Iconic Moments Era All-Team
 

John Alexander Ogrodnick

Left Wing

Detroit Red Wings (1979–1987, 1992-93)

After winning two Memorial Cups with the New Westminster Bruins, John Ogrondnick was drafted in the fourth round - 22 picks in each round - 66th overall by the Red Wings in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft. Ogrodnick turned pro during the 1979-80 season playing in 39 games for Detroit’s AHL affiliate in Adirondack and also appeared in 41 games with the Red Wings. In those 41 games, the 20-year-old notched 32 points including eight goals. In the 1980-81 season, his first full-time NHL campaign, Ogrodnick, led the Red Wings with 35 goals. It was the first of six straight seasons he led Detroit in goals. Johnny O’s best year was the 1984-85 season where he score 55 goals, dished out 50 assists for a total of 105 points. He was named a first team NHL All-star and his 55 goals at the time was a Red Wings record. Ogrodnick possessed a blistering slap shot, which was described as consistently pure power and precision, while NHL goaltenders referred to it as a nightmare.  Ogrodnick had the ability to score from “any angle 10 feet inside the blueline".  Because of the era he played in, Ogrodnick mastered a low, stick-side slap shot resulting in a high percentage of goals most of time. In today’s game, modern goaltending and equipment advancements have made that specific type of shot less effective but, during his prime, Ogrodnick’s shot was elite and unstoppable.                      

Detroit Career totals: 1979-1987, 1992-93

GP-558 G-265 A-281 PTS-546 PIM-150 GWG-22

Alexander Peter "Fats" Delvecchio

Center

Alexander Peter "Fats" Delvecchio

Detroit Red Wings (1950-1974)

With the nickname of “Fats” one could think Alex Delvecchio, was an overachieving, slow plodding player with an above average skill set. Think again, nicknamed “Fats” because of his round face, Delvecchio was a smooth skating center with adept quickness while handling and shooting the puck; establishing him as one of Detroit’s most accomplished players of all-time. His versatility earned him All-Star selections at both center and left wing, becoming only the third player in NHL history to be honored at two positions. During the 1952-53 season, Delvecchio replaced Sid Abel as the center of the Production Line, which continued to be a dominant force leading the Red Wings to back-to-back Cups in 1954 and 1955. A three-time Stanley Cup champion, a three-time Lady Byng winner and extremely popular with his teammates, Delvecchio was named captain of the Red Wings in 1962 and remained captain for 12 seasons until his retirement during the 1973-74 season. At that time, he was the longest serving captain in Red Wings history. If Gordie Howe had a true running mate on the Red Wings it would be Delvecchio. As teammates, they shared in each other’s individual milestones several times and when he retired, Delvecchio was second only to Howe in games played, assists and total points in Red Wings history. As it stands today, Delvecchio is still third overall in points and goals and fourth overall in assists in Detroit’s record books. After his retirement, he coached the Red Wings over parts of four seasons (1973-77) and was Detroit’s general manager from May 1974 through March 1977. However, it’s Delvecchio, the player, with his superior playmaking ability, leadership qualities and gentlemanly conduct, which places his name on the list of Detroit’s immortal Red Wings.                

Detroit Career totals: 1950-1974, 

GP-1550 G-456 A-825 PTS-1281 PIM-383 GWG-75

Michael Edward “Mickey” Redmond

Right Wing

Detroit Red Wings (1971-1976)

On January 13, 1971, the Red Wings traded superstar forward Frank Mahovlich to the Montreal Canadiens for Guy Cherron, Bill Collins and a sharpshooting right wing named Mickey Redmond. Initially, the trade sent shockwaves through the Red Wings fanbase. Along with Gordie Howe and Alex Delvecchio, Mahovlich formed Production Line III and had set the NHL Record for goals by a line with 118. Yet, it didn’t take long for Wings fans to warm up to the twenty-three-year-old Redmond. He appeared in 21 games after the trade and notched a respectable six goals and eight assists for 14 points. In his first full season in Detroit (1971-72), playing with Delvecchio, Redmond totaled 71 points including 42 goals, which became the catalyst for the next two record setting seasons. Redmond had a career year in 1972-73. In 76 games he became the first Red Wing to score 50 goals in a season, tallying 52 goals along with 41 assists for a total of 93 points. His 52 goals broke Howe’s Detroit record of 49 goals for a season. He became only the 7th player in NHL history to hit the 50-goal mark and he was named First Team NHL All-Star and finish 6th in voting for the Hart Trophy. After Delvecchio retired, Redmond was paired up with a young Marcel Dionne for the 1973-74 season and became only the third player in NHL history to register back-to-back 50 goal seasons. By hitting the 51-goal mark along with 77 total points. Redmond was known for being a speedy player with a powerful and accurate wrist shot, which he learned from his father. The “Pull and Snap” was a technique where Redmond pulled the puck slightly before snapping it, usually at the top corners of the net. Redmond thought the “Pull and Snap” made it difficult for a goaltender to react. On the cusp of superstardom, Redmond sustained a severe back injury during the 1974-75 season. Diagnosed with a ruptured disc which caused nerve damage/numbness to his right leg, Redmond (after surgery failed) was forced to prematurely retire at 28. After his retirement, Redmond became a well-respected broadcaster and is beloved by generations of Red Wings fans. In 2011, Redmond was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, being named the recipient of the Forster Hewitt Memorial Award for excellence in broadcasting.   

Detroit Career totals: 1971-1976

GP-317 G-177 A-132 PTS-309 PIM-107 GWG-26

Reed David Larson

Defensemen

Detroit Red Wings (1976 – 1986)

Growing up in Minnesota’s working-class neighborhood of south Minneapolis, Reed Larson learned the game of hockey on outdoors rinks and perfected his legendary slapshot by practicing it the over and over again in his garage. During the offseason he water skied and participated in gymnastics, developing superior upper body and arm strength, which had a profound impact on his world class slapshot. Drafted by Detroit in the second round (22nd overall) in the 1976 NHL Entry Draft, Larson joined the Red Wings at the end of the 1976-77 season after spending three years at the University of Minnesota where he was coached by American coaching icon Herb Brooks. Larson played in 14 games and registered one assists for the Wings. In his first full NHL season (1977-78), he led all rookie defenseman in scoring with 60 points. It began a streak where Larson scored at least 17 goals and had 58 total points in his first nine NHL seasons. Nicknamed “Missile Launcher on Skates,” his hard, fast, heavy and accurate slapper from the blueline thrilled Wings fans during an era when the team was transitioning from old time hockey into the modern-day game of today. Larson was a trailblazer for American hockey players, especially defenseman with his toughness and offensive prowess. An affable character, he was all business on the ice displaying outstanding leadership qualities. Larson was captain of the Red Wings from 1980-82. Currently, he ranks number one in career penalty minutes for Wings defensemen with 1124 and is second only to Nick Lidstrom in career points, goals and assists by a Red Wing defenseman. Larson is a member of the USA Hockey Hall of Fame and the recipient of the Lester Patrick Trophpy for his contributions to the game of hockey in the United States of America.                        

Detroit career totals: 1976-1986

GP- 708 G-188 A-382 PTS -570 PIM-1124 GWG-14

Gary Gunnar Bergman

Defensemen

Detroit Red Wings (1964 – 1974, 1974 -75)

At 26, Gary Bergman made his NHL debut with the Red Wings during the 1964-65 season. He was claimed from Montreal by Detroit in the first round, third overall in the 1964 NHL inter-league Draft. The inter-league draft ran from 1952-1975 to address the NHL’s competitive balance issue. The league replaced the inter-league draft with the NHL Waiver Draft in 1977. Bergman made the transition to the NHL easily after spending several season in the AHL, becoming admired by teammates and fans for his determination to always keep improving his individual game coupled with his blue-collar work ethic. He was a steady and calming influence on Detroit’s blueline and was highly regarded in Detroit and throughout the NHL for his charitable and community work, especially helping disabled children and adults. Underappreciated as a player, perhaps his greatest accomplishment came when he was invited to play for Team Canada in the historic 1972 Summit Series, which was the first hockey competition between Canada and the then Soviet Union. Bergman played in all eight games of the series collecting three assists and being assessed 13 penalty minutes. A solid player, Bergman, was a standout on the Wings blueline for over a decade.                    

Detroit Career totals: 1964-1974, 1974-1975

GP-706 G-60 A-243 PTS-302 PIM-1103 GWG-9

Roger Allan Crozier

Goalie

Detroit Red Wings (1963-1970)

As a junior player, Roger Crozier was diagnosed with pancreatitis, an affliction which plagued him throughout his hockey career and contributed to other health issues during his lifetime. But Crozier persevered leading the St. Chatrines Teepees to the 1959-60 Memorial Cup while also developing the butterfly style with an acrobatic flair to his goaltending. Traded by Chicago to the Red Wings in June of 1963, Crozier made his NHL debut with the Wings during the 1963-64 campaign   appearing in 15 games for the injured Terry Sawchuk. His play impressed the Wings’ brass so much they left Sawchuk unprotected in the inter-league draft where he was claimed by Toronto, making the 22-year-old Crozier, Detroit’s starting goalie for the 1964-65 season. During his rookie season Crozier started every game for the Wings, the last goalie in the NHL, to accomplish that feat. He also led the NHL in wins with 40 and in shutouts with six. He won the Calder Trophy as the NHL Rookie of the Year and finished fourth in voting for the Hart Trophy. Crozier remained the Wings number one netminder for the next six seasons. He became the first player from a losing team to win the 1966 Conn Smythe as the playoffs MVP, when the Canadiens defeated the Wings four game to two in the Stanley Cup Finals.  When he was feeling well, Crozier was a dynamic talent and one of the NHL’s best netminders.  However, as he became older, his pancreatitis began to cut into his playing time causing him to miss several games during the season. Crozier ranks fifth in total wins in Wings history with 131, sixth in shutouts with 19 and tenth overall in save percentage at .904. Impressive numbers when you consider he regularly was dealing with poor health as a Red Wing.   

Detroit Career totals: 1963-1970

GP-310 W-131 L-118 T-43 GAA-2.93 SO-19