Gordie Howe played for 25 years as a member of the Detroit Red Wings in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1946 to 1971, winning the Stanley Cup 4 times. Throughout his entire career he played in 1,767 regular season games, he scored 801 goals and 1,049 assists. He also scored 68 goals and had 92 assists in 157 play-off games.
Howe played on the “Production Line” with Sid Abel and Ted Lindsay during the late 1940s and early 1950s, and the “Production Line 2” with Alex Delvecchio and Frank Mahovlich in the 1960s.
Gordie was on the First All-Star Team 12 times and the Second All-Star Team 9 times; awarded the Art Ross Trophy (6 times); the Hart Trophy (6 times); and the Lester Patrick Trophy; and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972.
Howe retired for the first time in 1971. He then went on to play from 1973-1980 with various teams in the World Hockey Associaiton and 1 year with the Hartford Whalers of the NHL (in 1980, he was the oldest player in an NHL game at age 52). He retired for a second time in 1980. He was signed to a 1 game contract with the Detroit Vipers of the International Hockey League in 1997 before he finally retired, having played in 5 decades.
