The 12 Ways of Red Wings Christmas

It’s been more than half a century since the Detroit Red Wings played a game during the holiday season. Christmas Day and Christmas Eve games have been banned by the NHL since 1972. More recently, Boxing Day was added to the list of days prohibited for scheduling games.

That wasn’t always the case. For many decades, holiday hockey was a staple of the NHL schedule. There’s plenty of Red Wings history connected to the Christmas season, so let’s take a look back at these 12 ways of Red Wings Christmas.

Mr. Hockey Was Mr. Christmas

• Over the years, the Red Wings played 38 games on Christmas Day. The club’s record on December 25 is 14-18-6
• Red Wings icon Gordie Howe still holds many NHL records. One he’ll never surrender is the all-time NHL scoring leader on Christmas Day. In 21 games on December 25, Mr. Hockey accounted for 14 goals and 14 assists. On Christmas Day, 1956, Howe enjoyed his most productive individual performance as an NHLer. He scored three goals and dished out three assists during an 8-1 rout of the New York Rangers

The @NHL played 125 games on Christmas Day from 1920-21 to 1971-72 – the last season with a game on Dec. 25.@DetroitRedWings legend Gordie Howe has the most NHL appearances on Christmas Day – taking part in 16.8% of all Dec. 25 games in League history (21 of 125). #NHLStats pic.twitter.com/fw0XW29BVA

— NHL Public Relations (@NHLPR) December 25, 2018

• Detroit was shut out five times on Christmas Day. The Wings posted one shutout on December 25. John Ross Roach blocked all 28 shots he faced in a 4-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks at Olympia Stadium on December 25, 1932
• Former Red Wings forward Steve Wochy is the oldest living NHL player. Born on December 25th, 1922, Wochy celebrates his 104th birthday today. In 1944-45, Wochy’s 19-20-39 output was a club rookie record
• Detroit’s most recent Christmas Day victory was a 4-3 home-ice verdict over the Rangers on December 25, 1963. Howe scored two goals, including the game-winner

Red Wings Blasted Maple Leafs On Christmas Day

• If the Red Wings had signed draft picks Albin Grewe (2019) and Theodor Niederbach (2020) to go with Simon Edvinsson, they would’ve been able to suit up all three Chipmunks

🎅🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🎅
David Seville & The Chipmunks – The Chipmunk Song.. Please Christmas Don't Be Late
(i just want a hula hoop..Alvin A Chipmunk) pic.twitter.com/drXzyNYotO

— I..AM INDY! (@IndyBeginsAt220) December 17, 2025

• On December 25, 1930, the Detroit Falcons scored double digits for the first time in franchise history, putting 10 pucks past Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Ben Grant in a 10-1 drubbing. Ebbie Goodfellow scored four goals for the Falcons. The next day, Grant was assigned to the minor leagues by the Maple Leafs
• The Red Wings went 0-5-1 in their last six Christmas Day games. Detroit’s final December 25 game was a 5-3 loss at Toronto in 1971. Nick Libett scored Detroit’s final Christmas Day goal. Mickey Redmond had a goal and an assist in the game
• Red Wings Hall of Fame icon Norm Ullman will turn 90 on December 26. He is tied for second in all-time Christmas Day scoring with 5-10-15 totals
• In Detroit’s 5-4 overtime victory over the Washington Capitals on December 26, 1996, Sergei Fedorov scored all five Red Wings goals. Fedorov is the first and so far only player in an NHL regular-season game to score all the goals for his team in a game when a team scores at least five goals
• Future Red Wings goalie Ed Giacomin stops all 24 shots he faces, and former Red Wings forward Pete Stemkowski dishes out four assists as the Rangers blank Detroit 5-0 in the most recent Christmas Eve game played by both teams on December 24, 1972
• The Red Wings went 1-0-2 in three Christmas Day overtime games. There were 1-1 ties with Chicago (1936) and Toronto (1937). Sid Abel’s goal at 5:02 of the extra period gave Detroit a 3-2 victory over the Brooklyn Americans on Christmas Day 1941.