20 Facts About Red Kelly

1.

Leonard Patrick "Red" Kelly was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach.

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2.

Red Kelly was a Liberal Member of Parliament for the Toronto-area riding of York West from 1962 to 1965, during which time he won the Stanley Cup—twice—while actively playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

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3.

Red Kelly was the only player to have never played for the Canadiens to be part of two of the nine dynasties recognized by the National Hockey League in its history.

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4.

In 2017, Red Kelly was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history.

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5.

Red Kelly attended Doan's Hollow Public School in Port Dover, then attended St Michael's College School.

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6.

Red Kelly grew up listening to Foster Hewitt's broadcasts of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and was particularly inspired by the style of their hard-charging defenceman, Red Horner.

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7.

Red Kelly was chosen as a First Team All-Star defenceman six times.

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8.

Once Red Kelly arrived in Toronto, Imlach asked him to switch positions and become a full-time centre, figuring that Red Kelly could easily match up against the Montreal Canadiens' Jean Beliveau.

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9.

Already a great playmaker, Red Kelly turned Frank Mahovlich into one of the most lethal goal scorers in NHL history.

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10.

Red Kelly guided the Kings to second place in the West Division and made the playoffs two years in a row.

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11.

Red Kelly left the Kings for a one-year contract to succeed Red Sullivan as coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 2,1969.

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12.

Amid a slump in which the Penguins won only two games with three draws and seven losses and slid into fifth place in the eight-team NHL West Division, Kelly was fired and replaced by Ken Schinkel on January 13,1973.

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13.

Red Kelly returned to the Maple Leafs after signing a four-year contract to succeed John McLellan as coach on August 20,1973.

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14.

Red Kelly coached 742 regular season games during his NHL career of which his team won 278, lost 300 and tied 134.

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15.

Red Kelly was re-elected there in the following year's election in which his Progressive Conservative opponent was future NHL agent Alan Eagleson.

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16.

Red Kelly continued to play with the Toronto Maple Leafs during his terms as a Member of Parliament.

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17.

Red Kelly did not seek re-election in 1965, but left federal politics after his two terms in the 25th and 26th Canadian Parliaments, because he wanted more time with his family.

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18.

Red Kelly was succeeded in York West by fellow Liberal Robert Winters.

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19.

Red Kelly married Andra Carol McLaughlin, an American figure skating star, in 1959.

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20.

Red Kelly was the granduncle of hockey player Mark Jankowski of the Calgary Flames.

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