Detroit Red Wings: Remembering Terrible Ted Lindsay
By Bob Heyrman
Ted Lindsay was born in Renfrow, Ontario, Canada. Renfrow is roughly an hour west of Ottawa, ON. It’s in the heart of cottage country, where folks head to get away from real life. Whether it’s heading out onto the lake with a fishing line, or for a warm summer swim, the area has much to offer. In the Winter they have beautiful top notch snowmobile trails.
Ted Lindsay played a total of 1 game in the American Hockey League with the Indianapolis Capitals before joining the Detroit Red Wings as a 19-year-old in 1944-45.
Lindsay played the first 13 seasons of his NHL career as a member of the Detroit Red Wings. He would be a part of four Stanley Cup Championships. He won the Art Ross Trophy during the 1949-50 season, which is awarded to the player who leads the league in points. That was the only time Lindsay won the award, he was 24-years-old and recorded 23 goals, a career-high 55 assists totaling 78 points.
Lindsay was an eleven-time NHL all-star, eight times as a first-team all-star. As I was swiping through articles yesterday, I found a quote that brought me back to the story I mentioned earlier. In an article written by Kristen Jordan Shamus, published by the Freep.com, Lindsay talks about head injuries and keeping your stick on the ice;
"Lindsay, who spent a cumulative 30 games in the penalty box during his 17-season NHL career, says he doesn’t know whether he ever had a concussion when he played, but says “my mind is working fine today and my health is still fine. “I was born with a tough skull. I never wore a helmet and never will wear a helmet.” If players just kept their sticks on the ice, it could solve a lot of problems, says Lindsay, who estimates he had about 700 stitches in the course of his career."
He was a member of what would be nicknamed the “production line” in the early 1950s. He along with Sid Abel, and Gordie Howe and later (Alex Delvecchio) were arguably the best line in hockey; they might be the best and most well-rounded line of all-time. The combination had the perfect nickname playing in the Motor City. Back then a lot of players needed to work elsewhere in the offseason to pay bills. In a city that was auto driven and the birth of the assembly line, it was so fitting.
Through 17 NHL seasons, 14 with Detroit, and 3 as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks Lindsay accomplished 379 goals, 472 assists totaling 851 points in 1068 regular season contests. During 133 career playoff games, Lindsay accumulated 47 goals, 49 assists totaling 96 points.
One of the better stories you will hear took place in Toronto against the Leafs during the 1955 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Before the game, Gordie Howe was apparently receiving death threats from the Leafs fans if the Detroit Red Wings were to win the game. Lindsay would score a pair of goals in the game including the game-winning goal in overtime. Lindsay then famously turned his stick around and pretended it was a Tommy-Gun as he gestured the Toronto fans.
Lindsay returned after a four-year retirement to play one final season where it all began, with the Detroit Red Wings in 1964-65. He recorded 14 goals and 14 assists in 69 games.