on to win 8-2. Paul Maurice put the Junior Wings season in perspective: "I have a picture hanging in my office," Maurice said. "It's not a picture of us winning the championship but a picture of the crowd the day we won (May 8, 1995). It was a real special time and I remember that fondly. "My time with the Ambassadors and Junior Wings was one of the best times of my life, in terms of coaching. I think probably more so because a lot of people really caught on to junior hockey. I know a lot of those faces I see in the pictures and I remember the people being so loyal..." Later years The Detroit Compuware Ambassadors became the Detroit Jr. Red Wings in 1992, despite the fact that Jr. Wings owner Peter Karmanos had an ongoing feud with Detroit Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch. The Jr. Wings even played in the Red Wings' Joe Louis Arena—until the rivalry between Ilitch and Karmanos finally came to a head, and the junior club was evicted in 1995, right after winning the OHL crown. When Karmanos bought the Hartford Whalers, the Jr. Wings became the Detroit Whalers, and played out of the tiny Oak Park Arena. (Some home games were held in the Palace of Auburn Hills, which with a capacity of over 20,000 was big enough to host the NHL Whalers; it would become home ice the IHL Detroit Vipers later in the decade.) In 1997, Karmanos built his own arena, Compuware Arena in Plymouth, Michigan, and re-dubbed the team the Plymouth Whalers—that same year, Karmanos moved the Hartford Whalers to North Carolina, making the Plymouth club the only team to still use the name "Whalers". (In 2015, the junior team moved again, to Flint, Michigan, and is now the Flint Firebirds.) Championships J. Ross Robertson Cup - OHL Champion 1993–94 Finalists vs. North Bay Centennials 1994–95 Champions vs. Guelph Storm Division Trophies 1993–94 Emms Trophy Emms Division 1994–95 Bumbacco Trophy West Division Coaches 1992–93 Tom Webster - Won the 1967–68 OHA scoring title with the Niagara Falls Flyers. Also played for the Detroit Red Wings (NHL) and Hartford Whalers (WHA). 1993–95 Paul Maurice (2 seasons) - Played for Tom Webster as a member of the Windsor Compuware Spitfires. Later coached the Carolina Hurricanes for seven seasons. Players The Detroit Junior Red Wings sent 13 players onto the NHL