Ted Lindsay

Canadian ice hockey left winger who played 17 NHL seasons and was known as 'Terrible Ted' for his aggressive style and leadership on ice.

Robert Blake Theodore Lindsay was born in Renfrew, Ontario in 1925. He spent 14 of his 17 professional seasons with the Detroit Red Wings — winning four Stanley Cup championships (1950, 1952, 1954, 1955) as part of the Production Line alongside Gordie Howe and Sid Abel. He won the Art Ross Trophy as scoring champion in 1950. He was named to nine NHL All-Star teams. He was nicknamed Terrible Ted for his ferocious physical play despite being only 5ft 8in and 163 pounds. He was one of the most physically intimidating players of his era — accumulating more than 1,800 career penalty minutes. He co-founded the first NHL Players' Association in 1957 — an act that infuriated team owners and led directly to his trade from Detroit to Chicago in what was considered punishment. The Players' Association was ultimately dissolved under owner pressure but Lindsay's attempt established the precedent for the NHLPA that eventually succeeded in the 1960s. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966. He is one of hockey's most significant figures both as a player and as an advocate for players' rights.

Lindsay was known for his aggressive, hard-nosed style of play despite being smaller than most players at 5'8" and 163 pounds. He combined exceptional skill and hockey sense with a fierce competitive spirit and willingness to fight much larger opponents. His tenacity and fearless approach made him one of the most respected and intimidating players of his era.

Lindsay's efforts to organize the NHL Players' Association fundamentally changed labor relations in professional hockey and paved the way for future player rights. The NHL's award for the most outstanding player as voted by the players themselves was renamed the Ted Lindsay Award in his honor in 2010.

• Stanley Cup 4x
• Art Ross Trophy
• NHL All-Star 9x
• Hall of Fame (1966)