Mobsters convinced the Detroit Red Wings to play a team of prisoners, and it was a blowout

The Winter Classic, Heritage Classic, and Stadium Series give us a chance to see our favorite hockey teams playing the game out in the open air. But the first time the NHL went outdoors, it was thanks to the gentle suggestion of some mobsters, a particularly ambitious prison athletic director, and the Detroit Red Wings.
Written and produced by Will Buikema
Directed by Mike Imhoff
Edited by Jiazhen Zhang
Graphics by Phil Pasternak
Shot by Alex Hawley
Acting coach Brian Gilbert
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[@CompletelyNormal]

It should be called the pros and cons game

[@thehoodedteddy1335]

Genius

[@iangalt6899]

You are a genius, good sir

[@kourii]

Best YT comment I've seen all week

[@jeffgilbert9917]

I'm disappointed the story doesn't end with an inmate escaping dressed as a Red Wings player.

[@firstpersonwinner7404]

I honestly expected it for a moment. They all switch jerseys and suddenly the red wings are locked up

[@PassiveDestroyer]

Ah, he never got caught though.

[@johnkramer54]

"he just ran into my knife five times officer, I swear I didn't do nothing"

[@DefendYoungstown]

"SAME THING HAPPENED TO ME! NOT GUILTY!!"

[@JW-mr5mh]

I was just randomly shooting my gun sir, I never saw any of those people laying on the ground when I started shooting!

[@pawpawnorth]

I-L-L

[@Kerem9_8]

He walked into my bullet

[@YZER19]

Backwards!

[@Stubbum]

HEY THATS BRIAN DAVID GILBERT

[@warhawk3972]

Stubbum I THOUGHT I RECOGNIZED HIM

[@tomfonseca4997]

My main man Brain David Gilbert repin' the purple gang

[@adams5558]

So basically the longest yard but with NHL pros?

[@toptenguy1]

A combination of "Longest yard" and "Mystery Alaska"

[@GlutesEnjoyer]

F U N D T H E M O V I E

[@howardbaxter2514]

How has this event not been made into a Hollywood movie?

[@LoLotov]

Reminds me of that episode of South Park where Stan coaches a peewee hockey team that eventually plays the Detroit Redwings and they get smeared into cherry cobbler.

[@LuckyBird551]

Ever seen the british version of that movie?

[@hardenstine]

You know they should turn that into a movie, that would make a great movie.

[@TheDude4077]

I came here for the Brian David Gilbert content, was not disappointed. Now Mike has to be in an episode of Unraveled.

[@bennypanella9189]

Beef History: Prisoners vs Laws

[@wiicaaak]

😭😭

[@ffejpsycho]

We already know the final score... Prisoners: Fought Law: Won

[@conversationdomination5625]

I am INCREDIBLY disappointed with the fact that Marquette Prison Pirates jerseys are not available anywhere. As a Detroit fan and Michigan native, if I could get a jersey like the ones at 2:59 I would be so happy

[@fetti_]

Late reply, but I'm sure you could get one custom made 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@davidkruse4030]

Incredibly disappointed? Woe

[@Personal_Chizo]

Fighting in the age of US Army ads.

[@mikejones3rfs]

I know I'm in the army active duty it's rough. Stay away if you Know what's good for you.

[@howardbaxter2514]

mikejones3rfs I hate my life already (made plenty of bad choices), so I guess I should join the Army Reserves then as an enlisted soldier who is also trying to commission as an officer, shortly followed by Active Duty for who knows how long.

[@chrisclark2747]

"... and another future Hall of Famer, Gordie Howe." To put that into perspective for those who don't know anything about hockey, that's like saying "and another future Hall of Famer, Joe Montana" or "and another future Hall of Famer, Wilt Chamberlain."

[@dustyb58]

Gordie Howe? oh he's just "another future hall of famer"

[@ferrousallotrope]

I actually hate when people just comment lines from the video, but I had to give you guys a shout for the “captive audience” pun @1:34. Brilliant.

[@ShakeItLittleTina]

I’m so happy that Brian David Gilbert was in this video

[@ffejpsycho]

Ted Lindsey played the "support the Red Wings" looong game so well, he rocked a Steve Yzerman Jersey way back in 1953!

[@maddybutyoutube]

bdg as a prisoner in the 50s is a good timeline

[@luke_darga]

A video with the Detroit Red Wings *AND* Brian David Gilbert? Beautiful.

[@unslept_em]

oh cool, brian david gilbert is in this one

[@Kylora2112]

Because when I think of a hockey-playing gangster, I think Brian David Gilbert

[@JacksonStGeorge]

Brian David Gilbert!!!

[@matthewfurman5177]

The Rangers and Kings actually played an outdoor preseason game in 1991 too! They played at Ceasar's Palace in Vegas

[@danaeiland5054]

"playing ice hockey outside like fools"??!!

[@JohnD27018]

This is the kind of conent i subscribed for. Always enjoy learning about these random sporting events

[@N.I.R.A.T.I.A.S.]

"Jon Bois is back but you're still not getting him." - SB Nation, possibly.

[@Triskitout]

comments like this that flood everything he and his co-workers work on is reason enough for him to want to hide his persona, imo

[@brokenking5044]

@@Triskitout so is he pandering to the consumer? Or to the hate of consumers?

[@somecunninglinguist]

My favorite aspect of vox as a parent company is the cast crossover between channels

[@tomfonseca4997]

BDG!!!!

[@somecunninglinguist]

@@tomfonseca4997 the Brian David Gilbert experience

[@jemiller226]

@Iraq Lobsta!! 45 Yes and always has been. Sports Blogs Inc. rebranded to Vox after they expanded from sports into tech news (The Verge).

[@ethanqb12able]

@Iraq Lobsta!! 45 you're a legend

[@kieranmanning6251]

Do a Beef Nation about Shaq and Javale McGee. That one's absolutely hilarious.

[@sexyohhenry4192]

did you see it?

[@heshootshescores9]

thank you for hockey content sb nation

[@whitec21]

Only here for the Brian David Gilbert cameos.

[@aaronwood8110]

These are some of my favorite videos.

[@jedwards1689]

Missed Title opportunity: "Mobsters convinced the Detroit Red Wings to play a team of prisoners, and it was a bloodbath"

[@ayebusta]

more brian david gilbert on this channel please

[@chesthoIe]

If I were that prisoner who got to play with the Wings, I would have used that opportunity to escape.

[@krakrex780]

Actually the first NHL outdoor game was between the LA Kings and Rangers, in a parking lot in VEGAS in the 90s

[@adamfarmerjft9643]

Krak Rex if I'm not mistaken that was pre-season. Habs Oilers was first reg season

[@zreyes6226]

Yeah it was a pre-season game but it was the predecessor of frozen fury which was a tradition until Vegas got a team. It is also the predecessor of the Winter classic.

[@krakrex780]

@Lil Pump And no one should try imitating a shitty rapper

[@miketurns202]

Krak Rex Hahaha...you roasted Fake lil pump 😂😂 I love it!

[@dustyb58]

@@adamfarmerjft9643 but the video doesn't specify, it says "the first time two nhl teams played each other in an outdoor game", which is incorrect

[@JamNJ1985]

love this one guys. Great video

[@heyandy889]

small point of fact - it is true that the Mich-MSU game was initially branded as the "Cold War." However after Sept 11, the game was no longer billed with the ... hostile military connotation. I think I read this in a local paper, no idea if I could find a source anymore.

[@michaelhall5429]

Sir Donald Bradman please. Ed. Excellent production. Congratulations everybody involved, particularly Baron von Liftsalot.

[@judgeanderson4388]

I love living right next to Marquette and I already knew that

[@Djiehh]

I'm on a mission to find every appearance of BDG on KZbin. Today is a good day.

[@ssprivatechanel]

Forgot about Kings Rangers in Vegas in 1991

[@moneyman782]

It was preseason my guy that's why they didn't count it most likely

[@dawudcharlton]

It still was an NHL game bro he makes a point. Also Tom Wilson got suspended 11games in that game

[@moneyman782]

@@dawudcharlton Yeah but they don't count a lot of stuff in preseason so it makes sense that they didn't count it yah know? It's weird but eh. Edit: Also technically it is an exhibition game.

[@The_General_Zubas]

Its like drunk history. But with more accuracy. And less alcoholism.

[@The_General_Zubas]

@Blue collar Gold pockets LoL. They axded enough truth to make their drunk BS believeable. I wanna see "High History" same concept. But with joints, bongs and such. Good luck getting that on TV though.

[@YZER19]

Germany here. We still have no roof on our rink in Wiesbaden state of Hessen, Germany. Winter classics every gameday. Playing with 8 guys vs teams with 3 full line ups. Still winning. 💪 they are to soft for our outdoor rink.

[@YZER19]

I would go to jail to skate with Gordy and the gang!!!!!

[@sam21462]

Also, "Mystery, Alaska" is a fun little movie about an outdoor hockey game.

[@danger170388]

The first NHL outdoor game was in 1991 when the Kings played the Rangers outdoors at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas

[@YZER19]

Plot twist. The prisoner was actually Gordy Howe and he was sk good they helped him escape prison in a red wings jersey.

[@bssin910]

2:59 *Beavis and Butt-Head laugh*

[@bradywilliams2666]

That's interesting. I grew up 20 miles from Marquette and never knew this.

[@lancemilliken9078]

What an incredible story

[@spliffy_kohlab8336]

Super cool.

[@tilfmilfy7459]

Imagine being released from prison just to say that u got to play a game against One of the Greatest teams in hockey history

[@austinryan9382]

Let's go REDWINGS!!!

[@burningfarts]

What about the outdoor game the LA Kings hosted in the 90's? (Gretzky was on the team)

[@lukejanofski4233]

I’m from Marquette 💓💓🐐🐐🐐

[@gwaptiva]

Late Kate here but isn't the record attendance for an outdoor game that set by Germany vs USA in May 2010?

[@rogerszmodis]

In Tampa Bay it doesn't get played well into the summer. They barely made it into April.

[@rebeccatrishel]

Ooooo

[@butcherboy2008]

The team should have been called The Rhythm Section. Jailhouse Rock - The whole rhythm section was the Purple Gang.

[@edmontonboy99]

I don’t even remember that outdoor game

[@Lewis-jn8ry]

They still have pictures of this at the prison I believe.

[@francisforte4782]

One inaccuracy. The Rangers and Kong’s played an outdoor game in 1991 at Caesar’s Palace.

[@patrickrigali85]

Gr8 vid

[@jakec7077]

What about the 1991 pre season game Kings vs Rangers in Vegas??

[@carterreid9869]

Best video

[@zachbarlow25]

Good guy Detroit

[@ericloeffelholz]

I want to read the rest of the article at 3:00 Interesting they call the one player by his inmate number and saying they have a stable team due to light graduation losses, as in none of them are getting out anytime soon

[@marcus_mannebach]

As a Bayern München Fan, i love the scarf! ❤ Mia San Mia!

[@juneguts]

hi brian

[@thecanadianwizard9748]

Do the first nhl hat trick

[@neembowsky]

So some prison wardens thought it was a good idea to give a bunch of convicts sticks and sharp as knives skates? Right.

[@beeishere5178]

1:58 IS THAT BDG ON THE RIGHT

[@bowerbjo]

I love this video. Just wish it's didn't include references to the brutal, professional murderers. That army watermark really took me out of it.

[@JonPITBZN]

The whole damn video is about the Purple Gang. If you didn't feel like hearing about brutal, professional murderers, you should have clicked off the minute their name came up.

[@666M4GG07666]

i read "mobsters" as "monsters" which would have been a better video tbh

[@The_General_Zubas]

Marquette still exists today. It's actually a famous name for the area.

[@christopherchan5245]

Why are you wearing a Bayern scarf talking about hockey 😂

[@tylermorud7460]

Are you guys seriously sponsored by the U.S. Army?

[@Innuya]

The US army are a big sponsor for the NFL too

[@elihernandez800]

Shows how weak the army is. Compared to Marines sponsoring UFC.

[@howardbaxter2514]

Eli Hernandez don’t y’all also sponsor Crayola?

[@mangrove]

Jack Adams rubbing elbows with mobsters? Color me surprised.

[@ryoryo9936]

Best part of the video at 5:05

[@kevinfield5930]

Please do the origins of arena soccer

[@emmersonmclellan-campbell3413]

C A N A D I A N S

[@carterreid9869]

Go jets

[@clamstain]

they're gonna put you in the same jail with ogilthorpe

[@ChannelyChannel]

Of course it was gonna be a blowout with Lindsay and Howe.

[@justaguy2648]

Purple gang. Sounds scary

[@chubbs.mp3435]

Cx in the chat

[@justaguy2648]

Iraq Lobsta!! 45 well I would hope they were badasses because there name is silly

[@cakcakcak]

BDG!

[@danielcrespo6736]

How about the 1st true college football dynasty going back to like the 1880s?

[@codybubenheimer7888]

5:01 "hackey game" ? Has the spelling of this word evolved?

[@pbagosy]

It's the Massachusetts spelling. "Goin ta tha hackey game, gonna see the Bs whoop up onna Rags! Gonna be a wicked pissah."

[@jesseshore3873]

The Oilers Canadiens game was the first regular season outdoor game, but the first time two nhl teams played each other outdoors was in 1993 in Vegas when the Rangers played the Kings in the preseason

[@jesseshore3873]

Sorry, 1991

[@Jack-mp9ux]

Lets go red wings are the best

[@theunwelcome]

considering the title has "mobsters" AND "prisoners" in it, surprisingly little hostility...

[@dawudcharlton]

Rangers played the King's in Vegas in early 90s ... first NHL outdoor game

[@MrJethroha]

Lmao, why tf is the army spending money on a video about Hockey? Do they think I'm going to enlist because I saw their logo on a couple videos? If they spent some more money on soldiers salaries and benefits they'd have more luck.

[@dandosapershing6103]

I just found out box owns this KZbin channel, makes me sad that I have to unsubscribe to this channel, but it’s for the best.

[@carlosserrouya3953]

B1ack Dahlia come on many companies own other companies that are completely the opposite

[@cpmenninga]

He said "box."

[@roserichardson9480]

Don't join the army.

[@lukasmenke5548]

I would watch, but that scarf is just disgusting.

[@setrouf]

BDG???????

[@MrCubFan415]

First! :)

[@tjboss3087]

Dang never heard someone mispronounce Montreal Canadiens

[@Matt-io8cx]

thats how the people from quebec say it but oh well

[@tjboss3087]

Matt FC how? The way he’s saying it?

[@Matt-io8cx]

TJBOSS 30 it’s in a french-canadian accent

[@tjboss3087]

O I pronounce it in a normal accent so I thought he was just an uncultured swine

[@Matt-io8cx]

TJBOSS 30 it’s fine, i’m sure he was trying to be professional but most people say canadiens like how you would normally say it

[@ianosaurus27]

221st Thumbs Up 22nd Comment

[@asleep909]

Nice Scarf! Go FC Bayern Munchen!!!

[@KMlovesyou]

I just found out SBNation is owned by Vox.... UNSUBSCRIBED

[@RobertPaceII]

That's them "The Purple City Byrdgang". Yes the Y in Byrd is on purpose. I wonder how many people will get this reference?

[@neunzehndreizehn]

disliked because of the bayern münchen scarf. #hejabvb