Red Wings great, NHL union pioneer Ted Lindsay dies at 93

DETROIT (AP) — Detroit Red Wings great and Hall of Famer Ted Lindsay has died at 93.

His death was confirmed Monday by son-in-law Lew LaPaugh, president of the Ted Lindsay Foundation, which raises money for autism research. Lindsay died Monday at his home in Michigan.

Lindsay was a nine-time All-Star and one of the game’s best left wings. He provided muscle and meanness for the Red Wings’ “Production Line” of the 1950s. He also worked with other NHL players to organize the original Players’ Association.

The Hockey Hall of Fame waived its three-year waiting period when it inducted Lindsay in 1966. Nine years earlier, he had been elected president of the players’ union. Lindsay is also credited with starting the tradition in which the championship team skates around the ice with the Stanley Cup.

In 2010, the NHL Players’ Association renamed its version of the Most Valuable Player award after Lindsay.