“Gordie’s commitment to winning was matched only by his commitment to his teammates, to his friends, to the Red Wings, to the city of Detroit and – above all – to his family”.
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also weighed in on the enormity of Gordie Howe’s life and accomplishments.
Howe scored 174 goals in the W.H.A., playing with his sons through four seasons with Houston and two with the New England Whalers. Arrangements will be announced once they are finalized, the Howe family said. “He was strong as an ox”.
He looked like what you would have expected Superman to look like if DC Comics had allowed him to age.
“He had a very heavy shot and a soft touch”.
1954-55-Howe misses six games after playing all 70 games in the previous five seasons.
As a six-time league MVP, Howe arguably was one of the sport’s greatest players, scoring 801 goals in his 26 years in two different stints in the National Hockey League. I turned and said, ‘Oh, my God, it’s Gordie Howe. In that time, scoring 1685 points in 1767 games.
“It’s a man’s game”, he once said.
“Gordie represented the sport of hockey so well, ” Parent said.
But in the wake of the strokes – which left the former National Hockey League great without the use of his right arm and leg and caused his speech to slur – his family chose to pursue an unproven stem cell therapy not approved in Canada or the U.S.
“We not only lost a sports legend, but also one of the most iconic, impactful and beloved people our community will ever know”, said Ron Woods, president of the NFL’s Detroit Lions. Howe played his minor hockey in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, before leaving at age 16 to attempt a career in professional hockey. He said if “things had to be taken care of, he could do that on the ice”. “But I better keep my head up so I don’t get my nose broken”‘. The parallels between the two men are considerable: each brought unusual skills to a tradition-laden sport and over the course of a career, transformed it forever; by the time they walked away, both could fairly lay claim to the moniker, “The Greatest”.
“To me, Gordie is a contradiction”.
And even then, said Henderson, Howe demanded respect be paid.
“He laid it on a lot of guys I tell ya”. By the time of his retirement, Howe would own league records in assists, points and games played.
“He’d say ‘I’ll try my best but it’s hard, ‘” recalled Cournoyer.
“He was not a dirty player”, Cournoyer added. He wanted the puck. I think anybody that followed his career knew that he was a fierce competitor and he was a tough hockey player.
Cournoyer made the comments with a heavy heart, noting that so many top players from the old days have died in the last few years, including Canadiens Jean Beliveau, Elmer Lach, Dickie Moore and Tremblay.
Howe was 6-foot and 205 pounds during his career, bigger than most players.
In the end, it’s clear Howe will be remembered in Detroit for more than his on-ice achievements.
It is with great sadness that the Detroit Red Wings mourn the loss of one of hockey’s all-time greats, Gordon (Gordie) Howe, who passed away today at the age of 88.
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Former Detroit Red Wings Gordie Howe stands in front of the bronze sculpture of his likeness during an unveiling ceremony at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan, United States on April 10, 2007.
