There are no shortage of Hall of Fame players who suited up for the Detroit Red Wings during their respective careers, but only one of them was known for his "Terrible" nickname.
"Terrible" Ted Lindsay, who won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Red Wings four times during his Hall of Fame career and is recognized as one of the greatest players and ambassadors in team history, would have celebrated his 100th birthday today.
Not only was Lindsay known for his immense toughness on the ice, which also earned him the nickname “Old Scarface”, but also for helping to make life easier for players upon their retirement.
It was Lindsay who played perhaps the most instrumental role in creating the NHL Players Association during a time when NHL players didn't enjoy basic benefits like minimum salaries and pension plans.
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His unwavering commitment to the cause even resulted in his being dealt from the Red Wings to the Chicago Black Hawks in July 1957. Eventually, Lindsay returned to the Red Wings for one final NHL season in 1964-65 before retiring and embarking on a post-playing career largely defined by his philanthropic efforts.
After he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966, he famously declined to attend the ceremony because his wife and children weren't allowed to accompany him; this practice was soon changed to allow players' families to attend.
During his post-playing career, he even served as general manager and later, head coach of the Red Wings.
His years in Detroit were commemorated in 1991 when his jersey No. 7 was raised to the rafters at Joe Louis Arena, where a statue was commissioned in his likeness years later in 2008; the statue is proudly displayed today at Little Caesars Arena, along with similar statues of his former teammates Gordie Howe and Alex Delvecchio.
He remains among the highest scoring figures in team history with 728 career points, currently ranked ninth overall among all past and current Red Wings players.
Upon Lindsay's passing in March 2019 at his suburban Detroit home, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman remembered him with a special official statement on behalf of the League.
"One of the game's fiercest competitors during his 17-season NHL career, Lindsay was among its most beloved ambassadors throughout the more than five decades of service to hockey that followed his retirement," Bettman said. "In Detroit, he was a civic icon. What he lacked in physical stature, he possessed in intensity, desire, and will to win."
The Hockey News also listed Lindsay as No. 21 on the 1998 ranking of the "100 Greatest Hockey Players".
To this day, Lindsay remains one of the most beloved former Red Wings players for his work both on and off the ice.
His influence is also felt annually at each award ceremony with the Ted Lindsay Award (formerly called the Lester B. Pearson Award), which goes to the most outstanding player in the regular season as judged by the members of the NHLPA, which he helped found.
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