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'Red' Rover - Sept. 1 2015 - Yearbook
With more than a decade of service as a defenseman for the Detroit Red Wings, Red Kelly established himself as one of the best of his era, with four Stanley Cup championships and a Norris Trophy to his name. During the 1959-60 campaign however, Kelly was hobbled by an ankle injury, prompting GM Jack Adams to attempt a trade with the New York Rangers.
According to famed hockey historian Brian McFarlane, Kelly preferred retirement to the Rangers and only came back to the game when a trade to Toronto could be orchestrated. But once Kelly donned the Blue and White, he did so as a center, not a defenseman. Kelly helped the Leafs to four more Cups as well and now he’s a rare Hall of Famer: one who played two positions with equal success.
Mark Howe and Phil Housley, both known more as defensemen, also played forward during impressive NHL careers, as did players from way-back-when such as Dit Clapper, Ebbie Goodfellow and Reg Fleming, to name a few.
Along with Dustin Byfuglien and Brent Burns, there has been a smattering of players going back and forth in recent years, with Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Mark Streit being the most prominent.
Enforcers such as Wade Belak and David Koci were also nominally listed as both defensemen and wingers, though in their case it had less to do with their rushing capabilities and more so with how fast they made opponents’ heart rates increase.
Though several “slash” players are in the Hall of Fame, it’s rare for a player at any position to have won as many Cups as Kelly, however.
