Bob Duff: Kelly, Lidstrom Parallels Are Frightening The Detroit Red Wings didn't win a Stanley Cup until 1997 after trading Red Kelly in 1960. They've gone 10 years (and counting) without a Cup minus the retired Nicklas Lidstrom.

Wow, ten whole years without a cup!

Agree that this is long overdue.

Red Kelly was almost certainly the best defenseman in the NHL in the first half of the 50s. He won the first ever Norris, but based on his postseason all star voting performance it would easily have been his fourth in a row had the trophy existed beforehand.

He's also inarguably no worse than the second best defenseman of his generation, with only Doug Harvey as competition. (Both players started their careers at the same time; Kelly peaked earlier but Harvey had the longer prime, and also stuck with defense while Kelly was switched to center.)

It kills me how underappreciated Kelly is among Detroit fans and I hope this goes a long way to correcting that ignorance. I die a little inside every time I see an "all time starting lineup!" fan vote pick Coffey or Chelios or Konstantinov as the No. 2 Red Wings defender of all time.

91 should be retired too.

Both spent 13 seasons in DET.

Agree that this is long overdue.

Red Kelly was almost certainly the best defenseman in the NHL in the first half of the 50s. He won the first ever Norris, but based on his postseason all star voting performance it would easily have been his fourth in a row had the trophy existed beforehand.

He's also inarguably no worse than the second best defenseman of his generation, with only Doug Harvey as competition. (Both players started their careers at the same time; Kelly peaked earlier but Harvey had the longer prime, and also stuck with defense while Kelly was switched to center.)

It kills me how underappreciated Kelly is among Detroit fans and I hope this goes a long way to correcting that ignorance. I die a little inside every time I see an "all time starting lineup!" fan vote pick Coffey or Chelios or Konstantinov as the No. 2 Red Wings defender of all time.
- Sven22

Most of us don't know a thing about 50s hockey and quite frankly you can't compare such drastically different eras very easily.

Most of us don't know a thing about 50s hockey and quite frankly you can't compare such drastically different eras very easily.
- Feds91Stammer

Making comparisons across eras is certainly difficult. But it's not too hard to conclude that Kelly was a dominant player in his era, based on the records, stats, and contemporary perspectives we do have.

That's ultimately what I care about when trying to do the difficult work of comparing across eras -- how well did you stack up against the players of your era?

I feel like it's pretty safe to say that if a guy was voted best defenseman in the league four years in a row, even in a six team league, he was pretty frickin' great.

Making comparisons across eras is certainly difficult. But it's not too hard to conclude that Kelly was a dominant player in his era, based on the records, stats, and contemporary perspectives we do have.

That's ultimately what I care about when trying to do the difficult work of comparing across eras -- how well did you stack up against the players of your era?

I feel like it's pretty safe to say that if a guy was voted best defenseman in the league four years in a row, even in a six team league, he was pretty frickin' great.
- Sven22

That is the hard part for me.

That is the hard part for me.
- Feds91Stammer

Agreed, although to be honest I generally think it matters a lot more to stat counting than to things like awards or all-star selections.

I mean, Connor McDavid would still be the best player in the world whether there were 6 teams or 600 teams in the NHL.

Bob Duff: Kelly, Lidstrom Parallels Are Frightening
The Detroit Red Wings didn't win a Stanley Cup until 1997 after trading Red Kelly in 1960. They've gone 10 years (and counting) without a Cup minus the retired Nicklas Lidstrom.
- BobDuff

Think you could get a return on Kronwall if you retained 50%??? Leafs are desperate for RHD, and he also brings them some much needed grit. Maybe gamble with the structure of the deal. Something like you get a 3rd if they make the Cup Finals and Krons gets minimum 5 points, otherwise a 6th rd is all you get??? I dunno, does not seem like there is much in the rental department

Think you could get a return on Kronwall if you retained 50%??? Leafs are desperate for RHD, and he also brings them some much needed grit. Maybe gamble with the structure of the deal. Something like you get a 3rd if they make the Cup Finals and Krons gets minimum 5 points, otherwise a 6th rd is all you get??? I dunno, does not seem like there is much in the rental department
- bikeguy99

Salary retention probably wouldn't be an issue. That said, I regret to inform you that Kronwall shoots left, and also probably not as good as you think he is.

So forgive me for asking, but did the ceremony last night really go on for an hour?

And keep in mind, I love Red Kelly.