Gordie Howe

Gordie Howe (March 31, 1928–June 10, 2016) was a Canadian professional ice-hockey right wing whose 32-season career crossed the National Hockey League (NHL) and World Hockey Association (WHA). Known as “Mr. Hockey,” he joined the Detroit Red Wings in 1946 and spent 25 seasons with the club, becoming a defining figure of its mid-century teams.

Alongside centre Sid Abel and left wing Ted Lindsay, Howe formed part of Detroit’s “Production Line.” The Red Wings won four Stanley Cups during his tenure, and Howe won the Hart Memorial Trophy six times as the NHL’s most valuable player and the Art Ross Trophy six times as its leading scorer. After initially retiring in 1971, he returned to play for the Houston Aeros with his sons Marty and Mark, then completed his NHL career with the Hartford Whalers in 1979–80 at age 52.

Howe recounted his career in the 2014 memoir Mr. Hockey. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972, entered Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame in 1975, and received the NHL Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008. His nickname remains closely associated with hockey’s long-running discussion of durable, all-around play.