Happy Birthday, Mr. Hockey

In honour of Mr. Hockey’s 80th birthday, here are some facts, statistics and anecdotes.

*In 32 seasons of professional play, he played in 2,421 games and amassed 2,589 points, 1,071 goals, 1,518 assists, and 2,418 penalty minutes.

*As a result of a severe head injury sustained in a collision with Ted Kennedy, Howe has a facial tic in which his eyes will blink uncontrollably. He was nicknamed Blinky by his teammates and sometimes surprised reporters by saying things like “Old Blinky was really flying tonight.”

*When Howe was 14, he played in a charity game and scored a goal on Turk Broda. After the game Broda told Howe, ”We’ll see you in the NHL.” Howe later scored his first goal in his first NHL game against Turk Broda.

*Howe began his career at 18 with the Detroit Red Wings and ended it at 52 with the Hartford Whalers.

*Howe is not the original Mr. Hockey. He inherited the title from Eddie Shore.

*He was a top-five scorer for twenty consecutive years.

*He’s the only player to reach the 100 points in a season mark after age 40.

*Howe only scored a “Gordie Howe Hat Trick” once in his career on December 22, 1955.  A “Gordie Howe Hat Trick” is a goal, an assist and a major fighting penalty.

*He’s from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, though his birthplace is listed as Floral, Saskatchewan.

*His first pro try-out came when he was 15. The Rangers weren’t interested.

*Howe and his sons Mark and Marty hold the record for most father-son combined points. They have 1,000 goals and 1,623 assists for a total of 2,623 points in the NHL.

*The Red Wings’ current owners have renamed the main entrance to Joe Louis Arena “The Gordie Howe Entrance.”

*Howe never forgot and always repaid in kind. Leafs defenseman Bob Baun learned that the hard way. In 1957 he hit Howe so hard Howe needed help getting to the bench.  Ten years later, Baun was defending Howe on a one-on-one rush. Howe took a shot and on the follow-through caught Baun in the neck. Baun fell down bleeding and Howe said, “Now we’re even.”

*Howe was named an All-Star 21 times.

*After retiring following the 1970-71 season, he was offered the position of first ever head coach for the New York Islanders. He turned it down.

*Howe made a comeback in 1973 when he signed to play with sons Mark and Marty on the Houston Aeros team in the World Hockey Association. He retired for good after playing all 80 games with the Hartford Whalers in their first season in the NHL.

*In 1952-53, Howe became the first player to break the 90 point barrier with 95.

*He won the Hart trophy six times: 1952, 1953, 1957, 1958, 1960, and 1963.

*He won the league’s scoring title six times as well: 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1957 and 1963.

*Howe was already a star when Bobby Orr was born in 1948 and outlasted Orr in the league as well. Orr retired in 1979.

*He was an ambidextrous player.

*Howe played on the “Production Line” in the 1950s with Sid Abel and Ted Lindsay.

*A picture of Howe was used in The Simpsons episode “Bart the Lover.” At the end of the episode, Howe’s statistics were displayed.

*Howe is a member of eleven different Halls of Fame.

*The Red Wings gave Howe a signing bonus his rookie year: a team letterman jacket.

*Howe’s playing career spanned three different eras in the league: the post-war era, the Golden Era, and the post-expansion era.