Red Wings legend Ted Lindsay died overnight in Detroit at 93 years old. Gordie Howe's partner in crime and a mainstay in the Detroit Red Wings' pantheon of greats, Lindsay was one of hockey's great enforcers and villains. His No. 7 hangs in the rafters of Little Caesar's Arena in Detroit, and he carried that success into management.
Lindsay never wavered from his brand. When he was named Red Wings GM in 1977, the common slogan was "aggressive hockey is back in town." Lindsay would eventually go on to be named executive of the year.
As a player, Lindsay played a violent style that vilified him among opposing teams and fans. One of his more infamous moments came in 1956, when Lindsay and Howe were threatened by a Maple Leafs fan when the Red Wings-Maple Leafs rivalry was its peak. The fan said not to "worry about Howe and Lindsay tonight. I'm going to shoot them." Lindsay and Howe would go on to dominate the Leafs, and Lindsay skated around the ice holding his stick like a machine gun in a brazen display of cockiness.
Lindsay was also a "players first" player -- a rare sight in the NHL during his era. Lindsay and then-Canadiens' defenseman Doug Harvey spearheaded the movement to form the NHL Player's Association. In 2010, the NHLPA named its MVP trophy after Lindsay, and after the introduction he said "I've never had a greater day in my life."
"The beautiful thing … is the players vote for it…and these guys know who the good hockey players are," Lindsay said, via the NHLPA's site. "I'm very honored that they are the ones who decide who wins my trophy. There are no politics involved. It tells you the whole story. Whoever wins it is entitled to it."
Lindsay was a four-time Stanley Cup winner and he scored 851 points (no to mention the owner of 1,423 penalty minutes), but ultimately his legacy lies off the ice. Lindsay helped players for generations in a time where it was very difficult to fight owners -- and listening to him throughout the years it's clear that that's what he's most proud of.
Despite Lindsay being known for his aggressive style, he was -- by all accounts -- extremely kind. After he filed his anti-trust lawsuit against NHL owners in the 1950s, he was adamant that it wasn't about changing hockey -- it was just so players could have some basic rights.
Lindsay's statue now resides in the concourse of Little Caesar's Arena, alongside his jersey which hangs in the rafters.
