from Kirkland Crawford of the Detroit Free Press,
The Detroit Red Wings of the mid-1990s were labeled as soft.
Critics said they lacked the toughness to win the Stanley Cup, even though they resided atop the NHL standings for much of the decade.
On March 26, 1997, the Wings said enough was enough.
That night represented more than just revenge on Claude Lemieux of the Colorado Avalanche. It was more than just drawing blood to avenge the facial injuries Kris Draper dealt by Lemieux in the 1996 Western Conference finals.