Red Wings legend Marty Pavelich passed away in Texas at the age of 96 last month, due to complications from ALS. Today, the Sault Star’s Gordon Anderson shares stories about the hard-working Pavelich via his nephew, Burnie Thorpe:
Pavelich won four Stanley Cups between 1950 and 1955. Pavelich was drafted by Detroit at 15 and debuted with the Wings in 1947. He played junior hockey for the Galt Red Wings.
“He was not the most talented player, but you weren’t going to outwork him,” Thorpe said. “He knew what his job was, and he did it. The Wings decided they wanted to have a checking line so that is what they assigned, and he said “OK, if this is what keeps me here this is what I am going to do.” “The glass was always half full approach is what he did.”
The checking forward scored 93 goals and added 159 assists in 633 regular-season games with Detroit. He also added 13 goals and 19 assists in 91 playoff games.
Thorpe said his uncle’s best friend was Wings forward and Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Ted Lindsay.
“My uncle said, ‘if in your lifetime you have one good friend you will have succeeded,’” Thorpe said. “And in his life that guy was Ted Lindsay. They were very close and very tight.”
