But we need a reason for it to change.

 

[cjm502]

The wings and leafs were big rivals in the mid 60’s (yep, I recall those days) when the leafs last won cups, then again briefly in the 90’s, but mostly missed being great teams at the same time Maybe it is on 30 cycle the teams more or less rise around the same time.

Signing Marner this summer would likely make them rivals again for a few years…surprisingly, around a 30 year cycle

This guys username doesn't lie

 

[RabidBadger]

If we're equating rivalry and disliking the team, then yes, it's a rivalry. Shitcago will always be my most despised team but the Laffs are firmly in the #2 slot.

 

[Bondurant]

It's fun to mock and hate the Laughs fan base and media. They are like the Yankees with less success but the Yankees have been relevant since color television.

Laughs are a historical rivalry from the Original Six days but I have never viewed them as a genuine rival.

 

[ColdToiletSeats]

I watched tonight's game just to watch them fail

A first round exit will make Marner not want to stay for sure.