Gordie Howe, the Hall of Famer known as ‘Mr. Hockey’, dead at 88
Hockey has lost its namesake, Mr. Hockey, the great Gordie Howe.
Howe, the legendary Hall of Fame Canadian right wing known for his scoring prowess, his willingness to fight, and his career longevity playing 25 of his 26 NHL seasons for the Detroit Red Wings – died Friday morning in Ohio, according to numerous reports.
Howe was 88 years old.
“Thoughts and prayers to the Howe family as Gordie Howe passes away at the age of 88. #9RIP,” the Red Wings tweeted.
Howe is considered one of the greatest hockey players of all time. What he meant to the sport and to the people that knew him is almost unquantifiable.
Gordie Howe
(Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images)
In an NHL career that spanned five decades, from 1946 through 1980, Howe became the NHL’s all-time leading scorer (1,850 points) by the end of his NHL career in 1980. He now sits third, behind only Wayne Gretzky (2,857 points) and Mark Messier (1,887), surpassed in 1999 and 2004, respectively.
Howe led the Red Wings to four Stanley Cups in 1950, 1952, 1954 and 1955. He was a six-time MVP and a six-time Art Ross Trophy winner as the league’s leading scorer.
The phrase “Gordie Howe hat trick” was coined to describe a player finishing a game with a goal, an assist and a fight, in memory of Howe’s penchant for beating his opponents with both his skill and his fists. Howe ironically accomplished the feat only twice in his career, but his legend grew along with his point totals, and so did hockey as a game.
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Gordie Howe, the Hall of Famer known as ‘Mr. Hockey’, dead at 88
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