Detroit Red Wings: 1960s

[Davenport]

You might be surprised to learn that the Detroit Red Wings reached the Stanley Cup Final four times during the six year period 1960-61 to 1965-66. During that period, the Toronto Maple Leafs reached the Final three times, the Montreal Canadiens were there twice, and so were the Chicago Black Hawks. The New York Rangers made the playoffs once during that period. The Boston Bruins did not participate in the postseason once during that six year period.

In 1960-61, the Wings bounced the Leafs to reach the Final. Detroit bounced the Hawks the other three times they participated in the Final. Chicago eliminated the Wings in 1960-61. Detroit lost to Toronto in 1962-63 and 1963-64. Montreal hoisted the Cup in 1965-66.

Terry Sawchuk returned to the Wings after the 1956-57 season. He was good upon his return - but not nearly as good as he had been before the trade to Boston. Lost time to injury was also a problem - especially in the playoffs.

Gordie Howe had 15 points in 11 playoff points in 1960-61. He had 16 points in 11 playoff games in 1962-63, and Norm Ullman also had 16 points in 11 postseason games. In 1963-64, Howe had 19 points in 14 playoff games, and Ullman had 17 points in those 14 games. Ullman was the Wings' offensive star in 1965-66, with 15 points in 12 playoff games. Howe had 10 points. In his only shot at hoisting the Cup, Dean Prentice - who was attained from the Bruins during the 1965-66 season - had 4 goals and 4 assists in the first round against the Hawks, ensuring that he would get a shot at the Cup. Andy Bathgate - acquired from Toronto after the 1964-65 season - led Detroit with five goals against Chicago, all on the power-play. Against the Canadiens, Ullman led the Wings with 4 goals and 6 points.

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[JackSlater]

Tough to win Stanley Cups in the original six era when Montreal and Toronto had far better depth than everyone else. Detroit's incredible top end talent in the early to mid 1950s is an exception.

 

[Davenport]

Tough to win Stanley Cups in the original six era when Montreal and Toronto had far better depth than everyone else. Detroit's incredible top end talent in the early to mid 1950s is an exception.

April 14, 1955, the Wings hoisted the Cup for the fourth time in six seasons. A month later, GM Jack Adams - nicknamed Trader Jack in Gordie Howe's memoir - began renovating the roster. May 27, 1955, he traded to Chicago his 7th, 8th and 9th most productive forwards: Glen Skov, Johnny Wilson and Tony Leswick. Included was d-man Benny Woit who played 62 games that season with Detroit. He received Jerry Toppazzini, Dave Creighton, Gord Hollingworth and John McCormack. Creighton had already hit the 20-goal mark twice so far in his career, and would do so again in 1955-56, with the New York Rangers. He was part of another of Adams' trades that offseason. Toppazzini was traded during the 1955-56 season. Hollingworth played 93 games over three seasons in Detroit. McCormack didn't play a single game.

June 3, 1955, Trader Jack sent his 5th most productive forward - Marcel Bonin - to Boston, along with Vic Stasiuk, Lorne Davis and his Number One goaltender, Terry Sawchuk. Stasiuk had underwhelming numbers in Detroit, but generated quite a bit of offense with the Bruins, as a member of the Uke Line. Sawchuk hoisted the Cup four times in Detroit. Adams received five players from Boston: forwards Real Chevrefils, Ed Sandford and Norm Corcoran, who would be traded during the 1955-56 season; defenseman Warren Godfrey, who would eventually play 12 seasons as a Wing; and goaltender Gilles Boisvert, who played one game in Detroit.

In August of 1955 - as mentioned above - newly acquired Creighton was traded to the Rangers with Bronco Horvath, who had yet to play a game in the NHL. In 1955-56 - in New York he scored 12 goals. Later in Boston - he would be quite productive. Creighton was one of the four 20-goal scorers on that Rangers team. Trader Jack received forwards Bill Dea and Aggie Kukulowicz. Dea spent the 1955-56 season in the WHL. Kukulowicz never played a game in the NHL after that trade.

Trader Jack was responsible for the lack of depth on the Detroit Red Wings. He made too many trades - and few of them significantly benefitted the team.

 

[JackSlater]

April 14, 1955, the Wings hoisted the Cup for the fourth time in six seasons. A month later, GM Jack Adams - nicknamed Trader Jack in Gordie Howe's memoir - began renovating the roster. May 27, 1955, he traded to Chicago his 7th, 8th and 9th most productive forwards: Glen Skov, Johnny Wilson and Tony Leswick. Included was d-man Benny Woit who played 62 games that season with Detroit. He received Jerry Toppazzini, Dave Creighton, Gord Hollingworth and John McCormack. Creighton had already hit the 20-goal mark twice so far in his career, and would do so again in 1955-56, with the New York Rangers. He was part of another of Adams' trades that offseason. Toppazzini was traded during the 1955-56 season. Hollingworth played 93 games over three seasons in Detroit. McCormack didn't play a single game.

June 3, 1955, Trader Jack sent his 5th most productive forward - Marcel Bonin - to Boston, along with Vic Stasiuk, Lorne Davis and his Number One goaltender, Terry Sawchuk. Stasiuk had underwhelming numbers in Detroit, but generated quite a bit of offense with the Bruins, as a member of the Uke Line. Sawchuk hoisted the Cup four times in Detroit. Adams received five players from Boston: forwards Real Chevrefils, Ed Sandford and Norm Corcoran, who would be traded during the 1955-56 season; defenseman Warren Godfrey, who would eventually play 12 seasons as a Wing; and goaltender Gilles Boisvert, who played one game in Detroit.

In August of 1955 - as mentioned above - newly acquired Creighton was traded to the Rangers with Bronco Horvath, who had yet to play a game in the NHL. In 1955-56 - in New York he scored 12 goals. Later in Boston - he would be quite productive. Creighton was one of the four 20-goal scorers on that Rangers team. Trader Jack received forwards Bill Dea and Aggie Kukulowicz. Dea spent the 1955-56 season in the WHL. Kukulowicz never played a game in the NHL after that trade.

Trader Jack was responsible for the lack of depth on the Detroit Red Wings. He made too many trades - and few of them significantly benefitted the team.

A lot of Detroit's 1950s success was luck based - Lindsay and Kelly came out of Toronto's system, and Howe came from the Rangers. Adams definitely did a great job ripping things apart though.

Key to Detroit not winning in the 1960s was trading away Hall and Bucyk in the late 1950s, essentially just to get Sawchuk back. Bucyk would be a significant boost to Detroit's forwards and Hall would guarantee stable, elite goaltending year on year in the early to mid 1960s. Defence would still be weak compared to Toronto and Montreal but it probably swings one Stanley Cup (1961) and possibly more.

 

[Davenport]

A lot of Detroit's 1950s success was luck based - Lindsay and Kelly came out of Toronto's system, and Howe came from the Rangers. Adams definitely did a great job ripping things apart though.

Key to Detroit not winning in the 1960s was trading away Hall and Bucyk in the late 1950s, essentially just to get Sawchuk back. Bucyk would be a significant boost to Detroit's forwards and Hall would guarantee stable, elite goaltending year on year in the early to mid 1960s. Defence would still be weak compared to Toronto and Montreal but it probably swings one Stanley Cup (1961) and possibly more.

The Wings could have had three Hall of Fame bound defensemen during that six year period - just erase the trade of Red Kelly to Toronto, and the later trade of Marcel Pronovost to the Leafs. Without Kelly at centre, Toronto would not have hoisted the Cup.