If you’ve spent any time around Red Wings fans, you know the drill. Say “just a city boy,” and somebody is bound to fire back, “born and raised in south Detroit!”
That Journey line has lived plenty of lives - from The Sopranos to endless radio rotation - but in Detroit, it’s something else entirely. It’s the sound of a win.
The song’s connection to the Red Wings goes back to the 1990s, according to the documentary Unrivaled: Red Wings vs. Avalanche. And the story starts with Vladimir Konstantinov.
After the Red Wings won the 1997 Stanley Cup, Konstantinov was involved in a car accident. His limousine driver, according to the police report, lost control of the vehicle. Konstantinov was left paralyzed and unable to play hockey again.
What happened next helped turn “Don’t Stop Believin’” into more than just a classic rock staple in Hockeytown. During the 1997-98 season, the Red Wings rallied around their teammate.
Konstantinov, who loved rock music, often played artists like Queen and Journey before and after games. The team also wore a “Believe” patch that season in support of him.
That’s where the song took on real meaning. The Red Wings played classic rock often that year, and “Don’t Stop Believin’” became part of the team’s identity alongside the patch.
When Detroit won the Stanley Cup in 1998, the moment brought it all together. Konstantinov, then in a wheelchair, was brought onto the ice for the celebration. Steve Yzerman, the captain, broke with tradition and handed the Cup to Konstantinov first instead of lifting it himself.
The song may mention Detroit, but for the Red Wings, the connection runs much deeper than a lyric.
Even now, “Don’t Stop Believin’” still carries weight in its own way. It may not mean the same thing it once did in Hockeytown, but it remains part of the team’s fabric. Detroit has always been a place that knows hardship, and that has shaped the city’s sports culture around toughness and persistence.
The current Red Wings, who are dealing with an identity crisis, have a chance to build something that reflects that spirit. This is the moment to create a new path, and to show what it means to get back up after getting knocked down.
In this era, more than anything, the Red Wings need to remember three words:
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