Ever since 1996, Detroit has been known as Hockeytown, USA. The Detroit Red Wings have a following like no other among American NHL teams, filling opposing stadiums with red and white and cheering their team on to playoff appearance after playoff appearance. However, with the Red Wings' current struggles, some other cities claim that they deserve the title instead.
Nobody in the NHL has come close to Detroit's playoff streak, but if it ends within the next week, it can be guaranteed that fans of certain other elite teams will claim that they deserve the moniker of Hockeytown. Here are the top five candidates to replace Detroit as Hockeytown.
5. Boston, Massachusetts
The Boston Bruins have been one of the league's best teams the past five seasons. With an Original Six history, a great fanbase, historic alumni like Orr and Neely, and a chance to be an elite team for years to come, Boston could definitely make a case to be known as Hockeytown. The reason they are this low, however, is because the Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox are equally important to Beantown as the Bruins - maybe even more so.
4. St. Paul, Minnesota
Minnesota refers to itself as "The State of Hockey" as its concentration on youth hockey is rivaled by no other state in the union. The problem with calling it Hockeytown, however, is that the Minnesota Wild has hardly done anything impressive in its 13-year history other than a run to the Western Conference Final in 2003. Maybe things will change in the future with Zach Parise, Jason Pominville, and Ryan Suter on the roster.
3. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The Pittsburgh Penguins are one of the most dominant teams in the NHL, boasting players like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Jarome Iginla. They have been to two Stanley Cup Finals since 2008, winning it all in 2009. It also looks as if the Pens will be at the top of the league for years and years to come, as Crosby and Malkin are still relatively young and show no signs of slowing down barring major injuries.
2. San Jose, California
The San Jose Sharks currently hold the second-longest playoff streak in hockey. Despite being in California, the Sharks have some great fans that create arguably the most intimidating environment in hockey at the Shark Tank. Also, the Sharks are the only Big Four sports team to play in San Jose, even though the Oakland A's may relocate there soon. The problem is that the Sharks have been around for 22 years and have yet to make it to the Stanley Cup Final. However, Detroit ended a 42-year Stanley Cup drought the first season it called itself "Hockeytown"...maybe it could do the trick in Northern California as well.
1. Chicago, Illinois
Chicago would be the clear choice if anyone was to ever take the Hockeytown name from Detroit. The Chicago Blackhawks have had a historic season, shattering the record for the greatest start in NHL history and continuing to dominate throughout the year. The Hawks added a Stanley Cup in 2010, look to have an amazing future, and have consistently led the NHL in attendance every year since 2009.