Chris Chelios
Many people have fond memories of Joe Louis Arena, where the Red Wings played for decades and brought home the Stanley Cup. This year, some fathers and children who went to games together years ago, have returned for one last game for a sentimental journey.
But truth be told, the stadium, which opened in 1979, is decaying, the steps inside and outside pose a danger and the facility is outdated, particularly when compared to others in the league.
Former Detroit Red Wing star Chris Chelios on Friday told 97.1 The Ticket that says some free agents may have passed on coming to Detroit because of the decaying stadium. He said the move to Little Caesars could help change that, according to CBS Detroit.
In the meantime, Chelios confirmed what many sports writers and fans suspected: Many veteran players didn't care for Coach Mike Babcock, who has moved on to Toronto.
In an interview with 97.1 The Ticket, he says “No veteran free agent is going to want to come in and play for Mike Babcock. I wanted to because I wanted to stay in Detroit, but no matter what I did — I tried so hard to win his heart over and I just couldn’t.”
Chelios played for Babcock from 2005 through 2009, which included a Stanley Cup Championship in 2008.
“It’s nothing personal, but he’s a tough guy to play for, especially for a veteran."
“He didn’t like a lot of people,” Chelios said.
