Sports / Politics
Red Kelly
1927–2019 · ice hockey defenceman, politician, coach
Hall of Fame defenceman who won four Stanley Cups with Detroit in the 1950s, part of the most decorated career of any player never to suit up for the Montreal Canadiens.
- Born
Simcoe, Ontario, Canada- Died
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
aged 91- Birth name
- Leonard Patrick Kelly
- Detroit years
- 1947–1960
01 / The Detroit story
The Detroit story
Kelly joined the Red Wings in 1947 after a Toronto scout predicted he would not last twenty games, and instead he became one of the finest two-way defencemen the sport has produced, smooth enough on skates that he was rarely penalized despite years of heavy minutes at Olympia Stadium. He anchored Detroit's blue line through four Stanley Cup championships in the 1950s, playing alongside Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay's forward lines, before a heated dispute with general manager Jack Adams led to his trade to Toronto in 1960. He went on to win four more Cups with the Maple Leafs, giving him eight championships overall and more titles than any player who never wore a Canadiens sweater, and the Red Wings retired his number 4 in 2019, the year of his death.
Highlights
- Joined the Detroit Red Wings in 1947
- Won four Stanley Cups with Detroit (1950, 1952, 1954, 1955)
- Won four additional Stanley Cups later with Toronto, for eight total
- Named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in 2017
- Number 4 retired by the Red Wings in 2019
02 / Their Detroit places
Their Detroit places 1
Where they lived, worked, performed and liked to hang out. Closed and demolished places stay here too, because they are part of the city's history.
Played here · 1947–1960
Olympia Stadium
Demolished · 1927–1979
His home rink through all four of his Detroit Stanley Cup championships; demolished in 1987.