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Red Wings bolster Winter Classic alumni roster with four more names

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James

While they aren’t Hall of Famers like the four players Toronto added to its Winter Classic alumni game roster, the Detroit Red Wings still bolstered their roster with a nostalgic foursome.

James Jahnke reports that Petr Klima, Dallas Drake, Garry Unger and Paul Ysebaert will take part in the game that will serve as a prelude for the 2013 Winter Classic (knock on wood).


  • Klima is most famous for two things: 1)becoming the first Czech player to defect directly to a U.S. team and 2) scoring a huge OT goal for the Edmonton Oilers against the Boston Bruins in the 1990 Stanley Cup finals.
  • Drake began and finished his career with the Red Wings, spending most of his NHL days with Winnipeg/Phoenix and St. Louis. He’s not that far removed from action, having retired after 2007-08.
  • Here’s Jahnke on Unger:

Unger appeared in 216 consecutive games for the Red Wings after being acquired in a trade with the Maple Leafs on March 3, 1968. The seven-time All-Star went on to set the league’s iron-man record (since surpassed by Doug Jarvis) by skating in 914 straight contests.


  • Jahnke also shares an interesting nugget about Ysebaert. He was the first Red Wings players to win the plus/minus award with a +44 in 1991-92.

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