The Red Wings’ four members of the “Grind Line”–Kirk Maltby, Kris Draper, Joe Kocur and Darren McCarty–were honored by the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame on Friday, named a “Michigan Treasure.” Maltby and McCarty spoke with MLive’s Ansar Khan regarding their line’s success:
“I get asked, ‘When did you think you made it?’ I guess you never really do, but it really felt like I belonged when Scotty started us in the opening game against the Flyers in the Stanley Cup Final,” Kirk Maltby said. “We have Stevie and Sergei and Shanny sitting on the bench, and you got me, Darren and Drapes starting in the Stanley Cup Finals Game 1.”
The Grind Line played a key role in the Red Wings’ success in the late 1990s and early 2000s with its speed, energy, physicality and checking ability. It featured Kris Draper at center, Kirk Maltby at left wing and, initially, Joe Kocur and later Darren McCarty at right wing.
The four were honored Friday as Michigan Treasures during the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony at the MotorCity Casino Hotel Sound Board.
“It just goes to show you hockey is one of the ultimate team sports because as much as you need the Steve Yzermans, the (Nicklas) Lidstroms, the Shanahans and Fedorovs, you still need those guys that can do some of the lug work, kill penalties, sacrifice physically and things like that,” Maltby said. Scotty would be like, ‘Grind Line, go!’ That would be our cue to go over the boards. We had a lot of fun with it. It was something we never expected, but it was great.”
