Wilson’s Name Has Meaning in Detroit

DETROIT — Mighty Duck Coach Ron Wilson’s uncle, Johnny, remains something of a legend in Detroit Red Wing lore.

Johnny Wilson played on Detroit’s Stanley Cup title teams in 1950, ‘52, ’54 and ’55. He also coached the Red Wings and still lives in the Detroit area.

“Everybody knows my uncle in Detroit,” Ron Wilson said.

However, Johnny’s rooting interest is with the Ducks in this Western Conference semifinal playoff series. He would have attended Game 1, but is on vacation in Florida.

“Johnny gave me some advice,” said Ron Wilson, who was born in neighboring Windsor, Canada, and had a dozen family members at Friday’s game. “He watched the St. Louis series closely. . . . Also, he’s pretty good friends with [Detroit Coach] Scotty Bowman and knows how he thinks and some of the things he tries to do.”

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Duck assistant general manager David McNab’s father, Max, centered a line with Hall of Famers Gordie Howe and Ted Lindsay on the wings on Detroit’s 1950 Stanley Cup team.

The next season, McNab was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks and a young winger named Alex Delvecchio inherited his No. 10 jersey.

After 24 standout seasons, the Red Wings retired Delvecchio’s jersey. It hangs from the rafters beside Howe’s No. 9, Lindsay’s No. 7, Sid Abel’s No. 12 and Terry Sawchuk’s No. 1.

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Ted Drury excused himself from the Ducks’ celebration after they defeated the Phoenix Coyotes in Game 7 Tuesday to speak with Jeremy Roenick for a few minutes.

Roenick suffered a torn knee ligament when Drury collided with him midway through Game 6. Coyote General Manager Bobby Smith blamed Drury for Roenick’s injury, saying he did it intentionally.

But Roenick told Drury he knew it was an accident.

“I asked him how he was and he said he was OK,” Drury said of his conversation with Roenick. “I said, ‘I hope you realize I didn’t do it on purpose.’ He said he did. [A knee injury] could have happened to me just as easily. I don’t think he took it personally.”

Friday, Drury suffered a sore shoulder after a mid-ice collision with Detroit’s Vladimir Konstantinov. He’s expected to play Sunday in Game 2.

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Rookie defenseman Dan Trebil returned to the Duck lineup after sitting out Games 6 and 7 of the Phoenix series. Jason Marshall was scratched to make room for Trebil.

“After I was pulled after Game 5, then we won Game 6 and the team was playing really well, I knew I wouldn’t play in Game 7,” said Trebil, who was benched after a poor clearing pass led to a Phoenix goal in Game 5. “I wasn’t making solid, strong plays. I don’t know if I was tired, but after a couple of days off I’m ready to go.”