Red Wings forward Henrik Zetterberg (left) keeps the puck away from Blue defenceman Carlo Colaiacovo. Under a propossed realignment plan, the Red Wings will move from the Western Conference to the East. (Reuters/Files)
Remember the glory days of the rough and tumble Chuck Norris division — as some observers fondly still refer to it — when the Detroit Red Wings, St. Louis Blues and Chicago Blackhawks took turns beating the logos off of each other?
Now, with realignment seemingly about to take hold as part of the NHL’s geographic shuffling of the cards, the Blues and Blackhawks are poised to begrudgingly bid adieu to their hated Motown foes of so many years.
While Maple Leaf supporters are euphoric that the Wings are on the verge of coming east and rekindling a rivalry long ago established by names like Howe, Armstrong, Delvecchio, Keon, Yzerman and Wendel, such a move will be bittersweet for the St. Louis and Chicago franchises.
As such, it would be easy (and understandably so) for Blues general manager Doug Armstrong to be upset at losing multiple guaranteed SRO dates courtesy of each popular Red Wings visit to the Gateway City.
