The Joe Louis Arena has been home to the Detroit Red Wings for 38 years. Located along the Detroit River, this arena holds many memories for players, coaches, employees, and fans of the Red Wings. The last game at the Joe was played on Sunday, April 9 against the New Jersey Devils. Let's reminisce:

While the Red Wings played at the Joe Louis arena, they went to the Stanley Cup championship six times. This means they defeated all their opponents and had the honor of competing for the Stanley Cup six times. More importantly, the Red Wings won four Stanley Cup Championships in 1997, 1998, 2002, and 2008. Two of those championships have been won at the Joe. Also while playing at the Joe, the Red Wings proudly had a 25 season playoff streak. Sadly that streak was ended this past season, but hopefully it will start back up again next season.

Some very talented hockey players have played on that ice. In 1980, Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe met for the first time during the 32nd All-Star Game at the Joe. Honorable players like Steve Yzerman, Sergei Fedorov, Kris Draper, Brenden Shanahan, Chris Osgood, Pavel Datsyuk, Nicklas Lidstrom, Brett Hull, Chris Chelios, Dominik Hasek and so many others skated across that ice.

Fedorov scored five goals in one game. Yzerman led the Red Wings to a Stanley Cup, ending their 42 year drought. Osgood was involved in a goalie fight against the Avalanche goalie Patrick Roy. Datsyuk began and ended his NHL career at the Joe. Hanging from the rafters of the Joe Louis Arena are the jerseys of Yzerman, Lidstrom, Howe, Sid Abel, Terry Sawchuk, Alex Delvecchio, and Ted Lindsay. All these players have been able to spend their entire career, most of their career, or a piece of their career at the Joe Louis Arena.

My favorite tradition at the Joe are the flying octopuses. The building operations manager at the Joe, Al Sobotka, will swing around an octopus to get the fans pumped up for the game. Fans will also throw octopuses onto the ice. The eight tentacles represent the Red Wings's eight postseason wins that eventually led to the Stanley Cup. I hope this continues on at the Little Caeser's Arena, the new home of the Detroit Red Wings.

Personally, I have had many memories at the Joe Louis Arena. My family would always attend games there when I was younger. I remember watching legends like Lidstrom play at the Joe. I have many hockey pucks that I received while watching games there. Sadly, my last game at the Joe Louis Arena was on November 6, 2016. I hope to attend more games at the new hockey arena, but I'll always keep the Joe in my heart.

Hockeytown won't be the same without the Joe, but new memories will happen next season at the Little Caeser's Arena. #FarewellJoe