Gordie Howe, forever known as "Mr. Hockey," skated into legend with skill, resilience, and iconic toughness. His awe-inspiring journey reshaped professional hockey and touched fans everywhere, making the story of Gordie Howe an unforgettable part of sports history.
Gordie Howe
Gordie Howe played an NHL record 1,767 games, contributing to more than 2,000 career professional games.
He led the Detroit Red Wings to four Stanley Cup championships: 1950, 1952, 1954, and 1955.
Gordie crafted the famous “Gordie Howe hat trick”: scoring a goal, assisting, and dropping the gloves—all in one game.
His career spanned an incredible six decades, as he laced up from the 1940s through a single 1997 game in the IHL.
He won the Hart Memorial Trophy as MVP six times and was a six-time Art Ross Trophy winner as top point scorer.
Over his career, Howe scored a staggering 801 NHL goals—once the highest tally ever, later surpassed only by Wayne Gretzky.
At age 52, Howe played an entire NHL season, proving age could not steal his competitive spirit.
He made 23 NHL All-Star Game appearances, setting a record that may never be matched.
Gordie was the only NHL player to skate alongside his sons, Mark and Marty, in both the WHA and the NHL.
As a teenager, he once tried out for the New York Rangers before signing with the Red Wings.
Gordie never scored 50 goals in a single season—his best was 49 in 1952-53, but goal averages were much lower at that time.
Known for his toughness, by age 35 he had received more than 300 stitches to his face.
Both Gordie and his beloved wife, Colleen, left legacies—he on the ice, she with community causes; together, their nicknames “Mr. Hockey” and “Mrs. Hockey” became trademarks.
Born in Floral, Saskatchewan, Howe’s roots defined his grit and humility throughout his legendary journey.
His famous No. 9 jersey became iconic, but he started out wearing No. 17—the later switch even gave him a more comfortable bed on team trains.
