Gorilla Crouch

Terrible Ted awarded Lester Patrick Award

Lindsay was so despised he received death threats

I saw this linked over at the forum located at Red Wings Central. NHL.com reports that Ted Lindsay is one of this year’s winners for the Lester Patrick, which is awarded annually to acknowledge people for their contributions to ice hockey in the United States.

Others who will be acknowledged this year include Anaheim general manager Brian Burke, retired defenseman Phil Housley, and former owner Bob Neagele. Lindsay joins Steve Yzerman and Red Berenson who were each awarded the Patrick two years ago.

Lindsay was awarded in part for his role on the Wings dynasty from the 1950s, for being an icon in Detroit, as well as establishing the first hockey school in North America. The article also points out his role in establishing a player’s union but Lindsay deadpans that “you don’t do those things looking for accolades”.

Sure enough his “antics” resulted in him being traded to Chicago. There’s a great story in David Dupuis’ impressive biography on Terry Sawchuk where one player - I can’t remember the name right now - is traded from that great Red Wings team to Chicago. Someone asked him about the trade and the prospects of playing for the Hawks and he said “shit, I’d rather be going to Korea.”

That would be going off to join the Korean war. Gotta love hockey players.