Gordie Howe

I guess this should go in this forum.

So, how (no pun intended) 'bout Mr. Hockey!



(I have that exact photo autographed in a 16X20 size. The autograph looks the same except he signed 9 instead of #9 and it's on its own line underneath Gordie Howe and above Mr. Hockey).

You could argue Gretzky is better than Howe but how (pun intended)? 90ish more goals? Big deal. Howe was so much better than everyone else that he decided to play in the WHA with his sons for 6 years after he retired. He scored well over 100 goals there and then returned to the NHL for one final season (in his 50s) and scored 15 goals. Seasons were shorter back then, too. If they were 82 games in every year of Howe's career and he played 90% of those extra games (he averaged more than 90% of games in his career) and scored around 0.45 goals a game (his career average is around that) he'd have over 100 more goals putting him ahead of Gretzky.

Also, keep in mind Howe played in the "deadball era" of hockey when goals were about as rare as they've ever been while Gretzky played in the "steroids era". There weren't steroids in the 1980s (at least no one has suggested there were) but there were more goals than any other era. Also, Howe doesn't have the assists Gretzky has but there's a reason for that - the NHL didn't always record second assists. I can't find the exact year for the life of me but I'm 100% certain that there was a time that there was no such thing as a second assist. I'm not sure if that affected Howe or not but it wouldn't surprise me.

Deadball era of Hockey? Don't you mean Deadpuck era? I do agree with you about Howe, though!

Deadpuck, deadball, same thing! Nobody calls it either one (at least I don't think).

They act like Gretzky is light years ahead of everyone else but people forget about old-timers too much. I mean of course he'll score 90 extra goals if you put him in such a high-scoring era and give him 20 extra games a year.

Gretzky single-season high in goals: 92
Howe single-season high: 49

Gretzky had 50+ 9 times (to Howe's none) yet he still only managed 93 more goals.

I respect the old timers! They blazed a trail for guys like Gretzky to follow


GORDIE HOWE IS MR HOCKEY!

As far as I'm concerned, he is the best!

Sure is