Red Kelly Canadian ice hockey player and coach, defenseman and center forward Date of Birth: 09.07.1927 Country: Canada

1. Red Kelly: Legendary Hockey Player and Trailblazer
2. Early Career and Stardom in Detroit
3. Captaincy and Trade to Toronto
4. Triumph in Toronto
5. Legacy and Honors

Red Kelly: Legendary Hockey Player and Trailblazer

Red Kelly, a Canadian hockey legend, was born on July 9, 1927, in Simcoe, Ontario. His remarkable career spanned 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Detroit Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs.

Early Career and Stardom in Detroit

Kelly began his hockey journey in the junior ranks, playing for the St. Michael's Buzzers and St. Michael's Majors in the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA). Despite being overlooked by the Toronto Maple Leafs, Kelly joined the Detroit Red Wings in 1947.

In 1950, Kelly won his first Stanley Cup with Detroit and made his NHL All-Star Game debut. Over the next five years, the Red Wings captured three more Stanley Cups, and Kelly earned three Lady Byng Trophies for sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct. In 1954, he became the inaugural winner of the James Norris Trophy as the league's top defenseman.

Captaincy and Trade to Toronto

In 1956, Kelly was named captain of the Red Wings. However, in 1959, a broken ankle hampered his play, and the Red Wings failed to make the playoffs for the first time in 21 years. Kelly's revelation of his injury to a reporter angered general manager Jack Adams, leading to a trade to the New York Rangers. Kelly refused to play for the Rangers and retired from the game.

Triumph in Toronto

Toronto Maple Leafs coach Punch Imlach persuaded Kelly to return to hockey. Kelly joined the Leafs and was moved to center, forming a formidable duo with Frank Mahovlich. Over eight seasons with Toronto, Kelly won four Stanley Cups, matching his tally with Detroit.

Legacy and Honors

Kelly retired in 1967 with a record eight Stanley Cup victories, second only to Henri Richard of the Montreal Canadiens. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1969 and became a Member of the Order of Canada in 2001. In 2019, the Detroit Red Wings honored Kelly by retiring his jersey number (4).