Gordie Howe, a right-winger from Floral, Saskatchewan, only scored seven goals and 15 assists in his first season and would not reach his prime for a few more years.

* 1980 – Gordie Howe of the then Hartford Whalers makes NHL history as he scores his 800th goal.

* 1928 – Gordie Howe, Canadian ice hockey player

He originally wanted to wear number 9 — for his hockey hero Gordie Howe — but it was already being worn by teammate Brian Gualazzi.

The WHA All-Stars were coached by Jacques Demers, who put Gretzky on a line with his boyhood idol Gordie Howe and Howe's son, Mark.

In game two, Gretzky and Mark Howe each scored a goal and Gordie Howe picked up an assist as the WHA won 4 – 2.

He reached one milestone in this last season, breaking the professional total ( regular season and playoffs ) goal-scoring record of 1, 071, which had been held by Gordie Howe.

Like Gordie Howe, he possessed " an exceptional capacity to renew his energy resources quickly.

* Gordie Howe

* July 15 – The Scott Morrison Award of Minor Hockey Excellence was first given out to recipient Gordie Howe

** Gordie Howe, Canadian hockey player

During that last game of the season, Joe Sakic scored a goal and two assists and became the second-oldest player in NHL history to reach 100 points, behind only Gordie Howe, who had 103 points at age 40 in the 1968 – 69 season.

" Three Hall of Fame members came out of retirement after their induction and resumed a career in the National League: Gordie Howe, Guy Lafleur and Mario Lemieux.

Did he suspend Gordie Howe of Detroit when he almost knocked out Dollard St. Laurent's eye?

In the 1950s, Richard was frequently compared to emerging star Gordie Howe of the Detroit Red Wings.

When Richard retired in 1960, he paid tribute to Howe, saying " Gordie could do everything.

Richard placed second in the scoring race to Gordie Howe, who now pushed Richard to the Second All-star team.

Among those who attended were Governor General Adrienne Clarkson, Lieutenant Governor of Quebec Lise Thibault, various politicians ( including then Prime Minister of Canada, Jean Chrétien, and then Premier of Quebec Lucien Bouchard ), Gordie Howe, Jean Béliveau, and then Canadiens team captain Saku Koivu.

Orr is behind only Wayne Gretzky and ahead of Gordie Howe as well as being named the top defenceman of all time.

Hughes also pays tribute to his childhood hero Gordie Howe with Cameron's Detroit Red Wings jersey.

Guests came from all walks of life, including politicians like Pierre Trudeau and Indira Gandhi, crusaders like Malcolm X, sports figures like Gordie Howe, entertainers like Boris Karloff and Ed Sullivan, and writers like Upton Sinclair.

* Gordie Howe

Hull originally wore numbers 16 and 7 as a Blackhawk but later switched to his famous number 9, a tribute to his childhood idol Gordie Howe.

* Upon playing his last playoff game in 1980, he and teammate Gordie Howe became the last active players that had played in the 1950s.

Along with Gordie Howe before him and Mario Lemieux after him, Lafleur is one of only three players to have returned to the NHL after being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Interestingly, three of the game's legendary players, Mark Messier ( 109 playoff goals ), Mario Lemieux ( 77 goals ), and Gordie Howe ( 68 goals ) never scored a playoff overtime goal.

) Notable NHL players in history include Mario Lemieux, Wayne Gretzky, Chris Chelios, Eddie Shore, Stan Mikita, Guy Lafleur, Steve Yzerman, Joe Sakic, Gordie Howe, Mark Recchi, Mike Modano, Nicklas Lidstrom, Bobby Hull, Trevor Linden, Dominik Hasek and Bobby Orr.

In Game Two, Gretzky and Mark Howe each scored a goal and Gordie Howe picked up an assist as the WHA won 4 – 2.

Tootoo has also earned two " Gordie Howe hat tricks " on January 10, 2004, and December 8, 2007when he notched a goal, an assist, and a fighting major in each game.

In Game Two, Gretzky and Mark Howe each scored a goal and Gordie Howe picked up an assist as the WHA won 4 – 2.

The next season, Gretzky broke Gordie Howe's career goal-scoring record and won the scoring title, but the team began a long slide, and despite numerous player and coaching moves, they failed to qualify for the playoffs again until 1998.

In 1974, at the age of 46, Howe won the Gary L. Davidson Trophy, awarded to the WHA's most valuable player ( the trophy was renamed the Gordie Howe Trophy the following year ).

Gordie Howe and the Houston Aeros vied for the trophy three times, and won it twice.

Shore won the Hart Trophy as the league's most valuable player four times, the most of any defenceman, and third overall behind Wayne Gretzky and Gordie Howe.

Gordie Howe led the NHL in goals, assists, and points while goaltender Terry Sawchuk won the Calder Trophy as the league's best rookie.

Gordie Howe led the Red Wings and the NHL as he won his sixth and last Art Ross Trophy and Hart Trophy.

Gordie Howe won the Hart Trophy over Al Rollins, but on the strength of Rollins ' goaltending, Chicago made the playoffs for the first time since 1946.

His uniform number # 77 has been retired by both the Bruins and the Avalanche ; he is one of only six players ( Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, and Patrick Roy ) whose jersey has been retired by more than one club.

During his career, he was selected to thirteen NHL First Team ( the most in history ) and six Second Team All-Star squads, second in total in league history only to Gordie Howe and most amongst defencemen.

1997 – 98 also saw a one shift comeback from Gordie Howe, making him the only person to play hockey in six different decades as a professional.

Kennedy finished the playoffs with two goals and six assists to lead the Leafs in points and was second only to Detroit's Gordie Howe overall.

Ley spent six years as the Whalers ' captain and was one of three players in Hartford Whalers ' history to have his jersey number retired (# 2 ), joining Gordie Howe and John McKenzie.