The choice was tough, but his son’s game won out over the farewell to the Joe.
Notably absent from Sunday’s daylong celebration of Joe Louis Arena was Kris Draper, the former forward who topped 1,000 games in a Detroit Red Wings uniform and helped them win four Stanley Cups. Draper now serves in the front office. But he was missing as players past and present walked the red carpet hours before the final game at the Joe, and his No. 33 wasn’t called when alumni came onto the ice for the postgame ceremony.