Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the top 50 of each major North American sports team. That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists and consistently look to update them when necessary and based on necessity. As such, we are delighted to present our post-2023-24 revision of our top 50 Detroit Red Wings.

As for all of our top 50 players in hockey, we look at the following:

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Hockey League.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles that are not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, the Red Wings were hoping to break their long playoff drought and play meaningful spring hockey but could not reach the postseason.  There were no new entrants and only one elevation.

As always, we present our top five, which saw no changes:

1. Gordie Howe
2. Nicklas Lidstrom
3. Steve Yzerman
4. Terry Sawchuk
5. Ted Lindsay

You can find the entire list here.

The only change was that the Red Wings Captain, Dylan Larkin, who climbed from #40 to #31.

We thank you for your continued support of our lists on Notinhalloffame.com.

Yes, we know that this is taking a while!

As many of you know, we here at Notinhalloffame.com are slowly generating the 50 of each major North American sports team.  That being said, we have existing Top 50 lists out and we always consistently look to update them when we can and based on necessity.  As such, we are very happy to present our post 2022/23 revision of our top 50 Detroit Red Wings.

As for all of our top 50 players in hockey we look at the following:

1.  Advanced Statistics.

2.  Traditional statistics and how they finished in the National Hockey League.

3.  Playoff accomplishments.

4.  Their overall impact on the team and other intangibles not reflected in a stat sheet.

Last year, Detroit failed to make the playoffs, but one player did enough to crack the top ten of this Original Six team.

As always, we present our top five, which saw no changes:

1. Gordie Howe

2. Nicklas Lidstrom

3. Steve Yzerman

4. Terry Sawchuk

5. Ted Lindsay

You can find the entire list here.

Three-time All-Star, Dylan Larkin is the only new entry, and the Forward comes in at #40.

We welcome your input and comments and as always, we thank you for your support.

The importance of Ted Lindsay extends far beyond what he did on the ice, but we will get there later.

This is a very sad day in the world of sports as it was announced today that Hockey Hall of Famer, Ted Lindsay passed away today at the age of 93.

Breaking in with the Detroit Red Wings as a teenager in the 1944-45 season, Lindsay would prove himself as one of the best players in the 1950’s.  From the 1947/48 season to the 1956/57 season he would be chosen for eight First Team All Star and one Second Team All Star accolades and was the Art Ross Trophy winner in 1949/50.  On a line with another legend, Gordie Howe, Lindsay helped the Detroit Red Wings four times (1950, 1952, 1954 & 1955).

While Lindsay was an incredible hockey player, his greatest contribution to the game was spearheading the formation of the Players’ Association.  He would become their President in 1966.  He was considered so important that the Player’s Association renamed their version of the Most Valuable Player Award to the Ted Lindsay Award.

He would be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966, the year after he retired as the institution waived the mandatory three year period for eligibility.  

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to the friends and family of Ted Lindsay at this time.

Unarguably the best Left Wing of the 1950’s, Ted Lindsay was admitted right away to the Hockey Hall of Fame without having to wait the mandatory three year period after retirement. (Though, it should be noted that Lindsay retired once in 1960 and could have gone in before he returned in ’64) “Terrible” Ted was considered one of the toughest players in the NHL and spent his fair share of time in the penalty box, he was also a very good offensive producer and won the Art Ross once and led the league in assists twice. He was also a First team All Star a whopping eight times.