Gordie Howe (1928-2016): Mr. Hockey

Gordie Howe, owner of the Vancouver Giants, at Gordie Howe Night at the Pacific Coliseum in March 2008. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Before there was Bobby Orr, Phil Esposito, Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Sidney Crosby and Patrick Kane--heck, nearly every NHL star of the past half century--there was Gordie Howe.  The  hockey icon from Floral, Saskatchewan died Friday at age 88.

Howe's career spanned three and a half decades (1946-1980), three teams and two leagues.  He won four Stanley Cups in the 1950s with the NHL Detroit Red Wings, and two World Hockey Association titles in the mid-1970s with the Houston Aeros.  During his NHL career, Howe scored 801 goals and 1850 points, records that stood until Gretzky came along and obliterated them.

Howe was also known as a rough-and-tumble right winger who fit the stereotype of the typical hockey player, sometimes spending more time in the penalty box than on the ice.  He's been stitched up hundreds of times, lost teeth and even had a serious head injury during a game.  Despite all that, Howe played 1767 games during his NHL career, much of it with the Red Wings.

Howe also managed the feat of sticking around until the age of 52, playing with his sons Mark and Marty on the Aeros and Hartford Whalers (today's Carolina Hurricanes).

Since Howe finally quit playing hockey, those who have either watched him play in person or on TV have idolized and credited him with popularizing the sport across North America.  One example is  Gretzky, who began his NHL career at the same time Howe was ending his.  Not only did "The Great One" break most of Howe's records, but he also played using the number 99 as a tribute to the man who wore number 9 on his uniform.

Gordie Howe was a prolific scorer who sacrificed his body to lead his teams to championships, yet lasted long enough to live out every father's dream of having his sons play alongside of him.  They didn't call him Mr. Hockey for nothing.