Red Wings Honour Ted Lindsay With #7 Patch

The Detroit Red Wings are honouring the life of former captain Ted Lindsay with a memorial patch on their jersey for the remainder of the 2018-19 season. The patch follows the Red Wings typical memorial patch style used recently for Gordie Howe, number in a red and white box.

Lindsay, who died this past Monday at the age of 93, spent 17 seasons in the NHL from 1944 through 1960 (and a return in 1965), 14 of those with the Red Wings. During his Hall of Fame career, Lindsay scored 379 goals with 472 assists in 1068 games and is reportedly the inspiration behind the league having to mandate penalities be called specifically for elbowing and kneeing.

Lindsay was the main drive behind the creation of the National Hockey League Player’s Association, a move which cost him his captaincy and earned him a trade to Chicago, Lindsay retired for four seasons following three with the Black Hawks before returning for one final season reunion with the Wings in 1965. The NHLPA re-named their award given to the best player in the NHL the Ted Lindsay Award in recognition of his efforts to found the organization.

“Thanks for always bringing a smile with you wherever you went and all the great stories you shared with us along the way”, Red Wings defenceman Danny DeKeyser tweeted. “I’ll miss chatting with you and hearing about how passionate you were about life, family, and hockey. You are a true legend.”

Lindsay was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966, fifty-three years ago, at the time of his death he was the oldest living Hockey Hall of Famer and one of only two players still alive who were elected to the Hall in the 1960s. Fellow Red Wing “Red” Kelly, who was elected three years after Lindsay in 1969 (and only just recently had his number retired by the Red Wings) is the last surviving Hall of Famer elected in the 1960s.