Detroit Red Wings fans never will forget Steve Yzerman, with his gap-toothed smile, hoisting the Stanley Cup on the final night of the 1996-97 season.
Believe it or not, it’s almost time to celebrate the 25th anniversary of that incredible season, when the Wings ended a 42-year Stanley Cup drought.
To commemorate the anniversary — for one of the most-beloved championship teams in the history of Detroit sports — the Free Press has crafted a new hardcover book, “Stanleytown 25 Years Later: The Inside Story of How the Stanley Cup Returned to the Motor City after 41 Frustrating Seasons.”
SAY CHEESE!: The story behind Yzerman’s smile when the Wings won the 1997 Stanley Cup
Besides The Captain’s courageous crusade for the greatest trophy in sports, fans always will remember the Russian Five. The Grind Line. Fight Night at The Joe: McCarty vs. Lemieux, Vernon vs. Roy, Everybody vs. the Avalanche. Darren McCarty’s once-in-a-lifetime goal. Flying octopi. And the million fans who lined Woodward Avenue and jammed Hart Plaza for the parade.
“Stanleytown 25 Years Later” features 208 glossy, full-color pages and behind-the-scenes stories from the Free Press’ award-winning writers who covered the 1996-97 Red Wings, such as Keith Gave, Helene St. James, Jason La Canfora and Mitch Albom. The book takes a fresh look at your favorite memories and updates the stories of the 26 players — don’t forget Ticker, Brown-ov and the Black Aces! — who skated with the Cup at Joe Louis Arena on June 7, 1997.
This collectors’ book is a must-have for all Wings fans. It’s packed full of big stories (who remembers all four players in the Shanahan trade?), small stories (like Lucy Lawless’ wardrobe malfunction years before Janet Jackson’s), stats (who really won the Central Division?), photos (including a human imitating a turtle) and unforgettable moments (such as The Captain stuffing a big silver trophy in his little silver Porsche).
“Stanleytown 25 Years Later” costs $39.95, but you can save $10 by preordering through Aug. 24 at RedWings.PictorialBook.com. The book will ship Sept. 24.
It’s never too early to order “Stanleytown 25 Years Later” as a holiday gift (at a discount!) for the Red Wings nuts in your life.
Gene Myers retired from the Free Press in late 2015 after 22½ years as sports editor. He is the editor for “Stanleytown 25 Years Later,” as he has been for countless Free Press books over the decades, including “The Joe: Memories from the Heart of Hockeytown,” “Gordie: The Legend of Mr. Hockey,” “Mr. Tiger: The Legend of Al Kaline, Detroit’s Own,” “Mr. March: One Coach, 25 Years of Spartans Glory,” and “Mick McCabe’s Golden Yearbook: 50 Great Years of Michigan’s Best High School Players, Teams & Memories.”