Gordie Howe Passes Away at the age of 88

[HIFE]

Channel 4 news is doing a special right now with Mickey and Blashill honoring Gordie. Mickey is doing a great job explaining his story.

 

[chances14]

Channel 4 news is doing a special right now with Mickey and Blashill honoring Gordie. Mickey is doing a great job explaining his story.

Yeah I enjoyed listening to it. Didn't realize Mickey got to play with Howe during the latter part of his career.

 

[14ari13]

Seeing him at the Winter Classic last year was brutal. So I'm just going to watch this again. Excuse me, I have something in my eye

Thanks for sharing this.


RIP Mr. Hockey.

 

[HIFE]

Yeah I enjoyed listening to it. Didn't realize Mickey got to play with Howe during the latter part of his career.

My appreciation for Mickey grows every year. A friend tried to tell me Mic was getting senile but I think he's getting more lucid/aware as time goes by. He's an important key to Red Wings history, I'm glad he looks healthy and should be with us for a long time.

Anyone know a place to watch archival NHL games that Howe played in? I need to watch the man in action. He's the most revered of all time who we grow up idolizing but honestly would like to understand more what made him so dominant.

How would you describe him physically? Is there a comparison to any player of today or compared to other sports? His photos I can't believe how strong he looked, like a football player, thick neck and all, and at such a young age. He must have been a straight up bull charging through opponents.

 

[CanadaIsIrrelevant]

IMO this thread should be sticky.

And again RIP Mr. Hockey #9RIP

 

[LeighDx59]

My only interaction with him was a few seasons ago during a preseason game. I was about to enter the concourse from the lower bowl and he just so happen to be walking towards me heading to his seat. I got to say hello and shake his hand.

Is anyone else headed to the public visitation tueday?

 

[SpookyTsuki]

My only interaction with him was a few seasons ago during a preseason game. I was about to enter the concourse from the lower bowl and he just so happen to be walking towards me heading to his seat. I got to say hello and shake his hand.

Is anyone else headed to the public visitation tueday?

I would if I lived in Michigan

 

[SpookyTsuki]

IMO this thread should be sticky.

And again RIP Mr. Hockey #9RIP

It's gonna stay here for a while. Maybe after the draft and free agency it will disappear. But I think by then everybody will have moved on

 

[MrTaterSalad]

Gordie was well before my time as I grew up in the Yzerman/Lidstrom/Avalanche Rivalry era.*But every kid growing up who was a Red Wings fan, who was a hockey fan, knew who Gordie Howe was and knew of his greatness. Arguably one of if not the best player of his era. RIP Gordie, you will be missed by many!

As a side note, I remember when he joined the Vipers. Arguably the greatest player in Vipers history too.

 

[Retire91]

My appreciation for Mickey grows every year. A friend tried to tell me Mic was getting senile but I think he's getting more lucid/aware as time goes by. He's an important key to Red Wings history, I'm glad he looks healthy and should be with us for a long time.

Anyone know a place to watch archival NHL games that Howe played in? I need to watch the man in action. He's the most revered of all time who we grow up idolizing but honestly would like to understand more what made him so dominant.

How would you describe him physically? Is there a comparison to any player of today or compared to other sports? His photos I can't believe how strong he looked, like a football player, thick neck and all, and at such a young age. He must have been a straight up bull charging through opponents.

Always loved Mickey his enthusiasm for the game and his down to earth way of seeing it made his color commentary so enjoyable over the years. I met Mickey once by chance at a bank he was on the phone and I couldn't resist I had to say it was nice to see him and that he is a huge reason why I love hockey. I felt like a douch but he was all class and smiled and said thank you we are going to get them in the playoffs lol

I have a hard time finding video of Gordie that truly shows how much he dominated his peers. Something about the black and white, the pace of the game, and the way it is filmed makes it so I can't get my mind around it. The best statement of his game I feel like I can see is the pictures of his physique, in his prime the guy could have been a pro body builder. This was in a time that I don't think people trained like that. From what I understand he grew up on a farm with lots of manual labor so he not only had that farmboy strength but he just had those athletic kind of genes. We was also ambidextrous which I imagine translated into an incredible set of hands for the time including a grab bag of tricks for fooling goalies. I think he was intelligent on the ice and also had a mean streak that he hung up with his skates after the game because the guy was a total gentlemen off the ice.

I think he was like if you put Probert and Yzerman in a blender in a time before the fame and money filled the entire league with world class athletes. I can only imagine and speculate, I wasn't there.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

Gordie was well before my time as I grew up in the Yzerman/Lidstrom/Avalanche Rivalry era.*But every kid growing up who was a Red Wings fan, who was a hockey fan, knew who Gordie Howe was and knew of his greatness. Arguably one of if not the best player of his era. RIP Gordie, you will be missed by many!

As a side note, I remember when he joined the Vipers. Arguably the greatest player in Vipers history too.

No idea who the vipers are. So probably accurate

 

[Retire91]

No idea who the vipers are. So probably accurate

They were the Plymouth vipers for a while I think and they also played in the Palace of Auburn hills for a time. I think they were AHL, IHL, ECHL? I am not sure. I do remember this it was mostly a publicity stunt.

 

[MrTaterSalad]

They were the Plymouth vipers for a while I think and they also played in the Palace of Auburn hills for a time. I think they were AHL, IHL, ECHL? I am not sure. I do remember this it was mostly a publicity stunt.

They were the 2x Turner Cup Champion Detroit Vipers lol. The Vipers did play at the Palace during their tenure in Detroit as they were owned by Pistons Owner Bill Davidson. They had Peter Bondra on the team for a minute when he held out of a contract, a young Sergi Samsanov, a young Petr Sykora and Peter Ciavaglia.

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

And then you have dats Kobe and Peyton retiring

True that and adding Calvin Johnson in with the retirement as well.

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

Thanks for sharing this.


RIP Mr. Hockey.

I was there at the 1980 All Star game after Joe Louis Arena opened, And i was so excited to see Gordie playing there that was an exciting experience for sure.

 

[RabidBadger]

They were the 2x Turner Cup Champion Detroit Vipers lol. The Vipers did play at the Palace during their tenure in Detroit as they were owned by Pistons Owner Bill Davidson. They had Peter Bondra on the team for a minute when he held out of a contract, a young Sergi Samsanov, a young Petr Sykora and Peter Ciavaglia.

Don't forget the great Satan (Miroslav, that is). Satan scored the winning goal in a exhibition game against the 99 All Stars team that had Hull, Messier and Gretzky on it.

I wish Gordy could have suited up for that one.

 

[MrTaterSalad]

Don't forget the great Satan (Miroslav, that is). Satan scored the winning goal in a exhibition game against the 99 All Stars team that had Hull, Messier and Gretzky on it.

I wish Gordy could have suited up for that one.

Forgot all about Satan being there. Jason Woolley was another NHL-er I remember being on the Vipers squad. I think Shawn Burr was there as well for a portion of one season.

 

[Bench]

Gretzky has suggested #9 be retired by the league. If you're going to retire another number, that's the one, eh?

Despite your feelings on league wide retirements, that's quite an accomplishment to even be in the discussion.

 

[FireBird71]

They were the Plymouth vipers for a while I think and they also played in the Palace of Auburn hills for a time. I think they were AHL, IHL, ECHL? I am not sure. I do remember this it was mostly a publicity stunt.

Vipers only played at the palace..they were an spans ion team that played in the Central League and were in Salt Lake City....played 7 years before the IHL folded. Won 1 title in 96/97....Howe skated 1 shift

 

[FireBird71]

Sergei Samsonov and Jimmy Carson played the Championship team

 

[RabidBadger]

Gretzky has suggested #9 be retired by the league. If you're going to retire another number, that's the one, eh?

Despite your feelings on league wide retirements, that's quite an accomplishment to even be in the discussion.

I don't see why not. If nothing else it could be done to honor Gordie, The Rocket and Bobby Hull; 3 veritable luminaries of the sport. I think Toronto is the only Original 6 team to not have it retired.