DETROIT – The NHL officially approved a franchise for the city of Detroit on Sept. 25, 1926.
The Detroit Cougars began playing that fall. Detroit didn't have an arena ready for the team, so games were played at Border Cities Arena in Windsor, Ontario.
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Olympia Stadium opened on Oct. 15, 1927, and the Cougars played their first game at the new place on Nov. 22, 1927.
The team was renamed the Detroit Falcons in 1930 and finally the Detroit Red Wings in 1932.
The Red Wings played all homes games at Olympia until 1979 when Joe Louis Arena opened. Their first game at "The Joe" was on Dec. 27, 1979 against the St. Louis Blues.
A new arena breaks ground today -- Sept. 25, 2014 -- and construction is expected to be completed by 2017.
A new era in Red Wings history is about to begin.
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