The Detroit Red Wings have some of the most iconic legends in the game's history, and Alex Delvecchio was one of them. The Wings will honor him this season with a jersey patch and helmet decal featuring his number.
The patch will be located on the shoulder of the Wings' home, road, and Centennial jerseys, and on ear protector of the helmets. Few former Red Wings players deserve this honor, given what Delvecchio did for the franchise, and he's almost right up there with former greats like Gordie Howe and Steve Yzerman.
Delvecchio is in the Hockey Hall of Fame, and he played an astounding 24 seasons with the Red Wings between 1950-51 and 1973-74, racking up 1,550 games, 1,281 points, and 456 goals. During his playing career, Delvecchio helped the Wings win three Stanley Cups. He also won the Byng three times, was part of two NHL All-Star Teams, and played in 13 All-Star Games.
Despite his gaudy numbers, Delvecchio never led the Red Wings in scoring, thanks to Howe's presence. Still, Delvecchio was nearly always Howe's go-to option, as he often centered the Production Line alongside Mr. Hockey and another former Red Wings great, Ted Lindsay.
He put up steady production during his NHL career, but Delvecchio's best season didn't come until his age-36 season in 1968-69, when he ended up with 83 points, 25 goals, and 58 assists.
Alex Delvecchio spent his entire career with the Red Wings
Toughness was key for Delvecchio throughout his long career, leading the league with 70 games played in a season on eight different occasions. missing significant time only in 1956-57, thanks to an ankle injury. Other than that, Delvecchio was one of the most reliable skaters on the Wings during the Original Six Era.
Delvecchio served as the head coach of the Wings shortly after his playing days ended between 1973-74 and 1976-77. He was also the general manager for the Wings. So, that's 27 seasons with a single franchise. An impressive accomplishment that you don't see often in today's NHL landscape.
He never saw the same kind of success as the bench boss or one of the primary decision-makers in the front office that he did as a player. But it never tarnished the legendary status he held with the Red Wings. So, when you watch the Wings play this season, look for that No. 10 decal, and remember one of the franchise greats that helped make Detroit the NHL's most successful American franchise.