Six jersey numbers hang from the rafters of the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, immortalizing six of the Detroit Red Wings greatest players. A complete collection of rookie cards of all six players would be valued at $5,400. It’s just a matter of time before a seventh number joins them: the number 5 of Nicklas Lidstrom.
By the numbers:
1 – Terry Sawchuk. Terry played goalie for the Red Wings from 1949-50 to 1954-55, then again from 1957-58 to 1963-64 and then one more encore season in 1968-69. Sawchuk also played for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers during his NHL career. Terry won the Calder Memorial Trophy as NHL rookie of the year in 1950-51. He also was the recipient of four Vezina Trophies, three with Detroit and one with Toronto.
Sawchuk’s number 1 was retired by Detroit in 1994. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1971. The Terry Sawchuk rookie cardappears as number 56 in the 1951-52 Parkhurst set and is valued at $1,200.
7 – Ted Lindsay. Terrible Ted was a Red Wing from 1944-45 to 1956-57 and again in 1964-65. He also played for the Chicago Black Hawks during his National Hockey League career. Lindsay was the Art Ross Trophy winner in 1949-50 with 78 points in 69 games.
Lindsay’s number 7 was retired by the Red Wings in 1991. He entered the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966 as one of nine players to date that have had the standard three year waiting period waived. The Ted Lindsay rookie card is number 56 in the 1951-52 Parkhurst set and is valued at $300.
9 – Gordie Howe. Mr. Hockey played for Detroit from 1946-47 to 1970-71. He also played for the Hartford Whalers in the NHL and the Houston Aeros and New England Whalers in the WHA. Gordie was a six time Art Ross Trophy winner and a six time Hart Memorial Trophy winner.
Howe’s number 9 was retired in 1972, the same year he entered the Hockey Hall of Fame. The Gordie Howe rookie card, number 66, is the pinnacle of the 1951-52 Parkhurst set and is valued at $3,000.
10 – Alex Delvecchio. Alex played his entire National Hockey League career with the Red Wings, from 1950-51 to 1973-74. Delvecchio was the recipient of the Lady Byng Trophy on three occasions.
Alex’s number 10 was retired in 1991. He became a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1977. The Alex Delvecchio rookie card is also featured in the 1951-52 Parkhurst set as number 63 and is valued at $400.
12 – Sid Abel. Sid was a member of the Red Wings from 1938-39 to 1951-52. He also played for the Chicago Black Hawks at the end of his NHL career. Abel was the Hart Trophy winner in 1948-49.
Abel’s number 12 was retired in 1995. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1969. The Sid Abel rookie card is number 68 in the 1939-40 O-Pee-Chee V301-1 set and is valued at $400.
19 – Steve Yzerman. Stevy-Y played his entire NHL career with Detroit from 1983-84 to 2005-06. He was a one-time winner of the Lester B. Pearson Award, Conn Smythe Trophy, Frank J. Selke Trophy and Bill Masterton Trophy.
Yzerman’s number 19 was retired by the club in 2007. Two years later, in 2009, Steve was an easy choice for the Hockey Hall of Fame. The 1984-85 O-Pee-Chee number 67 Steve Yzerman rookie card is valued at a bargain $100.