Wikipedia

Gordie Howe

Gordon HoweOC(March 31, 1928 – June 10, 2016) was a Canadian professionalice hockeyplayer. From 1946 to 1980, he played 26 seasons in theNational Hockey League(NHL) and six seasons in theWorld Hockey Association(WHA); his first 25 seasons were spent with theDetroit Red Wings.Nicknamed "Mr. Hockey",Howe is often considered the most complete player ever to play the game and one of the greatest of all time.[2][3]At his retirement, his 801 goals, 1,049 assists, and 1,850 total points were all NHL records that stood until they were broken byWayne Gretzky,who himself has been a major champion of Howe's legacy. A 23-timeNHL All-Star,he shares the NHL record for seasons played withChris Chelios,and his all-time NHL games played record of 1,767 was only surpassed in 2021 byPatrick Marleau.In 2017, Howe was named one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players".[4]

Gordie Howe
OC
Hockey Hall of Fame,1972
Howe with theDetroit Red Wingsin the 1960s
Born (1928-03-31)March 31, 1928
Floral, Saskatchewan,Canada
Died June 10, 2016(2016-06-10)(aged 88)
Sylvania, Ohio,U.S.
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb)
Position Right wing
Shot Right (sometimes left)[1]
Played for
National team Canada
Playing career 1946–1971
  • 1973–1980

Howe made his NHL debut with the Red Wings in1946.He won theArt Ross Trophyfor leading the league in points each year from1950–51to1953–54,then again in1956–57and1962–63,for a total of six times, which is the second most in NHL history. He led the NHL in goal-scoring four times. He ranked among the top ten in the NHL scoring for 21 consecutive years. He set an NHL record for points in a season (95) in 1953, a record that was broken six years later. He won theStanley Cupwith the Red Wings four times and won sixHart Trophiesas the NHL's most valuable player. He also led the NHL in playoff points six times.

Howe retired for the first time in 1971 and was immediately inducted into the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame that same year. He was then inducted into theHockey Hall of Famethe following year but came back two years later to join his sonsMarkandMartyon theHouston Aerosof the WHA. Although in his mid-40s, he scored over 100 points twice in six years, won two straightAvco World Trophies(1974 and 1975), and was named most valuable player in 1974. He made a brief return to the NHL in1979–80,playing one season with theHartford Whalers,then retired at age 52. His involvement with the WHA was central to their brief pre-NHL mergersuccess, forcing the NHL to recruit European talent and expand to new markets.

Howe was most famous for his scoring prowess, physical strength, and career longevity, and he redefined the ideal qualities of aforward.He is the only player to have competed in the NHL in five differentdecades(1940s through 1980s); he also played a shift in a 1997 game for theDetroit Vipersof theIHL,playing professional hockey for a sixth decade. He became the namesake of the "Gordie Howe hat trick":a goal, an assist, and afightin the same game, though he only recorded two such games in his career. He was the inaugural recipient of theNHL Lifetime Achievement Awardin 2008.

Early life

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Howe was born in a farmhouse inFloral, Saskatchewan,[5]the son of Katherine (Schultz) and Albert Howe.[6]He was one of nine siblings.[7]When Gordie was nine days old, the Howes moved toSaskatoon,[8]where his father worked as a labourer during theDepression.In the summers, Howe would work construction with his father.[7]Howe was mildly dyslexic growing up but was physically beyond his years at an early age. Already six feet tall in his mid-teens, doctors feared a calcium deficiency and encouraged him to strengthen his spine with chin-ups. He began playing organized hockey at age eight.[7]Howe quit school during the Depression to work in construction, then left Saskatoon at 16 to pursue his hockey career.[8]

Playing careers

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Howe was an ambidextrous player, one of just a few skaters able to use the straight sticks of his era to shoot either left- or right-handed.[9]As a young teen, he played bantam hockey with the King George Athletic Club in Saskatoon, winning his first championship with them in the 1942 Saskatchewan Provincial Bantam Hockey Finals. He received his first taste of professional hockey at age 15 in 1943 when he was invited by theNew York Rangersto their training camp held at "The Amphitheatre" inWinnipeg,Manitoba.He played well enough there that the Rangers wanted Howe to sign a "C" form, which would have given that club hisNational Hockey Leaguerights, and to play that year at theCollege of Notre Dame,a Catholic high school in Wilcox, Saskatchewan, that was known for producing good hockey players. However, Howe did not feel that was a good fit for him and wanted to go back home to play hockey with his friends; he declined the Rangers' offer and returned to Saskatoon.[10]

Gordie Howe (2nd from left, back row) on the 1945–46 Omaha Knights (USHL)

In 1944, Howe was noticed byDetroit Red Wingsscout Fred Pinkney and was invited to their camp inWindsor, Ontario.He was signed by the Red Wings to a "C" form and assigned to theirjuniorteam, theGalt Red Wings.Due to the maximum number ofWesternplayers allowed by the league and the Red Wings' preference to develop older players, Howe's playing time with the team was initially limited. However, in 1945, he was promoted to theOmaha Knightsof the minor professionalUnited States Hockey League(USHL), where he scored 48 points in 51 games as a 17-year-old. While playing in Omaha,Frank Selkeof theToronto Maple Leafsnoticed Howe's rights needed to be properly listed as Red Wings property. Having a good relationship with Detroit head coachJack Adams,he notified Adams of the clerical error, and Howe was quickly put on the team's protected list.[7]

Detroit Red Wings

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Howe made his NHL debut on October 16, 1946, playing right wing for the Detroit Red Wings, scoring in his first game at age 18.[11]He wore number 17 as a rookie. However, whenRoy Conacherjoined theChicago Black Hawksafter the1946–47 season,Howe was offered Conacher's number 9, which he would wear for the rest of his career. Although he had not requested the change, Howe accepted it when he was informed "9" would entitle him to a lowerPullmanberth on road trips. He quickly established himself as a great goalscorer and a gifted playmaker with a willingness tofight.Howe fought so often in his rookie season that head coach Jack Adams told him, "I know you can fight. Now can you show me you can play hockey?"[7]The term "Gordie Howe hat trick"(consisting of a goal, an assist, and a fight) was coined in reference to his penchant for fighting; however, Howe himself only recorded two such hat tricks in his career,[12]on October 10, 1953, and March 21, 1954.[13]Using his great physical strength, he was able to dominate the opposition in a career that spanned six decades (including one game with theDetroit Vipersof theIHLin 1997). In a feat unsurpassed by any hockey player, he finished in the top five in scoring for 20-straight seasons.[14]Howe also scored 20 or more goals in 22 consecutive seasons between 1949 and 1971, an NHL record.[15]

Howe made his NHL debut for the Detroit Red Wings in 1946

Howe led Detroit to fourStanley Cupchampionships and to first place in regular-season play for seven consecutive years (1948–49to1954–55), a feat never equalled in NHL history. During this time, Howe and his linemates—Sid AbelandTed Lindsay—were known collectively as"The Production Line",both for their scoring and as an allusion toDetroitauto factories. The trio dominated the NHL in such a fashion that in1949–50,they finished one-two-three in NHL scoring.[16]This was despite the fact Howe's career prime was during a defensive era, when scoring was difficult and checking was tight.[17]

However, as he was emerging as one of the top players in the league, Howe sustained the worst injury of his career - his skull was fractured and his cheekbone and nose were broken after his attempt to check the Toronto Maple Leafs captainTed Kennedyinto the boards went awry during the 1950 playoffs. The severity of the fracture was such that he was taken to the hospital for emergency surgery in order to relieve the pressure on his brain.[7]He missed the rest of the playoffs, but his dominant teammates were still able to win the Stanley Cup.

The next season, 1950–51, Howe came back, responding to his severe injuries by playing in every game, by leading the NHL in goals, assists, and total points (86), and by winning the scoring title by 20 points.[18]This was the first year of a four-year period of dominance by Howe which the NHL had never seen before. He won four straight scoring titles and in two of the years (1950–51 and 1952–53) he led the NHL in both goals and assists, which has only been done by five other players in history (a total of 10 times aside from Howe). In three of those years, he led the NHL in goals. In 1952–53, Howe became the first NHL player to score 90 points, finishing the season with 95 points and a career-best 49 goals[2]which just missed tying the league record of 50 goals held byMaurice "Rocket" Richard(albeit in a 50-game season). Prior to Howe, no NHLer had led the NHL in points more than two times in a row. Only three other players have ever matched the feat of winning four straight scoring titles since—Phil Esposito,Jaromír Jágr,andWayne Gretzky(who won seven in a row).

As Howe emerged as one of the game's superstars, he was frequently compared to theMontreal Canadiens' Maurice Richard. Both were right wingers who wore #9, were regular challengers for the league scoring title, and could also play roughly if needed. Their first NHL match-up was in 1946, where Richard hit Howe with a hard check and an elbow to the chin. Howe and Richard never got to fight due to Sid Abel intervening. Abel received a broken nose.[19]Howe recalled "They always thought there was bad blood because I hit [Richard] once coming across the line and he spun like a rocket and fell down. He wasn't hurt that much and I started to laugh. But the laughter stopped when there were eight guys on me".[20]Howe also had a rivalry with the Canadiens' centreJean Béliveau,who wrote in his autobiography that "trying to strong-arm Gordie off the puck in a corner was akin to wrestling with a telephone pole".[21][22]The Red Wings and Canadiens faced off in four Stanley Cup Finals during the 1950s, and again in the1966final; Detroit prevailed in1952,1954and1955,but Montreal triumphed in1956and 1966.

The Red Wings also had a fierce rivalry with theChicago Blackhawkswho defeated them in the1961 Stanley Cup Finals.Chicago'sStan Mikitarecalled one time as a rookie when he slashed Howe saying "he was an old man who didn't belong on the ice"; later in the season Howe exacted revenge with a check that gave Mikita a concussion.[23]Bobby Hullrecalled the times he and Howe played against each other saying 'I enjoyed every high-sticking minute of it', describing Howe as "strong as a bull and tougher than a night in jail". In the 1968 All-Star Game where Hull and Howe were teammates for the first time, Hull said "it was nice finally having Gordie on my side. He was no fun playing against". Hull and Howe would also be rivals in theWorld Hockey Association(WHA), as members of theWinnipeg JetsandHouston Aeros,respectively, and would be reunited as teammates on theHartford Whalerswhere they finished off their playing careers.[23]

After being consistent contenders through the 1950s and early 1960s, the Red Wings began to slump in the late 1960s. When Howe turned 40 in1967–68,the NHLexpandedfrom 6 to 12 teams and the number of scoring opportunities grew as the game schedule increased. Howe played the1968–69 seasonon a line withAlex DelvecchioandFrank Mahovlich.[2]Mahovlich was a scorer, and Delvecchio was a gifted playmaker. The three were dubbed "The Production Line 3", and at age 40, Howe scored 103 points, surpassing 100 points for the only time in his NHL career by scoring 44 goals and a career-high 59 assists.[2][3]

Howe relaxing at "Gordie Howe Hockeyland" inSt. Clair Shores, Michigan,circa 1966

Following his personal best 103-point season, conflict arose with the Red Wings after Howe discovered he was just the third-highest paid player on the team with a $45,000 salary. While team ownerBruce Norrisincreased Howe's salary to $100,000, he blamed Howe's wife,Colleen,for the demand.[7]Howe remained with the club for two more seasons, but after 25 years, a chronic wrist problem forced him to retire after the1970–71 season[24]and he took a job in the Red Wings front office. At the beginning of 1972, he was offered the job as first head coach of theNew York Islanders,but declined it.[25]

By the end of his NHL career, Howe had won theHart Memorial Trophyas the NHL's most valuable player six times: 1952, 1953, 1957, 1958, 1960 and 1963—at that time the most of any player, and as of 2019 second only to Gretzky's nine.[26]He also finished second or third in the voting for the Hart a further six times. Howe was named to the NHL's First All-Star Team 12 times and to the Second All-Star Team eight times.

Howe was named an Officer of theOrder of Canadain 1971.[27][28]His number 9 jersey was retired by the Red Wings on March 12, 1972.[29]

World Hockey Association

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One year later, Howe was offered a contract to play with theHouston Aerosof the newly formedWorld Hockey Association(WHA), which had also signed his sonsMarkandMartyto contracts. Dissatisfied with not having any meaningful influence in the Red Wings' office, he underwent wrist surgery to make a return to hockey possible, and he led his new team to consecutiveleague championshipsin 1974 and 1975. In 1974, at age 46, Howe won the Gary L. Davidson Trophy, awarded to the WHA'sMost Valuable Player(the trophy was renamed theGordie Howe Trophythe following year). Howe played with the Aeros until1977,when he and his sons joined theNew England Whalers.[3]After Marty's cheekbone was broken byRobbie Ftorek,in the next game Howe used his stick to cross-check Ftorek in the face. Writer Michael Farber recounted "Mark told Gordie, 'Dad, he's [Robbie] my friend, he's an old teammate on Team Canada, he has been a mentor to me,' But none of that mattered. Robbie had mussed up a Howe. Gordie Howe grew up on the prairie. He believed in prairie justice."[22]

1974 Summit Series

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Main article:1974 Summit Series

Howe was named with sons Mark and Marty to the WHA version of Team Canada for an eight-game series against the Soviet Union. Playing on a line with son Mark andRalph Backstrom,Howe contributed seven points in seven games at age 46. The Soviets won the series four wins to Canada's one, and with three ties.[30]

In the final season of the WHA, Howe had the opportunity to play with Wayne Gretzky in the 1979 WHA All-Star Game. The format of the game was a three-game series between the WHA All-Stars andDynamo Moscow.The WHA All-Stars were coached byJacques Demers,and Demers asked Howe if it was okay to put him on a line with Gretzky and his son Mark.[31]In game one, the line scored seven points, as the WHA All-Stars won by a score of 4–2.[31]In game two, Gretzky and Mark Howe each scored a goal and Gordie Howe picked up an assist as the WHA won 4–2.[31]WHA also won Game Three to ensure a clean sweep.[32]

Hartford Whalers

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When the WHA folded in 1979, the renamedHartford Whalersjoined the NHL. While the Red Wings still held Howe's NHL rights even though he had retired eight years earlier, the Whalers and Red Wings reached a gentleman's agreement in which Detroit agreed not to reclaim him. Howe had experienced dizzy spells in the latter part of the1978–79 WHA season,and underwent an "extensive battery of tests" before deciding to play the1979–80 NHL season.[33]Howe played one final season, appearing in all 80 games of the schedule and helping his team to make the playoffs by scoring 41 points (15 goals and 26 assists).[2]At 52 years and 10 days, Howe became the oldest man to play an NHL game where his Whalers lost 4–3 to the Canadiens.[34]Late in the season, the Whalers signedBobby Hulland put Howe, Hull andDave Keonon the same line. One particular honour came whenWales Conferencehead coachScotty Bowmanselected Howe,Phil EspositoandJean Ratelleto the mid-seasonAll-Star Game—which was to take place in Detroit—as a nod to their storied careers before they retired. Howe had played in five decades of All-Star Games and he would skate alongside the second-youngest to ever play in an All-Star Game, 19-year-old Wayne Gretzky. TheJoe Louis Arenacrowd gave him a standing ovation twice, lasting so long he had to skate to the bench to stop people from cheering. He had one assist in the Wales Conference's 6–3 win.[14]

Retirement

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Howe's star onCanada's Walk of Fame.He received the honour in 2000.

Howe was named toCanada's Sports Hall of Famein 1975.[35]In 1998,The Hockey Newsreleased theirList of Top 100 NHL Players of All Timeand listed Howe third overall, behindWayne GretzkyandBobby Orr.Of the list, Gretzky and Orr were quoted as regarding Howe as the greatest player.[36][7]In 2000, Howe was inducted intoCanada's Walk of Fame.[28]

On April 10, 2007, Howe was honoured with the unveiling of a new bronze statue inJoe Louis Arena,where the West Entrance is named the "Gordie Howe Entrance" in his honour. The statue is 12 feet (3.7 m) tall and weighs about 4,500 pounds (2,000 kg). The statue contains all of Howe's stats and history. Another statue of Howe was erected in downtownSaskatoon,Saskatchewan, on the corner of 20th Street and 1st Ave. He is depicted wearing a Detroit Red Wings sweater.[37]The statue has since been relocated to theSaskTel Centre.[38]

In February 2011, various groups proposed naming the New International Trade Crossing bridge, a proposed bridge that will connect Detroit andWindsorby linkingHighway 401inOntariowithInterstate 75andInterstate 94inMichigan,in honour of Howe.[39]On May 14, 2015, during an event attended by Canadian Prime MinisterStephen Harper,it was officially announced that the bridge would be known as theGordie Howe International Bridge.[40]

Howe appearing at Gordie Howe Night as part owner of theVancouver Giantsin 2008

Canadian actorMichael Shanksportrayed Howe in the television filmMr. Hockey: The Gordie Howe Story.The film aired April 28, 2013, onCBC Televisionin Canada, and on theHallmark Channelin the US on May 5.[41]

After the death of his wife Colleen Howe in 2009, Howe turned his charitable activity towardsdegenerative diseasessuch as dementia andAlzheimer's,and founded the Gordie and Colleen Howe Fund forAlzheimer's,in partnership with theUniversity of Toronto's aging and brain health facility atBaycrest Health Sciences.[2]

Personal life and death

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Howe met his wife,Colleen,at a bowling alley when she was 17 years old, and they were married four years later on April 15, 1953.[7] In the midst of his playing career, Howe appeared as himself on the March 27, 1967, episode of theCBSgame showTo Tell the Truth.He received two of four possible votes. Although hockey was not as popular as other sports in America in 1967, panellistPeggy Casswas a hockey fan and recognized Howe. She disqualified herself from voting.[42] Amiddle schoolinAbbotsford, British Columbia,is named after Gordie and Colleen Howe, and atraffic bridge,campground, and football stadiumare named after Gordie Howe in his hometown ofSaskatoon,Saskatchewan.Anarenais named for Gordie Howe inTraverse City,Michigan,where Howe lived from 1987 to 1999.[43][44]Two of their sons,MartyandMark,were his teammates on the WHA Houston Aeros and the New England (WHA)/Hartford (NHL) Whalers. Mark had a long NHL career, playing 16 seasons for theHartford Whalers,thePhiladelphia Flyers,and the Red Wings, and was one of the dominant two-way defencemen of the 1980s. He followed his father by being elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2011.[45]Their third son, Murray, is aradiologistinToledo, Ohio,while their only daughter, Cathy, lives inLubbock, Texas.[46][47][48]

Colleen Howe was one of the founders of theDetroit Junior Red Wingsand represented both Gordie and Mark financially during their careers.[7]She died in 2009 at age 76 after a long battle withPick's disease.[49]

Howe's younger brother,Vic Howe,also played in the NHL appearing in 33 games with theNew York Rangersbetween 1950 and 1955. He died at the age of 85 inMoncton,New Brunswick,on January 31, 2015.[50]

Howe lying in state at Joe Louis Arena

Due to dementia, Howe spent most of his time after his wife's death residing with all four of his children on a rotating basis. While staying at his daughter's home, he suffered a major stroke on October 26, 2014.[51][52][53][54][55][56]He died on June 10, 2016, at his son Murray's house in theToledosuburb ofSylvania, Ohio,at the age of 88. No cause was given.[46][57]Howe's casket was brought toJoe Louis Arena,the then-home of the Detroit Red Wings, for a public visitation on June 14, 2016, that lasted from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. in honour of the #9 that Howe wore on his jersey.[58]Wayne Gretzky,Scotty Bowman,andDetroit TigersgreatAl Kalineacted as pallbearers.[58]Howe's funeral, which was also opened to the public, was held on June 15, 2016, at Detroit'sCathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament.[59]Howe's cremated remains, along with those of his wife Colleen, were returned to Canada for the last time and interred in Saskatoon in September 2016, at the base of his statue outside ofSaskTel Centre.[60]

Legacy

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Howe in 1989 at the opening of an arena bearing his name inTraverse City,Michigan

Howe's name and nickname, "Mr. Hockey", as well as his late wife's nickname as "Mrs. Hockey", are registered trademarks.[61]Howe was also referred to during his career as Power,[62]Mr. Everything, Mr. All-Star, The Most, The Great Gordie, The King of Hockey, The Legend, The Man, No. 9,[63]and "Mr. Elbows" (for his tough physical play). Howe is widely considered the most complete player in all of hockey history.[2]Once Howe began dominating the NHL, NHL scouts were given new directives to discover players that played the way he did. Howe's strength, scoring ability, and speed exemplified the perfect example of the modern-day role of apower forwardand someone who can play the200-foot game.[64]Howe's brawn and physical play inspired the coining of the "Gordie Howe hat-trick"—a goal, an assist and a fight—which is now a standard part of hockey's vocabulary.[64]Ironically, Howe himself only achieved his namesake hat-trick twice in his long career, both in the early 1950s, because few players dared to fight him after Howe soundly defeated New York RangersenforcerLou FontinatoatMadison Square Gardenin 1959.[64](For comparison, the current leader in Gordie Howe hat-tricks,Rick Tocchet,achieved the feat 18 times in his career.[65])

Howe was known for being a well-mannered and trusting person off the ice who never questioned the salary the Detroit Red Wings owners paid him. When it became public knowledge Howe had scored more than 600 goals for the organization before it reluctantly offered to pay him over $40,000, his linemate,Ted Lindsay,began a campaign to establish a player's association to unite for fair wages against the NHL owners. This would be the nucleus of the movement that became theNational Hockey League Players' Association.[64]

Howe's time playing with the WHA with his sons allowed the fledgling professional league to gain much-needed legitimacy and the ability to fill stadiums. The increased competition for hockey talent forced the insular NHL to seek players beyond its traditional North American sources and recruit professional European players and to expand into new cities to gain new fans.[64]Wayne Gretzky was one of the players who elected to join the WHA instead of the NHL. Over the years, Howe became good friends with Gretzky, who had idolized him as a young player and who would later break many of Howe's scoring records and milestones.[3][64]While Gretzky surpassed Howe statistically, it was Howe who had first set the standard for consistent, high-level play.[2]Howe's number 9 has been worn as a tribute to him—Gretzky wore number 99 as a direct tribute to Howe since 9 was taken during the early parts of his career.

Another milestone was reached in 1997 when Howe played professional hockey in a sixth decade. He was signed to a one-game contract by theDetroit Vipersof theInternational Hockey Leagueand at age 69, made a return to the ice for one shift.[7][66]In so doing, he became the only player in hockey history to compete in six different decades at the professional level, having played in the USHL, NHL, WHA and IHL from the 1940s to 1990s.[67]

Howe's No. 9 banner hanging in Joe Louis Arena

Howe's first 20 seasons came during an era when the schedule was only 70 games, scoring was difficult, and checking was tight; he never scored50 goals in a single season.Howe is currently fourth on the NHL's all-time points list with 1850 total points (801 goals and 1,049 assists) afterWayne Gretzky,Mark MessierandJaromír Jágr.[2]Howe is still third on the all-time goals list, with only Gretzky andAlexander Ovechkinahead of him.[2][68]When career regular season goals from both the NHL and the WHA are combined, he ranks first in goals with 975, ahead of Gretzky's 940.[69]

At the time of his retirement, Howe's professional totals, including playoffs, for the NHL and WHA combined, were first. He finished with 2,421 games played, 1,071 goals, 1,518 assists, and 2,589 points. However, Gretzky would later pass him in goals (1,072), assists (2,297) and points (3,369), but not in games played or games played with one team.[70][71]After Howe's death, Gretzky called Howe "the greatest hockey player ever",[2]and said that if it were up to him Howe's No. 9 would be retired for all NHL teams the same as his own No. 99.[72]Howe's record of 1,767 NHL games played was surpassed in April 2021 byPatrick Marleau.[73]However, combining his games played in the WHA, he holds the record for most regular season games played in the major leagues with 2,186.

Gordie Howe BridgeinSaskatoon,was named after Howe in June 2016

Howe played internationally on one occasion, at the1974 Summit Series.[30]

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In the 1986 filmFerris Bueller's Day Off,the character Cameron Frye wears Howe's Red Wings jersey throughout most of the film, even though it is set in Chicago.[74]Howe had provided one to the filmmakers personally.[75]

Howe was featured inThe Simpsonsepisode "Bart the Lover".In it, a photograph of Howe is used byBart Simpsonto fool his teacher into thinking he is a grown man who has answered her personal ad. At the end of the episode, Howe's career statistics are shown.

In Season 3 of theNBCtelevision crime drama seriesGood Girls,in an episode entitled "The Eye in Survivor", the character of Ruby (Retta) steals an autographedStanley Cup Finalsgame-worn Gordie Howe jersey from a sports bar only to have it appraised and learn that it is counterfeit.

In 2023, a children's book calledGordie's Skate,written by Saskatchewan historianBill Waiser,was published. The book shares the story of Howe's family acquiring a pair of skates during the Great Depression in Saskatchewan, and how Howe had to share the pair with his sister.[76]

Namesake

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In 1993, a statue created by Michael Martin ofEston, Saskatchewan,was installed across fromMidtown Plazain Howe's hometown of Saskatoon, and then moved to what is nowSaskTel Centrein 2005.[77]Following his death, Howe's ashes along with wife Colleen were interred below the statue.

In May 2015, Canadian Prime MinisterStephen Harperand Michigan GovernorRick Snyderannounced that a new international bridge spanning theDetroit Riverwould be named in honour of Howe. TheGordie Howe International Bridgeis currently under construction, and is set to open in 2025.[78]

On June 27, 2016, it was announced thata bridgein Saskatoon would be named after Howe.[79]There is also an arena and sports complex in Saskatoon named after Howe.[80][81]

Honours

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Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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The Gordie Howe statue (unveiled in March 2017) in front of theHockey Hall of Fame.

Boldedindicates league leader

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1945–46 Omaha Knights USHL 52 22 26 48 53 6 2 1 3 15
1946–47 Detroit Red Wings NHL 58 7 15 22 52 5 0 0 0 18
1947–48 Detroit Red Wings NHL 60 16 28 44 63 10 1 1 2 11
1948–49 Detroit Red Wings NHL 40 12 25 37 57 11 8 3 11 19
1949–50 Detroit Red Wings NHL 70 35 33 68 69 1 0 0 0 7
1950–51 Detroit Red Wings NHL 70 43 43 86 74 6 4 3 7 4
1951–52 Detroit Red Wings NHL 70 47 39 86 78 8 2 5 7 2
1952–53 Detroit Red Wings NHL 70 49 46 95 57 6 2 5 7 2
1953–54 Detroit Red Wings NHL 70 33 48 81 109 12 4 5 9 31
1954–55 Detroit Red Wings NHL 64 29 33 62 68 11 9 11 20 24
1955–56 Detroit Red Wings NHL 70 38 41 79 100 10 3 9 12 8
1956–57 Detroit Red Wings NHL 70 44 45 89 72 5 2 5 7 6
1957–58 Detroit Red Wings NHL 64 33 44 77 40 4 1 1 2 0
1958–59 Detroit Red Wings NHL 70 32 46 78 57 — — — — —
1959–60 Detroit Red Wings NHL 70 28 45 73 46 6 1 5 6 4
1960–61 Detroit Red Wings NHL 64 23 49 72 30 11 4 11 15 10
1961–62 Detroit Red Wings NHL 70 33 44 77 54 — — — — —
1962–63 Detroit Red Wings NHL 70 38 48 86 100 11 7 9 16 22
1963–64 Detroit Red Wings NHL 69 26 47 73 70 14 9 10 19 16
1964–65 Detroit Red Wings NHL 70 29 47 76 104 7 4 2 6 20
1965–66 Detroit Red Wings NHL 70 29 46 75 83 12 4 6 10 12
1966–67 Detroit Red Wings NHL 69 25 40 65 53 — — — — —
1967–68 Detroit Red Wings NHL 74 39 43 82 53 — — — — —
1968–69 Detroit Red Wings NHL 76 44 59 103 58 — — — — —
1969–70 Detroit Red Wings NHL 76 31 40 71 58 4 2 0 2 2
1970–71 Detroit Red Wings NHL 63 23 29 52 38 — — — — —
1973–74 Houston Aeros WHA 70 31 69 100 46 13 3 14 17 34
1974–75 Houston Aeros WHA 75 34 65 99 84 13 8 12 20 20
1975–76 Houston Aeros WHA 78 32 70 102 76 17 4 8 12 31
1976–77 Houston Aeros WHA 62 24 44 68 57 11 5 3 8 11
1977–78 New England Whalers WHA 76 34 62 96 85 14 5 5 10 15
1978–79 New England Whalers WHA 58 19 24 43 51 10 3 1 4 4
1979–80 Hartford Whalers NHL 80 15 26 41 42 3 1 1 2 2
1997–98 Detroit Vipers IHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
NHL totals 1,767 801 1,049 1,850 1,685 157 68 92 160 220
WHA totals 419 174 334 508 399 78 28 43 71 115
Major League Hockey totals 2,186 975 1,383 2,358 2,084 235 96 135 231 335

Awards

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Records

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  • Most NHL regular season games played with a single team:1,687[91]
  • Most NHL and WHA regular season games played:2,186
  • Most NHL and WHA regular season and playoff games played:2,421
  • Most NHL and WHA goals regular season975
  • Most NHL seasons played:26(tied withChris Chelios)[91]
  • Most NHL and WHA seasons played:32
  • Most NHL regular season goals by a right winger:801
  • Most NHL regular season points by a father/son combo (with sonMark):2,592
  • Most consecutive NHL 20-goal seasons:22(1949–1971)
  • First player to score over 1000 goals (WHA and NHL, regular season and playoff combined)
  • First player to reach 1,500 games played in NHL history.
  • Most times leading NHL playoffs in scoring (six times)
  • Oldest player to play in NHL:52 years, 11 days(no other player has played past the age of 48)
  • First in Red Wings history in points, goals and games played, second in assists
  • MostNHL All-Star Gameappearances: 23
  • From 1961 until being surpassed byPatrick Marleauin April 2021, Howe held the record for most NHL regular season games played.[91][73]

See also

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References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related toGordie Howe.
Awards and achievements
Preceded by
Inaugural
 NHL Lifetime Achievement Award
2008 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Detroit Red Wings captain
1958–62 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Winner of theHart Memorial Trophy
1952, 1953
1957, 1958
1960
1963 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Winner of theArt Ross Trophy
1951, 1952, 1953, 1954
1957
1963 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Winner of theMaurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy
1951, 1952, 1953
1957
1963 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Gordie_Howe&oldid=1272753413"