When he scored in game 5 in 2008 I’d never seen such a happy human. Too bad it didn’t stand as the GWG.
Capital-Row946
Rafalski retired and we didn’t win any more cups with that core. Not a coincidence. He was vital to that team notwithstanding being overshadowed by D/Z/Lids.
JGCIII
One of my favorites!
thaMagicConch
He is my absolute BOY. Legitametly my favorite player and ive worn 28 for the past 15 years
Madvillany313
Wyandotte Michigans own!
Isphet71
Fuckin love Rafalski. He was the missing piece for that team
only-smallblackpenis
Guy is a borderline HOF player for the work he did with the devils and wings. Takes a true stud to be able to play and keep up with guys like Lids and Stevens.
Phantom_19
Quite possibly the best free agent signing in wings history
Historical-Pause-401
The real Rafa
SimpsonX
3 time Olympian as well.
EvilBillSing
The Wings had so many good players to go along with the HOFers they had on their teams in the 90’s and beyond . They should have won more cups than 4
Key-Writer-9416
Loved him
Kagath
Too bad his knees and back couldn’t hold up longer.
EngineeringPaper
That 2010 Olympic tournament tho
__alexanderr
Rafalski and Brad Stuart both never got enough love IMO both great pieces on the D line that helped win the cup!
Basic_Ask1885
Even the appreciation post gets passed over because of the Hronek news.
If I was creating an all-underrated team for Detroit, Rafalski and Mathieu Schneider would be first pair for me
KeeganD90
I’ll always remember when I was really young during a game the announcers said that Rafalski was a great veteran to have your team. And I always thought he was in the army then played in the NHL.
PineappleEntire7761
Love him! His Wings jersey is the only one I own.
Mac6298
I bought his house, lol
DHooligan
After seeing this post I looked up his stats and it’s kind of stunning how unappreciated he was. He was a top line defender for 3 Cup champions and for two other teams that lost game 7 of the Finals. He had a career plus 178 in only 11 seasons, but he only played in two All-Star Games and shockingly none as a Red Wing. I don’t know, maybe he didn’t get enough credit because he got overshadowed by his more acclaimed defense partners.
operaticsimplicity
Couldn’t agree more
tspoon-99
One of the best tape-to-tape breakout passers on D the entire league has had over the last couple of decades.
JpodGaming
Doc Emrick yelling « Rafalski with a drive! » 17 times a game during the 2008 finals is one of the most formative memories of my childhood lol. That guy had an underrated clapper.
MLS_K
He was a great signing and a phenomenal puck moving defense with great vision
digitalUID
The guy was a stalwart on our d-line when he played. An offensive QB, if you will. IMO, he lived in the shadow of his predecessor, Lidstrom. But who can really blame that.
borpo
Losing Rafalski then losing Stuart and Lidstrom the very next season was the death knell for that core. Honestly should have started a rebuild then, in hindsight.
howaboutidont88
It’s crazy looking back at our defense on those teams our depth was nuts. I’d settle for kindl at this point
FragmentEx
Michigan boy who settled in Wisconsin, can relate to both
28 Comments
When he scored in game 5 in 2008 I’d never seen such a happy human. Too bad it didn’t stand as the GWG.
Rafalski retired and we didn’t win any more cups with that core. Not a coincidence. He was vital to that team notwithstanding being overshadowed by D/Z/Lids.
One of my favorites!
He is my absolute BOY. Legitametly my favorite player and ive worn 28 for the past 15 years
Wyandotte Michigans own!
Fuckin love Rafalski. He was the missing piece for that team
Guy is a borderline HOF player for the work he did with the devils and wings. Takes a true stud to be able to play and keep up with guys like Lids and Stevens.
Quite possibly the best free agent signing in wings history
The real Rafa
3 time Olympian as well.
The Wings had so many good players to go along with the HOFers they had on their teams in the 90’s and beyond . They should have won more cups than 4
Loved him
Too bad his knees and back couldn’t hold up longer.
That 2010 Olympic tournament tho
Rafalski and Brad Stuart both never got enough love IMO both great pieces on the D line that helped win the cup!
Even the appreciation post gets passed over because of the Hronek news.
If I was creating an all-underrated team for Detroit, Rafalski and Mathieu Schneider would be first pair for me
I’ll always remember when I was really young during a game the announcers said that Rafalski was a great veteran to have your team. And I always thought he was in the army then played in the NHL.
Love him! His Wings jersey is the only one I own.
I bought his house, lol
After seeing this post I looked up his stats and it’s kind of stunning how unappreciated he was. He was a top line defender for 3 Cup champions and for two other teams that lost game 7 of the Finals. He had a career plus 178 in only 11 seasons, but he only played in two All-Star Games and shockingly none as a Red Wing. I don’t know, maybe he didn’t get enough credit because he got overshadowed by his more acclaimed defense partners.
Couldn’t agree more
One of the best tape-to-tape breakout passers on D the entire league has had over the last couple of decades.
Doc Emrick yelling « Rafalski with a drive! » 17 times a game during the 2008 finals is one of the most formative memories of my childhood lol. That guy had an underrated clapper.
He was a great signing and a phenomenal puck moving defense with great vision
The guy was a stalwart on our d-line when he played. An offensive QB, if you will. IMO, he lived in the shadow of his predecessor, Lidstrom. But who can really blame that.
Losing Rafalski then losing Stuart and Lidstrom the very next season was the death knell for that core. Honestly should have started a rebuild then, in hindsight.
It’s crazy looking back at our defense on those teams our depth was nuts. I’d settle for kindl at this point
Michigan boy who settled in Wisconsin, can relate to both