In no order, Orr obviously for th eway he revolutionized the game and his position.
The Rocket because he defined what I consider one of the great sports franchises, and symbolized his people in many ways. If I understand the word transcend, The Rocket is a poster child. How he compares to Howe isn't relevant, the fierce determination and refusal to be stopped on his way to the net,set him apart from any other player in history.
Gretzky, not only for the sheer weight of his numbers but for the different style of offense he brought to the game. The inside the blue line curl, the pass to where the player would arrive, the use of the trailer, no one played like him. You could argue Mario's talents, but Gretzky set the bar. This doesn't even take into account him becoming a mainstream star.
You could argue Beliveau for the way he entered the league, forcing Selke's hand financially,maybe one of the 1st players to win a negotiation.
I'd stop at the 1st 3, though Shore obviously qualifies. I'm not sure what to think about him as he influenced the game as a player and as an administrator,though in different ways.
Howe was called Mr. Hockey for a reason, and I'll never argue his place as one of the top 3 of all time, Ogo's right, his longevity tends to tarnish his greatness. I'm just not sure the game went to new levels because of him. Interesting topic though. Did Hank Aaron transcend baseball ? I know the Babe did.