Gordie Howe, fourth on the NHL’s all-time scoring list has died, “Mr. Hockey” was 88. Many former players tweeted their condolences to Howe’s family, or shared stories of their encounters with the legendary player. Howe and Beliveau spent two decades competing against one another, mostly during the NHL’s Original Six days, with the Red Wings and Canadiens combining to win 14 Stanley Cups between 1950 and 1971 (the span of Beliveau’s career in the NHL).
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Others also fondly remembered Howe for his gritty style of play, which inspired terms like the “Gordie Howe Hat Trick” (when a player registers a goal, an assist and a fight in a single game). Gordie Howe has died at the age of 88, surrounded by family in Ohio. We will miss Mr. Hockey, who was the greatest Red Wing of all time. Prior to joining the Sun in 2011, he worked for The Citizen for 19 years. “But I don’t think he was dirty”. “You never learn anything if you’re the one talking”. The Howe family received the Wayne Gretzky Award from the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2000 for their efforts in advancing the sport. Howe suited up in one game for the IHL’s Detroit Vipers in 1997 to become the only player to have ever played professionally in six different decades.
Prime minister Justin Trudeau says Howe’s career “inspired and gave rise to many, many dreams”. According to the CBC, Howe’s health had been deteriorating for a while and the Gordie Howe stroke was what ultimately led to his death.
“He’s been involved in a lot of charities along the way and he helped mentor a lot of hockey players and set them in the right direction and changed a lot of lives”.
During a Red Wings game about 10 years ago, Ramsdell stumbled upon Gordie Howe giving a stick-handling lesson to a young boy, he said.
The New England Whalers improved their hockey fortunes immeasurably Monday morning when they signed Gordie, Mark and Marty Howe to long-term, multi-year contracts that nearly assures the City of Hartford a place in the National Hockey League when – and if – there’s a pro hockey merger.
Former Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman said Howe was an icon not only in Detroit, but throughout the entire hockey world. “But I’ll tell you, because of what Gordie has done, for us mere mortals who have played this game, being No. 2 is not so bad”.
■Bill Ford, executive chairman of Ford Motor Company: “Throughout life, when asked who my role models were, I always replied Henry Ford and Gordie Howe”.
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“As kids we enjoyed often taking a bus and a street vehicle to then climb up the many stairs into the balcony of the Olympia to see Gordie’s magic”. The Tigers, who are also owned by Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch, shared this image of Howe dropping a ceremonial puck before the alumni game during the 2013 Winter Classic festivities in Detroit.
