Marty Pavelich was a Canadian NHL left winger who played for the Detroit Red Wings in the 1940s and ‘50s, winning four Stanley Cups with the celebrated squad.
- Died: June 28, 2024 (Who else died on June 28?)
- Details of death: Died at his home in Big Sky, Montana after a diagnosis with ALS at the age of 96.
- We invite you to share condolences for Marty Pavelich in our Guest Book.
Marty Pavelich’s legacy
Pavelich was playing junior hockey with the Galt Red Wings in his home province of Ontario when he was tapped to join the Indianapolis Capitols, farm team to the Red Wings. After a brief tenure with the Capitols, he graduated to the big leagues, debuting with the Red Wings in 1947. He joined a roster that included all-time Red Wings greats Gordie Howe (1928–2016) and Ted Lindsay (1925–2019), and they worked together to build the team into a powerhouse.
The Red Wings were strong in the 1940s, but by the 1949-’50 season, they had become all but unstoppable, winning their first of four Stanley Cups across six seasons. Pavelich was there for all four of them as a key piece of the Red Wings’ formidable line-up. While he wasn’t as high profile as legends like Howe and Lindsay, he was considered one of the team’s anchors and was later ranked among the NHL’s all-time best defensive forwards.
After his retirement from hockey in 1957, he began working in sales, then later co-founded, with Lindsay, a manufacturing plant that supplied plastic parts to the automotive industry. According to Pavelich, their company made the first built-in cup holders, which debuted in the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager in 1983.
Notable quote
“Life can be wonderful, and anyone can be successful, but good fortune will not just drop in your lap. You’ve got to work for it.” — from a 2022 interview with Pamela Lamp
Tributes to Marty Pavelich
Full obituary: Detroit Free Press
