Red Kelly

Leonard Patrick "Red" Kelly, CM (born 9 July 1927 in Simcoe, Ontario, Canada) is a former hockey player in the NHL who has been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Playing on the Detroit Red Wings, he won the Lady Byng Trophy in 1951, 1953, and 1954. He would also play for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Related Topics:
'''CM''' - 9 July - 1927 - Simcoe, Ontario - Canada - Hockey - NHL - Hockey Hall of Fame - Detroit Red Wings - Lady Byng Trophy - 1951 - 1953 - 1954 - Toronto Maple Leafs

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As a hockey player, Kelly was known for checking skills, and his puck-handling skills as a defenseman helped the Red Wings move down ice quickly. When injuries hampered the Red Wings, he was performed just as well as a winger. In 1954 he won the Norris Trophy.

Related Topics:
Defenseman - Norris Trophy

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In 1960 the animosity between Kelly and the Wings' management grew. In February he was traded to the New York Rangers but announced his retirement, and refused to report to New York, thereby nullifying the trade.

Related Topics:
1960 - February - New York Rangers

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Punch Imlach, the Leafs' coach, tried to talk Kelly into playing for Toronto. Though he disliked Maple Leaf Gardens, and as a young player was disappointed by the scathing assessment of a Toronto scout, Kelly joined the Leafs.

Related Topics:
Punch Imlach - Maple Leaf Gardens

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Kelly became a full-time forward and became a great playmaker in tandem with goal scorer Frank Mahovlich. In his eight seasons with the team they won the Stanley Cup four times, equalling the number he won in Detroit. Kelly was popular enough that from 1962-1965 Kelly was the Liberal Member of Parliament for the York West region, before retiring. After 1967, he decided his playing days were over. He retired as a champion, fittingly, while playing the Montreal Canadiens and shadowing Jean Beliveau.

Related Topics:
Frank Mahovlich - Stanley Cup - 1962 - 1965 - Liberal - Member of Parliament - York West - 1967 - Montreal Canadiens - Jean Beliveau

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He became the first head coach of the Los Angeles Kings. The Kings made the playoffs two years in a row before he went to the Pittsburgh Penguins, making the playoffs in his first and last seasons. He would then coach the Maple Leafs, from 1973-74 to 1976-77, getting eliminated in the quarterfinals each time.

Related Topics:
Los Angeles Kings - Pittsburgh Penguins

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His final regular season coaching record was 261-311-128.

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In 2001, he was made a Member of the Order of Canada.

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