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CONSIDER THIS. Only four players in NHL history have played more than 1,500 games, while doing so all for the same franchise. And three of them – Alex Delvecchio, Steve Yzerman and Nicklas Lidstrom – did it with the Detroit Red Wings. (Shane Doan is the other.) The Wings have had some of the game’s greatest individual talents and they stuck around for a very long time. Detroit has won the majority of its 11 Stanley Cups in three clusters, two in the 1930s, the dynasty of the 1950s and the one that came along more than 40 years later. It should come as no surprise the players on those teams dominate the list of top players.
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1 GORDIE HOWE
POS | RW YEARS | 1946-71 GP | 1,687 G | 786 A | 1,023 P | 1,809
WHEN YOU’RE THIS great, they call you Mister. And Howe, who was just as well known as ‘Mr. Hockey,’ earned every bit of the enormous respect he received, both from the fans whom he treated like royalty and opponents whom he treated like an annoyance.
No player in the history of the game better combined the artistry and brute physicality of hockey better than Howe. The rare feat of a goal, assist and a fight in the same game is named after him. But so are numerous schools and a $48-million bridge that will link Canada to the United States at the Windsor-Detroit border. You don’t garner that kind of respect unless you’re one of the most durable and consistently brilliant athletes in the annals of professional sports. Howe scored at least 20 goals for 22 straight years in the NHL. He scored more points in the NHL after he turned 30 than he did before. When he was 41, he scored three more goals than years he had spent on Earth. There has never been anyone better in Detroit, and there very likely never will.
2 NICKLAS LIDSTROM
POS | D YEARS | 1991-2012 GP | 1,564 G | 264 A | 878 P | 1,142
IF GORDIE HOWE is the epitome of enduring excellence for the Red Wings at forward, Lidstrom is his equal on the blueline. And like Howe, Lidstrom was more dominant in his 30s than he was in his 20s. It’s hard to believe he didn’t win his first Norris Trophy until he was 31 – after three straight runner-up finishes – but it’s easy to believe he was good enough to win six more after that.
There have been better defensemen in NHL history – not many, mind you – but there were none who played with the steadiness and poise Lidstrom did for as long as he did. The Red Wings won their Cups largely on the strength of their uber-talented forwards, but it was Lidstrom who started many of the plays by getting the puck out of danger and up to those forwards.
3 STEVE YZERMAN
POS | C YEARS | 1983-2006 GP | 1,514 G | 692 A | 1,063 P | 1,755
MARK MESSIER IS regarded as the greatest leader the game has ever seen, but not far behind him on that list is Yzerman. Like Howe and Lidstrom, Yzerman enjoyed a long career that was defined by a sustained level of superior play and the respect he garnered from teammates and opponents. It’s a testament to Yzerman that the No. 19 has evolved into one of the most revered numbers in the game.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Yzerman’s career was how he seamlessly made the transition from one of the league’s most brilliant offensive talents to one of the greatest two-way players. And as dominant as Howe was, it bears mentioning Yzerman finished only 54 points behind Howe in Detroit, despite playing 173 fewer games.
4 TERRY SAWCHUK
POS | G YEARS | 1950-55, 1957-64, 1968-69 RECORD | 351-243-132 GAA | 2.44 SP | n/a
Regarded by many as the greatest goalie ever, Sawchuk is also one of the game’s most prominent tragic figures. At the top of most Detroit goaltending categories, he backstopped the Wings to three Stanley Cups in the 1950s.
5 TED LINDSAY
POS | LW YEARS | 1944-57, 1964-65 GP | 862 G | 335 A | 393 P | 728
Again with the respect. The NHLPA changed the name of the trophy it gives to the player-voted MVP from that of a prime minister to Lindsay. ‘Terrible’ Ted Lindsay to opponents, he was anything but for the Red Wings.
6 RED KELLY
POS | D YEARS | 1947-60 GP | 846 G | 162 A | 310 P | 472
Before becoming one of the greatest two-way centers in history in Toronto, Kelly was an alltime great on the blueline in Detroit. A huge factor in their four-Cup ’50s dynasty, Kelly inspired and won the first-ever Norris Trophy in 1954.
7 SERGEI FEDOROV
POS | C YEARS | 1990-2003 GP | 908 G | 400 A | 554 P | 954
He was as outstanding offensively as he was in his own end. Won three Cups, a Hart, a Pearson and two Selkes.
8 ALEX DELVECCHIO
POS | C YEARS | 1951-74 GP | 1,549 G | 456 A | 825 P | 1,281
Known for durability and gentlemanly play, he never seemed to mind being stuck in Howe’s shadow.
9 SID ABEL
POS | C YEARS | 1938-52 GP | 570 G | 184 A | 279 P | 463
‘The Production Line’ pivot won the Hart in 1948-49. ‘Old Bootnose’ is one of seven Wings with retired numbers.
10 PAVEL DATSYUK
POS | C YEARS | 2001-16 GP | 953 G | 314 A | 604 P | 918
‘The Magic Man’ was a highlight reel whose attention to detail and defense kept him from putting up huge stats.
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11 MARCEL PRONOVOST
POS | D YEARS | 1950-65 GP | 983 G | 80 A | 217 P | 297
A blueline stalwart on the Wings’ 1950s dynasty, he was compared to Eddie Shore. Played in Cup final eight times.
12 EBBIE GOODFELLOW
POS | C YEARS | 1929-43 GP | 557 G | 134 A | 190 P | 324
Equally adept at forward and defense, he led Detroit to three Cups and was the first Wing to win the Hart Trophy.
13 HENRIK ZETTERBERG
POS | LW YEARS | 2002-PRESENT GP | 1,000 G | 326 A | 578 P | 904
The last active link to their most recent dynasty. Yet another player who always excelled at both ends of the ice.
14 NORM ULLMAN
POS | C YEARS | 1955-68 GP | 875 G | 324 A | 434 P | 758
An adept stickhandler and forechecker. Led the Wings in goals three times in the 1960s, with Howe in the lineup.
15 JACK STEWART
POS | D YEARS | 1938-50 GP | 502 G | 30 A | 79 P | 109
Earned nickname ‘Black Jack’ for his penchant for hitting hard and clean. Two Cups, three-time first-team all-star.
16 SYD HOWE
POS | LW YEARS | 1935-46 GP | 513 G | 188 A | 247 P | 435
No relation to Gordie, but he also made his mark as an offensive player and won three Stanley Cups in Detroit.
17 BRENDAN SHANAHAN
POS | LW YEARS | 1996-2006 GP | 716 G | 309 A | 324 P | 633
Nine years in Detroit, scored 30-plus goals seven times and recorded 100 or more PIMs eight times.
18 BILL QUACKENBUSH
POS | D YEARS | 1942-49 GP | 313 G | 40 A | 89 P | 129
One of the cleanest players of all-time, he was the first defenseman in NHL history to win the Lady Byng Trophy.
19 HERBIE LEWIS
POS | LW YEARS | 1928-39 GP | 483 G | 148 A | 161 P | 309
One of the fastest skaters in the early era, he also played for Detroit under the Cougars and Falcons monikers.
20 LARRY AURIE
POS | RW YEARS | 1927-39 GP | 489 G | 147 A | 129 P | 276
A heart-and-soul player with talent, he was a huge factor in franchise’s first two Stanley Cup titles in 1936 and ’37.
21 CHRIS OSGOOD
POS | G YEARS | 1993-2001, 2005-11 RECORD | 317-149-75 GAA | 2.49 SP | .905
Sits second only to Sawchuk in games played, minutes, wins and shutouts. Was No. 1 man on two Cup winners.
22 KRIS DRAPER
POS | C YEARS | 1993-2011 GP | 1,137 G | 158 A | 203 P | 361
Unheralded contributor to the Wings’ most recent Cup dynasty, he won the Selke and centered ‘The Grind Line.’
23 SLAVA KOZLOV
POS | LW YEARS | 1991-2001 GP | 607 G | 202 A | 213 P | 415
A key but lesser-known member of ‘The Russian Five,’ he won two Cups with solid play and production.
24 GARY BERGMAN
POS | D YEARS | 1964-73, 1974-75 GP | 706 G | 60 A | 243 P | 303
Never won a Cup in Detroit but was a steady blueline presence on teams that struggled after the 1950s dynasty.
25 ROGER CROZIER
POS | G YEARS | 1963-70 RECORD | 131-121-41 GAA | 2.93 SP | .903
First goalie to win Conn Smythe Trophy and first player to do so on a losing team. He also won the Calder Trophy.
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26 TOMAS HOLMSTROM
LW, 1996-2012; 1,026-243-287-530
One of six with 4 Cups and 1,000 GP as Wing
27 MARTY PAVELICH
LW, 1947-57; 634-93-159-252
Rocket Richard’s shadow retired in his prime
28 HARRY LUMLEY
G, 1943-50; 163-105-56, 2.75
Debuted as Wing at 17, led NHL in wins twice
29 CHRIS CHELIOS
D, 1999-2009; 578-21-131-152
Became Wing at 37, first-team all-star at 40
30 REED LARSON
D, 1977-86; 708-188-382-570
Six 20-goal years, top 10 in shots six times
31 VLADIMIR KONSTANTINOV
D, 1991-97; 446-47-128-175
Fearless hitter was plus-185 in six seasons
32 JOHN OGRODNICK
LW, 1980-87, ’92-93; 558-265-281-546
First-team star had 176 goals in 4-year span
33 NIKLAS KRONWALL
D, 2003-present; 795-76-302-378
Big banger NHL-best plus-16 in ’08 Cup run
34 NORMIE SMITH
G, 1934-45; 76-71-31, 2.26
Retro 1936 playoff MVP had 92-save shutout
35 MICKEY REDMOND
RW, 1971-76; 317-177-133-310
Third ever with back-to-back 50-goal years
36 NICK LIBETT
LW, 1968-79; 861-217-250-467
Two-way ironman scored 20-plus six times
37 IGOR LARIONOV
C, 1995-2000, ’00-03; 539-89-308-397
Was oldest player to score in Cup final at 41
38 MARCEL DIONNE
C, 1971-75; 309-139-227-366
Detroit’s career leader in points per game
39 GERARD GALLANT
LW, 1985-93; 563-207-260-467
30-plus goals, 200-plus PIMs 4 years in row
40 BRUCE MACGREGOR
C, 1961-71; 673-151-184-335
Speedster fourth in NHL goals in 1966-67
41 JIMMY HOWARD
G, 2006-present; 199-124-54, 2.43, .915
Calder runner-up top 10 in wins, SP 4 times
42 WARREN GODFREY
D, 1955-62, ’63-68; 528-23-77-100
Steady blueliner wore 8 numbers in Detroit
43 JOHAN FRANZEN
LW, 2005-present; 602-187-183-370
GWG beast led NHL in playoff goals in ’08
44 BOB PROBERT
LW, 1985-94; 474-114-145-259
29 goals, sixth-highest PIMs ever in 1987-88
45 KIRK MALTBY
RW, 1996-2010; 908-107-115-222
‘Grind Line’ pillar 5th in playoff GP for Wings
46 STEVE CHIASSON
D, 1986-94; 461-67-200-267
QB’d power play and battled in the alleys
47 MIKE VERNON
G, 1994-97; 53-24-14, 2.40, .898
Won Smythe and 30 of 42 playoff games
48 PAUL COFFEY
D, 1993-96; 231-46-193-239
Norris winner 5th in Wings’ points per game
49 MUD BRUNETEAU
RW, 1935-46; 411-139-138-277
Three-time champ ended longest NHL game
50 DARREN MCCARTY
RW, 1993-2004, ’08-09; 659-120-155-275
One of 3 Wings with 4 rings and 1,000 PIMs
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