There is no question about it that the Detroit Red Wings have had one of the most storied histories in NHL history. Not only have they won 11 Stanley Cups, but they have been in the playoffs in over 70% of their seasons.
During that time, the Red Wings have also run into some villains who have become hated by the players and maybe even more so by the fans.
1 6 Most Hated Detroit Red Wings Villains Of All Time
Note: These are in no particular order, though we certainly did save the biggest villain for last!
2 Tie Domi
This one is 100% about the heated rivalry between Tie Domi and Red Wings enforcer Bob Probert. It seemed like whenever Domi and Probert were on the ice together, they would end up dropping the gloves. In fact, the two were involved in a whopping nine fights over the years. Because of this, Domi deserves to be on this list.
3 Sidney Crosby
Do we even have to explain this one? This hatred stems from when the Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins met in the 2008 and 2009 Stanley Cup Final. Sidney Crosby not only whined whenever he had the chance but also took multiple cheap shots at Detroit Red Wings’ players, including one on Kirk Maltby. Though the hatred has died down over the past ten years or so, Crosby still makes the top 6.
4 Shea Weber
I do not care who you are. You automatically make this list when you slam Henrik Zetterberg’s head into the glass, forcing his helmet to split. That is exactly what happened back in April of 2012 when Shea Weber got mixed up against the board with Zetterberg and proceeded to grab his head and slam it into the glass.
5 Chris Pronger
Though Chris Pronger was a thorn in the side of the Red Wings for many years because of his tough play, he makes this list because of the cheap shot he took on Tomas Holmstrom. Not only did Holmstrom go down to the ice, but it also left a nasty cut on his head. Pronger was hated not only by the Red Wings but by their fans for what seemed like forever because he played on some of the Wings’ biggest rivals in his career.
6 Patrick Roy
We all know who the most hated villain of all time will be, but Patrick Roy is definitely No. 2 on the list. Roy played extremely well for the most part against the Detroit Red Wings, which automatically made him one of the Wings’ biggest rivals. But what really puts Roy over that top in terms of a hated villain is the fact that he fought both Chris Osgood and Mike Vernon.
7 Claude Lemieux
Who else would be No. 1 on this list? There is no doubt about it that Claude Lemieux is the most hated villain in Detroit Red Wings’ history. Lemieux tops this list because of the dirty hit he put on Kris Draper, causing Draper to break multiple facial bones, including his nose and jaw. One of the best moments in Red Wings’ history came when Darren McCarty absolutely pummeled Lemieux as he turned into a turtle on the ice.
