The Detroit Red Wings’ home opener immediately turned hostile as fans voiced their frustration with the organization.
“Sell the team!” chants broke out at Little Caesars Arena during Detroit’s 2026-27 season opener against the New York Rangers. Spittin’ Chiclets shared a video of the chants on X, highlighting the tense atmosphere inside the arena.
The frustration reflects a difficult period for the Red Wings. Detroit has missed the playoffs for 10 consecutive seasons, while the organization entered the season after major changes.
The team fired general manager Steve Yzerman during the offseason. Meanwhile, Dylan Larkin requested a trade and was stripped of his captaincy.
Soon, fans reacted to the footage on social media. One wrote, “There were a lot of boos and chants tonight.”
Another fan said, “Things getting uglier and uglier in Detroit.”
A third fan compared the situation with Philadelphia’s fans booing their team. “Wait! I thought Philly was the only ones to boo their team for the home opener,” the fan wrote. “It’s only 1-0 in the first 6 minutes of the game. At least we waited till the end of the first to boo.”
The “Sell the team” chants were aimed at owner Chris Ilitch as frustration grew among sections of the fanbase. A user wrote, “Chris is a cheese-eating rat for dismantling his franchises.”
One fan said, “My God, how this organization’s lustre has tarnished. And this is from a lifelong Habs fan. It’s a damn shame.”
A fan said, “All the love to the Illitch family. They helped my career tremendously. But the son just doesn’t have the same love for the Wings as the ol man did. Chris just isn’t willing to bare his soul for the success of this team. Mike would lose a hand to get what he needed done.”
Meanwhile, Larkin also faced heavy boos from the home crowd during pregame introductions. He watched the game from the bench while on injured reserve.
Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
The Red Wings eventually suffered a 2-0 shutout loss to the Rangers, adding to the difficult opening-night atmosphere.
Defenseman Moritz Seider acknowledged the crowd’s right to express its frustration. “Everyone has a right to express their feelings and we just have to deal with it,” Seider said.
The reaction from Detroit fans showed just how fast optimism disappeared during the opening night.
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