Causeway Crowd
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Remembering Gordie Howe

By Andrew Thompson

Oct 31, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Fans hold up signs for former Detroit Red Wing player Gordie Howe in the first period of the game between the Detroit Red Wings and the Los Angeles Kings at Joe Louis Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 31, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Fans hold up signs for former Detroit Red Wing player Gordie Howe in the first period of the game between the Detroit Red Wings and the Los Angeles Kings at Joe Louis Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
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The world of hockey lost one of its pioneers and legends today. Gordie Howe, a 32 season veteran of the NHL and other leagues passed away today at the age of 88.

The world of hockey has been shaped by millions of players over the last hundred years. In the last century, there have been a handful of players that have revolutionized the game.

Every generation has the players that all hockey fans revere. For my generation, it was Wayne Gretzky.  Like many of you, I listened to Gretzky’s interview on TSN today. The greatest scorer in NHL history shared his memories and his anguish with all of us.

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“To play so well and for so long is simply incredible,” said Gretzky of Howe. “No player will ever do the things in hockey that Gordie did.”

The two legends even got to share the spotlight together. The 1980 All-Star game was the first for Gretzky and the last for Howe.  The 51-year old Howe even managed to earn an assist during the game.

Gordie Howe’s hockey career is a litany of greatness. The ‘Gordie Howe Hat Trick’ (for getting a goal, an assist, and a fight in the same game (which Howe only did twice in his career) will remain with hockey for as long as its a sport.

2,421 games played over the course of five separate decades. Overall he put up 2,589 points during the course of his career.

1850 career NHL points (He’s fourth in the record books behind Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, and former Boston Bruin (among other teams) Jaromir Jagr.)  Howe also had an additional 508 points (174 goals) from his time playing in the World Hockey Association (WHA).

1,767 regular season games played

801 goals (second only to Gretzky)

300+stitches to the face in his career

32 professional hockey seasons (the most in history)

26 NHL seasons

21-time NHL All-Star

14 broken noses

12-time First Team Selection

6-time NHL scoring title winner

6-time league MVP

2,419 career minutes in penalties. That’s enough to make players from Milt Schmidt to Shawn Thornton moan with envy.

He was the inaugural recipient of the NHL’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998.

Everyone at Causeway Crowd, FanSided, and pretty much anyone that’s ever scored a goal, played a shift, or even held a hockey stick sends their condolences out to the Howe family.

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