Luke Glendening Siblings: Get to Know Joe and Mackenzie Glendening
Luke Glendening PHOTO/NHL
Luke Glendening is an American professional ice hockey player known for his gritty, defensive style and strong faceoff skills.
Born on April 28, 1989, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, he has built a lengthy NHL career as a versatile forward despite going undrafted.
Glendening has suited up for several teams, including long stints with the Detroit Red Wings, as well as the Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, New Jersey Devils, and currently the Philadelphia Flyers.
Siblings
Luke grew up in a close-knit, athletic family in East Grand Rapids, Michigan, with two younger siblings.
His brother, Joe Glendening, is two years his junior and excelled in football as a standout running back at Hillsdale College, where he earned All-American honors during his junior season after rushing for over 1,600 yards and scoring 31 total touchdowns.
Joe was often highlighted alongside Luke as part of the “Great Glendenings” for their respective achievements in college sports.
Their sister, Mackenzie Glendening, is four years younger than Luke and was active in dance during her youth before attending Grand Valley State University.
Career
Glendening’s path to the NHL was unconventional and inspiring.
He played high school hockey at East Grand Rapids High School and spent a postgraduate year at the Hotchkiss School in Connecticut, where he also participated in football and baseball.
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As a walk-on at the University of Michigan, he earned his spot on the Wolverines roster through determination and quickly rose through the ranks.
He served as an alternate captain as a sophomore and then as full captain for his junior and senior seasons—one of only a handful of players in program history to captain the team for multiple years.
During his college career, he helped Michigan win CCHA titles, reach the NCAA Frozen Four, and develop a reputation as a reliable two-way forward.
After graduating, Glendening signed with the Detroit Red Wings organization as an undrafted free agent in 2012.
He began his professional career with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL, where he contributed significantly to the team’s 2013 Calder Cup championship, posting 16 playoff points as a rookie.
He made his NHL debut with the Red Wings in the 2013-14 season and became a staple on Detroit’s bottom-six forward group, valued for his penalty-killing, faceoff prowess, and physical play.
Over more than a decade in the league, he has played nearly 1,000 regular-season and playoff games combined across multiple teams.
Accolades
At the University of Michigan, Glendening was named CCHA Best Defensive Forward for the 2011-12 season and received the Howard Colby Award for sportsmanship in both his junior and senior years.
He also earned GLI MVP honors during the Great Lakes Invitational tournament and was selected to the all-tournament team.
In the AHL, Glendening helped capture the Calder Cup with the Griffins in 2013 and was named to the ECHL All-Star Game during a brief stint with the Toledo Walleye.
In the NHL, he has been a consistent faceoff specialist and penalty-killer, earning consideration in Selke Trophy voting in multiple seasons for his defensive contributions.