Ted Lindsay
GP: 862
G: 335
A: 393
PTS: 728
Ted Lindsay started playing professionally for Detroit in 1944. He played 12 years for the Red Wings before being traded to Chicago in a controversial trade in 1957. Lindsay was acting captain for four seasons with Detroit. Lindsay played three seasons with Chicago before retiring from the NHL. His retirement lasted four years before joining Detroit for one final season before retiring again after the 1965 season.
Lindsay played 17 seasons in the NHL and scored 851 points in 1,068 regular season games. In 16 playoff seasons, Lindsay scored 96 points in 133 games.
Lindsay was named to the NHL First All-Star Team eight times and to the Second All-Star Team once. Lindsay was a four-time Stanley Cup Champion with the Red Wings. In 1947-48, Lindsay led the NHL with 33 goals. In 1949-50, Lindsay won the Art Ross Trophy for leading the NHL in scoring.
After his playing career ended, Lindsay was the General Manager of the Red Wings for four years. In 1979-80, Lindsay was also named Head Coach, a position he held for one season.
In 1966-67, Ted Lindsay was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. In 2007-08, Lindsay was awarded the Lester Patrick Trophy for his NHL Contribution to U.S. Hockey.
Ted Lindsay was a fixture at Detroit Red Wings home games. He regularly met fans and signed his famous #7 book in the lobby at Joe Louis Arena. In 2015, I sat with Ted Lindsay during the intermission of the Hall of Fame game in Toronto. He was soft-spoken and a true gentleman.
Lindsay’s legacy off the ice will always be remembered by his generosity in starting his own foundation Impacting Autism.
The Ted Lindsay Award is presented annually to the most outstanding player as voted by the members of the NHLPA.