Kirk Maltby is a four-time Stanley Cup champion with the Red Wings (1997, 1998, 2002 and 2008) who played 16 seasons in the National Hockey League. He appeared in 1,072 regular-season games during his career, one of only 277 players in NHL history to reach the 1,000-game milestone. Maltby was originally a third-round draft pick (65th overall) of the Edmonton Oilers in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft. He spent parts of three seasons in Edmonton before a trade deadline deal in 1996 brought him to Detroit in exchange for defenseman Dan McGillis. Maltby would spend the rest of his career in the Motor City, playing 908 games in a Red Wings sweater, tied for eighth-most in franchise history with Sergei Fedorov.

Maltby finished with 128 career goals (107 with Detroit), 132 assists (115), 260 points (222) and 867 penalty minutes (683).  Maltby also appeared in 169 postseason games for the Red Wings, fifth-most in team history behind only Nicklas Lidstrom (263), Kris Draper (220), Steve Yzerman (196) and Tomas Holmstrom (180).

He became a fan favorite thanks to his agitating style and was a member of the infamous ‘Grind Line’ in Detroit along with teammates Kris Draper, Joe Kocur and Darren McCarty.