During their 1995-96 season, the Red Wings defeated the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the playoffs, creating a rivalry that lasted almost ten years.
In the first round of the playoffs, the Red Wings defeated the eighth-place Winnipeg Jets marking the Jets' final games in Winnipeg as the franchise relocated to Phoenix following their playoff defeat. In the Western Conference Finals, the Red Wings were ousted in six games by the Colorado Avalanche, who were in the first year after moving from Quebec. These two teams started the Red Wings-Avalanche rivalry, which lasted nearly a decade. 
