Opening Day in Detroit is a treasured sports tradition -- but this moment made it extra special.

Zdeno Chara has announced his retirement after playing 24 NHL seasons and captaining the Boston Bruins to the Stanley Cup in 2011.

The Detroit Red Wings have hired two-time Stanley Cup-winning assistant Derek Lalonde as coach after a lengthy search process.

It’s been 25 years since one of the most tragic events in Detroit sports history.

Nicklas Lidstrom is back in the mix. He’s part of the Yzerplan. He’s catching the Yzer ... plane.

Logan Couture scored in overtime moments after a fan threw a fake octopus on the ice and the San Jose Sharks beat the Detroit Red Wings 3-2.

The new Detroit Red Wings vice president of hockey operations is an old favorite: Nicklas Lidstrom.

Ondrej Palat scored with 2:17 left in overtime, lifting the Tampa Bay Lightning to a 7-6 comeback win over the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday night.

Detroit increased its playoff streak to 22 seasons, the longest active streak at the time.

Chris Osgood won three Stanley Cups with the Red Wings -- 1997, 1998 and 2008. He also tended goal for the 2009 Red Wings team that lost in the Final to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

It turns out, Mike Babcock’s mental games were enough to crush the 40-year-old Modano near the end of the 2010-11 season.

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JUNE 14: Niklas Lidstrom #5 of the Detroit Red Wings celebrates a Stanley Cup victory with his son and the Conn Smythe Trophy on June 14, 2002 at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by B Bennett/Getty Images)Adam Lidstrom is clearly Nicklas Lidstrom’s son -- there is no doubt about it. Adam, now 25 years old, posted a new photo to Instagram this week -- wow:Uncanny! Adam is playing hockey with Enköpings SK in Sweden. He has 13 points in 28 games this season.

UNIONDALE, NEW YORK - JANUARY 14: Dylan Larkin #71 of the Detroit Red Wings skates against the New York Islanders at NYCB Live's Nassau Coliseum on January 14, 2020 in Uniondale, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)DETROIT – It’s official: Dylan Larkin is the captain of the Detroit Red Wings. Larkin, 24, becomes the 37th captain in Red Wings franchise history. Dylan Larkin has been named the 37th captain in Detroit Red Wings franchise history. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/l05lknUP6B — Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) January 13, 2021Read more: Red Wings release 2020-21 roster; 6 players on taxi squad

While many Red Wings fans won't be surprised, and perhaps even relieved by Kronwall's decision to retire, let's not forget he was a huge part of a very good Red Wings team between 2006 and 2012. Without Kronwall, the Red Wings probably don't have the depth to go to back-to-back Stanley Cup finals in 2008-09. Kronwall was the ultimate Red Wings' sleeper draft pick out of Sweden. He played a total 953 career NHL games (83 goals, 349 assists) and another 109 playoff games (5 goals, 42 assists). So if Zetterberg's retirement felt like the end to that team, well then here's the real, official, end.