Detroit Red Wings All-Time Team and Line Combinations
Darren McCarty
There is no other way to say this: Darren McCarty is beyond a shadow of a doubt, the worst player in this lineup. The Red Wings have had much more skilled players at different positions, however considering that this list is striving for positional accuracy, McCarty is definitely the best natural right winger left on the board. Although he may not hold his own with the rest of these guys in a game of shimmy, McCarty does lay claim to being one of the greatest enforcers in NHL history.
Perhaps the best pound for pound fighter of his era, McCarty made a living off of knocking the opposing team’s players into next week. The bruiser had a well earned reputation for never backing down from any fight, and he never let up on his hits either. The six foot one 215lbs Burnaby BC native made sure to take advantage of his bulky frame with every hit and punch he dealt.
But what really separates Mccarty from every other enforcer in NHL history (barring Bob Probert) was his talent. As I mentioned earlier, Mccarty cannot hold a candle to any of the players on the list when it comes to hockey skill, but he was more than above the acceptable skill level of your typical enforcer. Mccarty, unlike so many enforcers before him, actually had a touch of scoring ability. His greatest scoring season came in the 1996-97 season, where he scored 19 goals and had 49 points.
Though he only managed to score 275 points in 659 games as a Red Wing, McCarty played a huge role in developing the bloodthirsty rivalry between the Red Wings and the Colorado Avalanche in the 90’s. McCarty also had a hand in four Stanley Cup winning Red Wings teams.