Steve Yzerman is the closest to Howe for Red Wings fans of my era, but we acknowledge Stevie Y didn’t have the ability to do all the things Howe did, especially when you consider the way equipment, travel and facilities have made it easier for the modern athlete. Perhaps the Hockey Hall of Fame said it best, “Gordie Howe is not only Mr. Hockey, he is hockey”. He loved to be around people and to make them laugh. He died in Toledo, Ohio, where his son lives.
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He is survived by his four children, Marty, Mark, Cathy and Murray, and nine grandchildren.
He remains a revered figure in Detroit with Ron Woods, president of the NFL’s Detroit Lions, hailing him as “one of the most iconic, impactful and beloved people our community will ever know”. “It’s a sad day. When you think of the greatest players ever, he’s right there”.
Former Canadiens star Serge Savard said players were all scared of Howe in his prime and that “everyone was happy when he retired”. There is no nickname more fitting for him than ‘Mr.
It’s tough to explain what Howe means to Red Wings fans. His achievements are numerous and his accomplishments immeasurable.
A year before his death, Murray Howe said, his father was comfortable and happy after having another round of stem cell therapy in Mexico.
Howe suffered a stroke in late October 2014 while at his daughter’s home in Lubbock, Texas, losing some function on the right side of his body.
He also had a couple mini strokes after the stem cell treatment.
In an National Hockey League 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 National Hockey League career in 1980.
Mr. Hockey was a giant of the game and no list of the NHLs greatest players has him anywhere but near the top alongside players like Bobby Orr, Maurice Richard, Mario Lemieux, Guy Lafleur, Bobby Hull and Gretzky. “Hockey, ‘ 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”, said Bettman in a prepared statement. Despite the blood and broken bones, he didn’t miss many games during his NHL-record, 1,767-game career and played in all 80 during his final season that ended after his 52nd birthday.
He made the last of his 23 NHL All-Star Game appearances that season at Joe Louis Arena. He retired in 1971 because of wrist injuries, but returned to play in the World Hockey Association and then once more in the NHL with the Hartford Whalers alongside sons Mark and Marty.
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Howe’s wife of 55 years, Colleen – known as “Mrs. Hockey” – died in 2009 after a lengthy battle with Pick’s Disease, an incurable neurological condition that causes dementia.
