Alex Delvecchio

Alexander Peter "Fats" Delvecchio (December 4, 1931 – July 1, 2025) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player, coach, and general manager who spent his entire National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Detroit Red Wings.^[1] In a playing career that lasted from 1951 to 1973, Delvecchio played in 1,549 games and recorded 1,281 points. At the time of his retirement, he was second in NHL history in number of games played, assists, and points. He won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct three times and helped the Red Wings win the Stanley Cup three times.^[2] He is one of three NHL players to spend their entire career with one franchise and play at least 1,500 games with that team (the other two, Steve Yzerman and Nicklas Lidström, also played for the Red Wings). Upon retiring in 1973, Delvecchio was named head coach of the Red Wings and was also named the team's general manager in 1974; he served in both roles until 1977. Delvecchio was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1977, and in 2017 was named one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players" in history.

Alex Delvecchio
Hockey Hall of Fame, 1977
Delvecchio with the Detroit Red Wings in the 1960s
Born	(1931-12-04)December 4, 1931 Fort William, Ontario, Canada
Died	July 1, 2025(2025-07-01) (aged 93) Rochester, Michigan, U.S.
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	180 lb (82 kg; 12 st 12 lb)
Position	Centre, left Wing
Shot	Left
Played for	Detroit Red Wings
Playing career	1951–1973

Delvecchio was the last surviving member of the Red Wings' 1952, 1954 and 1955 Stanley Cup teams.^[3]

Playing career

In 1950-51, Delvecchio played for the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) and led the league in assists that year. He made his NHL debut on March 25, 1951, playing against the Montreal Canadiens in the Red Wings' final game of the season.^[4] In 1951–52, he spent six games with the team's minor league affiliate, the Indianapolis Capitals of the American Hockey League (AHL), for whom he scored nine points, before joining the Red Wings full-time.^[4] He helped the team win the Stanley Cup that year.^[5] He went on to excel both at centre and left wing for 22 full seasons and was notable as a member of the "Production Line" with linemates Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay.

In 1956–57, Delvecchio was laid up by a broken ankle for 22 games, but seldom missed a game, thereafter, missing only 14 over the following 16 seasons of his career.^[4]

In NHL history, Delvecchio is surpassed only by Nicklas Lidström in the number of games played in a career spent with only one team. Despite his impressive career, Delvecchio was never the Red Wings' leading point scorer in a season, primarily due to Howe's presence. The closest he ever came was in the 1969–70 NHL season, where he was just three points behind Howe for the team lead.

Post-playing career

Delvecchio's #10 banner hanging (third from left) in Joe Louis Arena.

Statue of Delvecchio at Joe Louis Arena.

Following his retirement as a player in 1973, Delvecchio served two stints as Detroit's head coach and one as general manager until leaving hockey in 1977 to go into business. He founded Alex Delvecchio Enterprises, which made and engraved plaques, signs and promotional products.^[6] Delvecchio was an "Honored Member" of the Detroit Red Wings Alumni Association and was active in its efforts to raise money for children's charities in Metro Detroit.^[7] At the time of his retirement, he ranked second only to Howe in nearly every significant offensive category in Red Wings history. He has since been passed in most of those categories by Steve Yzerman and in assists by Nicklas Lidström, but he remains third behind Howe and Lidström in games played as a Red Wing.

Private life

Delvecchio hailed claimed both Slovak and Italian heritage. His mother, Annie Tapak, was a daughter of Slovak immigrants from Orava Jozef Ťapák and Anna Ťapáková.^[8]

Delvecchio died at his home in Rochester, Michigan on July 1, 2025, at the age of 93.^[9][10]

Career statistics

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1947–48	Fort William Rangers	TBJHL		1	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1948–49	Fort William Rangers	TBJHL		12	16	8	24	53		1	2	0	2	0
1948–49	Port Arthur Bruins	M-Cup		—	—	—	—	—		5	2	2	4	1
1949–50	Fort William Rangers	TBJHL		18	16	20	36	36		5	4	4	8	15
1950–51	Oshawa Generals	OHA		54	49	72	121	36		5	4	10	14	5
1950–51	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		1	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1951–52	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		65	15	22	37	22		8	0	3	3	4
1951–52	Indianapolis Capitals	AHL		6	3	6	9	4		—	—	—	—	—
1952–53	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		70	16	43	59	28		6	2	4	6	2
1953–54	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		69	11	18	29	34		12	2	7	9	7
1954–55	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		70	17	31	48	37		11	7	8	15	2
1955–56	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		70	25	26	51	24		10	7	3	10	2
1956–57	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		48	16	25	41	8		5	3	2	5	2
1957–58	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		70	21	38	59	22		4	0	1	1	-
1958–59	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		70	19	35	54	6		—	—	—	—	—
1959–60	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		70	19	28	47	8		6	2	6	8	0
1960–61	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		70	27	35	62	26		11	4	5	9	0
1961–62	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		70	26	43	69	18		—	—	—	—	—
1962–63	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		70	20	44	64	8		11	3	6	9	2
1963–64	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		70	23	30	53	11		14	3	8
1964–65	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		68	25	42	67	16		7	2	3	5	4
1965–66	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		70	31	38	69	16		12	0	11	11	4
1966–67	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		70	17	38	55	10		—	—	—	—	—
1967–68	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		74	22	48	70	14		—	—	—	—	—
1968–69	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		72	25	58	83	8		—	—	—	—	—
1969–70	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		73	21	47	68	24		4	0	2	2	0
1970–71	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		77	21	34	55	6		—	—	—	—	—
1971–72	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		75	20	45	65	22		—	—	—	—	—
1972–73	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		77	18	53	71	13		—	—	—	—	—
1973–74	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		11	1	4	5	2		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				1,550	456	825	1,281	383		121	35	69	104	29

Citation:^[11]

Achievements

• Third all-time in games played in a Red Wings uniform (behind Nicklas Lidström and Gordie Howe).^[12]
• Retired as the overall leader in games played in a career spent with only one team; passed by Lidstrom in 2012; as of 2025 still a record for forwards.
• Stanley Cup champion with Detroit in 1952, 1954 and 1955.
• Named a Second Team All-Star in 1953 (at centre) and 1959 (at left wing).
• Played in the All-Star Game 13 times (in 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965 and 1967), a total surpassed by only six players.
• Served as team captain for 12 years, a mark surpassed only by Steve Yzerman.
• As of 2025, remains 16th all-time in NHL history in games played and 39th in points scored.
• Third in points^[13] and goals,^[14] and fourth in assists,^[15] in Red Wings history.
• Ranked number 82 on The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players in 1998.
• Jersey number 10 retired on November 10, 1991 by the Red Wings.
• On October 16, 2008, the Red Wings unveiled a commemorative statue for him by artist Omri R. Amrany.
• Named one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players" in history in January 2017.^[16]

NHL coaching record

Team	Year	Regular season						Post season
		G	W	L	T	Pts	Finish	Result
Detroit Red Wings	1973–74	67	27	31	9	63	6th in East	Missed playoffs
Detroit Red Wings	1974–75	80	23	45	12	58	4th in Norris	Missed playoffs
Detroit Red Wings	1975–76	54	19	29	6	44	4th in Norris	Missed playoffs
Detroit Red Wings	1976–77	44	13	26	5	31	5th in Norris	Resigned
Total		245	82	131	32

See also

• List of Detroit Red Wings award winners
• List of ice hockey line nicknames
• List of NHL players with 1000 points
• List of NHL players with 1000 games played
• List of NHL players who spent their entire career with one franchise
• Production line (hockey)
• List of Detroit Red Wings general managers
• List of Detroit Red Wings head coaches